There's a lot of crying in k-dramas compared to American television and some actors are really good at it. It's hard not to relate to a character after you've seen tears rolling down his cheeks.
And it makes the character seem more real. In real life, people are cautioned to control their emotions but when you see a character cry, you are reminded that shedding bitter tear is something even the strongest among us must do in private.
Who cries best? Every new drama offers tears to indulge in and a new crying star.
A Chinese variety show, "We Who Visited The Stars," recently presented a quick overview of Kim Soo Hyun's crying scenes.
From his debut project, "Kimchi Cheese Smile," to his most recent drama "You Who Came From The Stars," the actor has sobbed so convincingly that some in China have taken to calling him "the god of crying."
He had plenty to cry about in "You Who Came From The Stars" when he had to leave Jun Ji Hyun behind on earth. He also mourned his princess when he played the prince in "The Moon Embracing The Sun."
Yeo Jin Goo who played him as a young prince is also talented at weeping. He shed tears as the young prince then sobbed in a heartbreaking way while playing the young Park Yoochun in "Missing You."
Yoon Eun Hye and Park Yoochun in "Missing You" may also have delivered some of the most dramatic crying scenes in k-drama. Both actors are good at shedding tears but they inspired each other to cry even more copiously in that drama about lost love. If you ever need a good cry, that's your drama.
Hwang Jung Eum has been called the "Queen of Melodrama" for her ability to cry and that was certainly evident in last year's hit "Secrets." She played a woman who went to jail for a man only to have him dump her. That's enough of a reason to cry.
Park Shin Hye has wept in a few dramas, most notably in "You're Beautiful."
Other actors who can turn on the tear ducts are her "You're Beautiful" co-star Jang Geun Suk, Jung Woo Sung who got a raw deal in "Padam Padam" and the "coffee prince" Gong Yoo. Their tears seem all the more memorable because they don't look like the vulnerable type.
Not only are there more crying scenes in k-dramas but there are more men crying. While men obviously weep in real life, it's rare to see on television in other nations. And in a way it can make a male character seem all the more appealing.
Who do you think cries best? Let us know.
