With Thanksgiving happening in the U.S. this week, there's no better time to consider all the reasons to be thankful for discovering kdrama.
Here are five we thought of:
Romance: No form of entertainment quite delivers as satisfying a dose of romance as kdramas. For the span of a kdrama, it's possible to believe not only in love, but also in love's ability to conquer all obstacles. Will Lee Min Ho surrender his fortune and family for Park Shin Hye in "The Heirs?" In real life, it might not happen to an heir but in a kdrama it could.
And kdramas have developed love triangles into an art form. Whereas in real life the odds of finding more than one suitable person at a time to love are slim, kdramas offer a love interest and then another just to make it interesting. But in "Future's Choice" Yoon Eun Hye gets to choose between Lee Dong Gun and Jung Yong Hwa.
Tears and Kisses: There's something fascinating about watching people cry on television and kdramas deliver so many teary scenes. Crying your heart out is something everyone experiences in real life but the extensive shedding of tears is rare on American television. And if you are due for a good cry, a kdrama like "Missing You" or "Secrets" can take you there.
And then there are the kisses. It takes forever for a kdrama couple to kiss but by the time they do, viewers long for it as much as the characters. And they appreciate that kiss when it happens. And there are so many inventive ones that make each kdrama kissing scene just a little different.
Values: Kdramas spend considerable time exploring values. Should a person seek revenge no matter what? Is love more important than seeking revenge? Should a person be compassionate and forgive? Is it more important to honor your parents or follow your own heart? It's the pursuit of the answers to these questions that seems so real even if the plots are silly or lacking in logic.
The Format: Maybe the most winning part of kdramas is the format. Unlike television series that go on for an indefinite amount of seasons, kdramas have a set story arc that is rarely extended by even a few episodes. In that way it's more like watching a really long movie than watching a TV series. Not only does the story stay fresh-and downright addictive if it's good-if you don't like it, in a few weeks, there will be another one. It's like discovering you love ice cream and finding out there's a never-ending variety of flavors. And two episodes a week is like getting an extra scoop of your favorite flavor.
The Freeze Frame Finales: And finally, who doesn't love the freeze frame finales. That "oh-no" moment in which the music escalates and then the screen splits into two photos just heightens the anticipation for tomorrow's or next week's episode.
Do you have any reasons you are thankful for discovering kdramas? Let us know.
