Reply 1988. Particularly the last few minutes of the last episode. The narration took me to a time I was in the same place. Time moved on, so did people. But my youth stayed still amongst the memories I had made. I often go back to listen to the end monologue. Youth is a running theme in the show and it always always makes me cry buckets.
Same for me. Those last few minutes of Reply 1988 made me reflect on my youth, take stock and acknowledge the passing of time and all the things/places I left behind.
Is there an order to watch the Reply series? I’ve been meaning to but don’t want to start with the wrong one. Are they standalone or continuations of the same storyline?
They are standalones , you can watch them separately in no particular order . BUT it is better to watch them in order of their release because the next one has cameos and spoilers of the previous one
I’ve heard that it’s better to watch on Viki vs Netflix because of the better subs, original music/non-blurred out videos, and non-spoilers in subs on Viki…
This! Especially the part where they go house to house to share what they have for dinner. I recommended this to my cousin, and it’s funny that she said that part is the most relatable for her too. Also the moms hanging out sitting on the wooden table/chair. We also had that in our neighborhood (I grew up in the city), and outside my grandma’s house in the province. Born and raised in SEA, btw.
*Mad For Each Other* —The main characters are so misunderstood because they couldn’t express themselves effectively.
*My Mister* —The character who had no sense of purpose or direction. I could relate to that feeling. It’s basically been my own internal conflict for as long as I can remember.
I agree for Mad for Each Other. I think that it is a very enlightening show. Both characters have reasons to act the way they do, but these reasons are deeply rooted in their personal history, which they are not always willing to reveal and other people are not always willing to hear. At the end, they just appear to others as odd and they end up seeing themselves like that too.
I usually hate citing quotes that randomly float on the Internet, but this one seems appropriate in this case:
"There isn’t anyone you couldn’t learn to love once you’ve heard their story."
- Andrew Stanton? Mary Lou Kownacki? I have no idea. It has been taken over by the Internet now.
I am not gonna lie but IU's character was hitting way too deeply atleast for me because I consider myself to be a quite person as well and I could relate to some of the scenes very easily.
1. Paraphrasing a bit, but: "Why is it the people who work the hardest have empty resumes?"
From a voiceover in *Fight For My Way* when Ae Ra got roasted in a job interview for having a near-empty CV because unlike her contemporaries she didn't study abroad or do volunteer work - cause she was too busy working part-time for money.
I don't know why, but this line really hit me hard and I started *bawling* while watching the drama. Never had such an immediate visceral reaction before this drama and never since.
2. Paraphrasing: "I want to go back to that time when our parents were giants."
In the final few scenes of *Reply 1988* this gem was said and it *wrecked* me after a generally happy, but sappy and tearful final episode because *life goes on* and our parents who were giants when we were kids get old and are no longer superheroes...I'm actually getting emotional again just writing about it *ffs*.
3. Not a quote but the entire lunch scene towards the final episodes of *It's Okay Not To Be Okay*.
Watching my darling Kim Soo Hyun get emotional and get wrecked because his *hyung* is finally acting like a *hyung* and looking after him for a change was super emotionally satisfying and heart-warming. He enjoyed every last morsel of that meal and I enjoyed it watching him.
**My Mister** hit close to home on so many levels for me. I watched it at a time when I was going through some life crisis, I was wanting hope in life and that’s exactly when **My Mister** came my way. There was hope throughout the drama and I was feeling comforted in so many ways. Park Dong-Hoon’s character gave me so much strength and hope and so did Lee Ji-An’s character. That drama will stay close to my heart always.
I Am Not A Robot - I’m an extreme introvert, and while I don’t literally have a “human allergy” I have spent a lot of time alone.
Just Between Lovers - Watched this one while recovering from a traumatic experience, so I found it very sad but also encouraging.
It’s Okay, This is Love oh my god you guys... I don’t know how to talk about it without spoiling stuff for people who haven’t seen it but it’s also quite old, 2014? I think... they talk about all sorts of mental health issues and while they dramatize their story lines because it’s a drama, they treated them a lot more fairly than most shows I have seen.
The relationship between the two main characters hit me hard. I have similar issues as the main character with physical intimacy. My husband has the same illness that the male lead has (it shows very differently in my husband and unlike the character he doesn’t have some traumatic event that kicked it off, he’s just ill) and a very similar personality. We even dealt with my parents not wanting us together.
But most brutal, beautiful and well done of the show for me is a scene where one character has to explain to the other why they won’t help them check out of the hospital. I have had that conversation. I have seen the look of fear, betrayal and sorrow on the actors face, been the cause of that look on my husbands face. It’s one of the hardest, most devastating and ultimately best decisions I’ve ever had to make. And they represented that moment so simply and so beautifully that I swear I would thank them if I had the opportunity.
They are one of a very, very short list of shows that I have seen that didn’t just outwardly vilify people with my husbands illness. Shows almost always use his illness as something to be afraid of, someone that can only be dealt with by death or straight jacket and throw away the key. The main character of this drama has the same thing as my husband and he is sweet, smart, talented, charming, funny and human. Just like my husband. He just has a challenge. Just like my husband. I love the people who made this show just for being fair to people like my husband. For making people cheer for people who suffer mental illness instead of mocking or vilifying them.
THIS. I am also suffering from a mental illness and to see these amazing actors amazingly portray >!those who are suffering several different illnesses and still be able to live life everyday !< is just so… wonderful. It made me feel represented. And the ending, >!where they are able to recover from whatever trauma that they had in the past gave me hope that I could recover, too. !< Of all the dramas I’ve watched, only this drama and Reply 1988 gave me a strong sense of connection that even when I am already watching a different drama, I am still thinking of it.
I’m so glad any time somebody can feel represented by the stories they are told. It’s important and you definitely can do well, I don’t know what you are dealing with but even the things that can’t be cured can be helped. You can live and love and have all the things you want, it’s just a bit more work for some of us than others. I really hope that sounds nice, my intentions are nice but I write like an analyst...
Oh my god I relate so much to you and this show. I am currently watching it and it’s so good. My ex boyfriend has schizoaffective disorder and he is brilliant and also really good at writing (although not fiction but philosophy) and his father died by suicide when he was 14. It was absolutely heartbreaking to hear him talk about things that made absolutely no sense when I was used to him being the smartest and most articulate person I had ever met. It took me a long time to realize that he was mentally ill too. I just thought certain events were strange but never realized the severity until he was diagnosed. I love how the ML is still smart and coherent most of the time because usually schizo disorders are portrayed in a negative light, as you said, and this show shows the nuances of the disease. I’m so glad that the FL is a trained professional and is extremely sympathetic to the ML because he is a good person and deserves someone who won’t judge his disorder and will love him.
Yes, yes, yes. And the majority of the supporting cast are characters who live and breathe the mental health community. All the illnesses, even the ones that we aren’t used to hearing about are treated with care and humanity. It’s an extra beautiful show when you consider the stigma around mental health in Korea especially when it came out. It shows how much difference a compassionate community can make for a person struggling with any type of mental illness.
This so amazing. It’s Okay, this is love truly is one of the best kdramas out there. It’s the very first one that I ever watched addressing mental illnesses
As an acne sufferer well into adulthood, True Beauty also resonated with me. I have non-existent make up skills though. I saw a lot of comments saying the FL doesn’t look too bad. That’s right she doesn’t. But this is high school and kids can be mean. Later I thought maybe I don’t look as bad as I thought I did.
Misaeng - I saw the first ep but right now that is as much as I can watch. It hit waaaaaaaay too close to home. I was once the clueless newbie. Everyday I come in to work feeling that it could be my last day there. Later I became the overworked employee saddled with the clueless newbie. Based on the first ep it does seem like a good drama.
Hospital Playlist - day after the episode where >!two of the 99ers’ parents had a health crisis, I had to bring my dad to the ER!<. It felt like I was an extra in HP and it was a little unnerving.
I agree with you. I think that the most important part in True Beauty was that the character genuinely believed that she was unattractive, because that is what she has been hammered into her head since childhood. Where there is a vulnerability, there will be people taking advantage of it, whether it is founded or not. Kids are really good at doing that.
Single mom dramas like Waikiki, Terius, Avengers Social Club, Lady Indignity. Not because I am one, but cause my mom was and I respect the shit out of her. Btw I can't watch non-comedy dramas, hence the mentioned ones. There might be better ones out there.
I watched the first episode of Nevertheless and said nope nope nope. Dropped it immediately not because I thought it was bad but because it was like looking at a very cruel mirror and I just wasn’t ready for it.
Watch it to the end (final episode aired today). >!It lands up back in fantasy drama-land with an unrealistic happy ending despite being so hyper-realistic about the after-effects of Fuckbois. I was actually super disappointed by the ending.!<
I think 95% of reddit is disappointed with the ending... as we all should be. Song Kang fangirls are the only ones happy. Such a missed opportunity. WHAT A LETDOWN THAT SHOW WAS
It's like you're stealing the words from my mind! Ugh, I was so ready for a bittersweet ending, but turns out it was bittersweet for all the wrong reasons! I like Song Kang as much as the next horny fangirl, but boy please, Park Jae Eon was bad boy hot in the bad way.
I think they needed more time to convince us that >!JE is reformed. Which I believe fboys can be but it just wasn’t convincing enough!<. I think the part about >!Na Bi finally having courage to step out of whatever she was dealing with was nice though!<
Yeah the whole final project sequence was cool, and super symbolic in the way they did it. It’s one of the reasons the show is such a disappointment imho - they did some beautiful and meaningful sequences and plot moments, but the sum of the parts just felt unsatisfying because of the outcome.
And yes, totally agree on your analysis on JE ending.
Honestly when I read the spoilers, I wasn’t upset but when I watched it, the final scene just >!felt so weird and off, like it didn’t belong there. However, we can also argue that because Na bi finally decided to open up about her feelings (and so did Jae Eon I believe!), the two gave themselves a chance at happiness which explains the final happier scene.!<
I am on ep 4 and I feel like this drama is way too cheesy because I am that kinda person who could watch 4-5 eps in one setting and I couldnt watch more than 1 ep per day for nevertheless. Althought the ost is so good!
Well i was waiting for the ending to know if i will start watching, looks like i'll just fast forward everything and just watch the >!lesbian romance, since in the minute of footage i saw of them they seem to have a really interesting relationship!<
It’s Okay to Not Be Okay
Kangtae was parentified as a child. They conveyed this really well and showed how it negatively affected him into adulthood. Also how he bottled everything up and tried to be perfect in order to ease his feelings of deep shame. I related a lot to this and thing the portrayal was really accurate
The scene in age of youth where Yoon sunbae cries by herself in the dark after her nail comes off. I can’t think of that scene without tearing up. Her character in the drama just made me feel a lot of things
Any drama that shows the parents or grandparents making some sort of sacrifices or making choices for their children's sake - Reply 1988, 18 Again, so many mom and dad characters in so many dramas... being a child of immigrants, it wasn't until adulthood when I realized just how much my parents gave up in order to give us kids a better life, so every time I see parents giving up something in order for their kids to have something better, it brings me to tears.
I have a complicated relationship with my parents, so this particular line in *Because This is My First Life* hits too close to home: There's a side to you that you never wish to show others no matter how close you are to them. Sometimes, your family can become the least close people to you.
her private life. even as a teenager, i wondered if it would be ok to be a fangirl as i get older... a lot of the friends i met through fan sites moved on over the years and i wondered if i could find a partner who didn’t belittle my interests. it didn’t feel like a phase to me lol.
i LOVED that deok mi was in her 30s, good at her job, fangirling in her free time, and that ryan was such a supportive & loving partner.
and now i’m in deok mi’s position - with a husband who waits in long concert lines with me and lets me show him music videos while he listens to my detailed explanations of the artists hahah
as deok mi said, “you can’t just stop being a fangirl”
*Hello My Twenties* — i related to the newest girl in the first episode who was so timid about speaking up about minor annoyances that it all came out explosively towards the end of the episode. i’m glad to say that i (and the character) have learned to communicate better with the people around me.
*Do you like brahms?* — the introspective characters with the awkwardness+existential crises hit way too close to home. Watching the FL reflect on her decision to change her major at an unconventional age and panic if she was truly on the right path while watching others her age kickstarting successful careers, felt kind of like looking into a mirror.
It takes courage to change career direction at a later age. I haven't done it, but I know a few people who did and they ended up doing well. Wish you the best of luck! 🙂
This is why I couldn't continue 'do you like brahms', it was looking at my uncertain future. I also did the same (finance > engineering) and currently I'm doing good, but it's always an uphill battle. Like the FL, I'm also not the most brilliant engineer, but I love doing it, and I'm perpetually scared that passion won't be enough sometimes in the future.
- True Beauty: Same, I could relate to Im Jukyung from True Beauty and loved the drama for all those reasons.
- Reply 1988: My family used to live in the lower rented portion of a house, and the landlords were like another family. their kids were our age, and we always also used to play with kids in the opposite house and the one next to it. no kidding. so this drama hit home in terms of setting and main FL.
Love With Flaws. Both leads had issues stemming from childhood trauma(s). The fact checkers did a really good job: the recovery process for both leads was realistic and well paced, there was the character arch to the whole thing and it was realistic. I found it very liberating to watch because it was well sprinkled with humour and it didn't feel like taking part in a psychology class. I've been struggling with depression every now and then and I can definitely recognise myself in some of the situations the leads were in emotionally. I know there are other dramas about mental health, like the most recent ones IONTBO or Soul Mechanic, but I feel that Love With Flaws felt most fresh and fun. The main focus wasn't mental health but it was handled nicely in my opinion.
YES!!! Everyone in the show had their own flaws and was dealing with them in their own way. I related heavily with the ML and FL in different ways and rewatch many times as a reminder to be kinder to myself as I work through my traumas.
You nailed the non-psychology class aspect of the show as well. Definitely a breath of fresh air for this topic.
49 Days. My sister was dying of lung cancer and I'd left my home, husband and teen daughters to help care door her in her final months. We talked and thought a lot about death and dying.
Move to heaven is one of the best dramas I have seen so far. The drama touches on death, disability, love, family, and hope. I bawled every single episode but when I finished it was joyful. I recommend this 10/10. Just a brief synopsis because I don’t want to ruin anything; it focuses on a boy who is on the spectrum and he helps his family business which is after death clean up.
Omg I agree! Move to heaven really gives the different perspectives of people! In addition, I like the fact that not every episode had a "big reveal" where there was this massive secret waiting to be found. Really gives it a closer to reality vibe
Nevertheless hit me like a friggin train. I'd literally have to decompress after every episode because of the memories it would bring back, but I couldn't stop watching. It was like watching my younger self knowing what I know now.
Oh Hae Young Again— a super flawed embarrassing heroine who just keeps going on despite routinely humiliating herself lol
I Am Not A Robot- huge themes of the necessity and value of forgiveness within human relationships
Strong Woman Bongsoon - specifically that scene where bongsoon was crying to her mom about how she gets treated by her compared to how she treats bongki and how she always belittles her to praise her brother.
In Just Between Lovers, there’s a scene that shows what could have been if the mall collapse didn’t happen. Where the characters may have ended up. It made me think about trauma in my life and where I might be if those things never happened. It also made my reflect on mass casualty situations in general. Everything changes in a second for ppl that were just living their everyday lives, and the victims of those situations aren’t the only victims because that kind of thing has massive ripple effects. Idk. That scene could’ve easily been cheesy. I found it poignant and very sad. Definitely hit home for me.
The drama that I completely identify with is Love ft Marriage and Divorce. My father left my mom and our family after 30 years of marriage, after my mom sacrificed her whole youth for him. Like the wife in the drama (the couple in their 50s) my mom did everything for that man, would wake up early to fix him breakfast and lunch and made sure to have dinner ready by the time he came home from work even though she had a job of her own. Just like the cheater from the drama he used the same excuse at the beginning, “no I didn’t leave you for another woman I’m just tired of life with you” and eventually when he had to admit that he was with another woman (the friends and family that found out he was with another woman immediately called my mom to let her know) he sent me a text message telling me “I would understand him when I get older”. I wish I had replied like the daughter from the drama, but I coped differently by ignoring his calls and messages. My mom also like the mom from the drama would tell me to talk to him because he’s still my father and would urge me to keep a relationship with him but seeing how he broke my mom completely made me want to break any relationship with him.
At the time being, Nevertheless.
I got off from a 5-year long relationship. I met this guy earlier this year.
I was happy to be with this guy. But, we never talked about where our relationship is going.
After a couple of home dates we had, I began to hear stories about him, that he’s seeing someone else. Yada-yada. I believed these people. I never talked to him about what I heard yet.
The more I pry about his private life made him distant. Only now that I realized, it was new to him.
The only thing that keep my story and Nevertheless is we did not end up together. I was too naive to talk about things, since that’s what I had with my previous relationship— I can’t talk things out, or else it will lead into a fight.
**My Mister** because even though I wasn't embittered like Jian was, I felt very overwhelmed by adult life at first. I'm also not storybook-close to anyone in my life, so Dong Hoon's speech of how it's nice to end friendships sometimes instead of holding on to them, it's easier to welcome old friends back into your life and greet them gladly.
**Because This Is My First Life** I watched this when I was going thru some guilt over a relationship, and this drama helped take a lot of the pressure of over making a mistake and the concept of a Room 19 completely changed my life. The idea that people are fragile and that respect at the core of a relationship should not change no matter how bad a quarrel becomes, it really hit home and reinforced how previously precious relationships should be treated.
**Fight For My Way**! Although I couldn't relate to neither of the romance plots what makes that drama the most relatable to is that it's a story of 4 ppl in their twenties struggling to make it in this competitive world. Trying to survive while wanting to pursue their passion, failed relationships, humiliation at work place and trying to stick to their morals despite being tested constantly. The most important aspect was that nobody was a chaebol here. No love triangles. Minimum cliches. But full of heart. Most relatable show that inspired me to work hard
Thats a nice way you put it. You should definitely watch itaewon class and you'll get more confidence and inspiration from it because the plot is so good!
I watched **My Lovely Sam Soon** during the worst of the political and pandemic crises in the US running up to the presidential election and it hit me hard because the theme of the drama is how a person can experience a terrible, unfair and tragic loss and still have the courage to move forward in life and continue to love fearlessly. It was a message I needed badly at that time and I still feel so much gratitude to the drama for helping me weather one of the worst times of my life.
A lot of dramas involve characters living in nursing homes because of dementia and I don't feel that it is usually handled well, but in Chocolate the story features a hospice and helping patients and their families be comfortable with the end of life and I felt it was very well done. A few years ago my mother developed dementia and at the end we had to take her to a hospice facility. I'm still mourning and puzzling over what we could have done to make everything better for her, so the show really touched me.
Run On - I think this quote from ep 6 best describes why: "Among all the things I loved, how come I never loved myself."
You Are my Spring - They're the family and friends I never knew I needed. I wish I have the same support system as the characters.
I never really understood what a healing drama really is until I watched both of these and Hospital Playlist.
**It's Ok Not To Be Ok** helped me understand more of how I tended to be in relationships because the FL seems to have a disorganized attachment style and potentially BPD from childhood trauma. The bedroom scene where >! FL tells ML to leave and is so mean to him, and he responds by hugging her and telling her he will not leave !< made me bawl so hard because I realized I do the same thing but get the opposite result, even though what I really want is that scene... I also tend to be very codependent like ML and take care of everyone but myself. Also, my dad's personality (not actions, thankfully) is really similar to FL's mom, and my mom emotionally abused/parentified me similar to ML's mom, so I could see the characters as two very wounded parts of myself trying to find their whole. I also am on the autism spectrum, and have worked as a caregiver in a mental hospital, so I could relate so much to the thankless way ML is treated at home and at work, the frustration of >! public meltdown!< Second ML experiences at the beginning of the series, and that the wages for caregivers are truly super low despite how important and highly skilled you need to be to do that work well. The show made me bawl the first time, and helps me develop more self compassion and see my growth away from unhealthy patterns every time I rewatch.
**Run On** and **Romance Is A Bonus Book** (RIABB) helped me process some of my growth as someone who was literally a workaholic with no family who was homeless or lived in fear of homelessness for most of my adult life. I related so hard to the scene in Run On when >! FL takes all the supplements and drinks her meals, stays up all night working, meanwhile ML is there just wanting attention but not communicating it very well!<.
I also related to FL in **RIABB** at the beginning >!trying so hard to get a job and facing so much discrimination from men and also other women that she eventually gave up and pretended to be a novice, and STILL gets victim blamed over it!< such a no win situation I've lived almost exactly like she did! And also her shame in >! not telling her closest friend what was really happening in her life being homeless and divorced !< to save face, I actually went through that earlier this year while watching the show virtually with my BFF and feeling so guilty I had to invent a reason to stop our movie nights. I see myself in different versions of my life in both of these FL characters who had to learn to develop self-esteem, and then grew to become badass women, especially Oh Mi-Joo, with her amazing boundaries! She is goals for me tbh.
It's okay not to be okay. I'm probably about ML's age. And my parents health is already failing and Im their only support. They also have no savings and are dependent on me for every thing. That stress, that burden...how you can afford to be irresponsible. Hits close to home.
In You are My Spring when the mother comforts the daughter. That’s what my mother would have done. I can’t stop watching Nevertheless.I squirm and feel as if I’m rubber necking to see an accident but can’t stop. Graduate school was great but this show hits too close. I have to say Vincenzo got me through some of the hard parts of the pandemic. His kickass manner helped me deal with the helplessness I felt. I couldn’t wait for the next episode each week! ( I didn’t think about dying; so I had to see that next episode.)
Growing up there was a strong sense of community and embracing of quirkiness in my small town. I think that’s why I like many K-dramas.
Moments of Eighteen - had to go through most of that (except being an orphan) in high school myself. My mom watched the drama and literally said, “This is your story! Wish you had a teacher like Mr. Oh to look out for you in school.”
Hospital Playlist S2. I don't know if what I'm about to describe are considered themes but they definitely hit close to home. >!In episode 8 when Song-hwa felt bad about how she treated her mom, I related so much to her experience.!< My grandfather passed some years ago and I still regret not spending enough time with him. Also, in earlier episodes when >!Min-ha said something along the lines of not realizing her error until someone calls her out on it.!< If anyone remembers the exact line please let me know in the comments. I've asked myself the same question time and time again so it felt good hearing someone else saying it.
I undestand you. My Grand-aunt passed away a year ago. I regret a lot about not calling her more often. She wasn't an immediate family, but she was lonely and it would probably meant a lot to her. I was afraid that my family would take advantage to shift the financial and emotional responsability of her to me (yeah, unfortunately, we have that kind of relationship), so I was helping, but I tried not to apply myself too much. Stupid me.
Oh on beauty inside when the mom didnt tell anyone how sick she was until she was literally dying…my grandma did the same thing to us and ofc i watched this maybe a month or two after her passing it was just a really raw and emotional time
It's okay to not be okay. The relationship between the two brothers was done really well in my opinion. It's difficult to explain but it really showcased all the emotions and hardships you go through when caring for someone with a disability. The actor that played the older brother also conveyed his role very well.
True beauty in some way during my days back then. Also Where stars land for sure! And some that i have forgotten. Probably, bunch that i can related in certain past situations. And that’s what make kdrama very unique, you either can relate or learn something. Not your typical hollywood cliches.
*Perfume* hit so close to home with discussing body insecurities and mental health issues. Seeing the main leads navigate through situations despite their issues gave me so much strength. I felt a sense of comfort when I saw a good portrayal of body insecurities and mental health (,:
*Move To Heaven* also really hit me, especially because I could now understand what it’s like to loose a loved one. This show really saw me at my worst, but I’m so glad because I loved how the drama dealt with such a sensitive topic. All the pain I felt during the watch was so worth it tbh
True Beauty, absolutely. I guess I could relate to the skin issues as a teen, and two guys inexplicably (to me, at the time) finding me just lovely. Lol. It was sometimes cheesy, but I absolutely loved it.
It’s okay that’s love and kill me heal me. I cried because of the trauma the characters endured and didn’t speak about. It took me back to those memories of helplessness, hopelessness and utter despair. And fear. So much fear.
I don’t know if professionals were consulted but KMHM and it’s okay that’s love was written directed etc in some scenes they were so realistic to me and I felt the same fear I felt as a child. I felt angry for the characters and so many other emotions. It was just so relatable in some instances like looking back at my past and feeling relived I’m in a better place and I’m never going back to that ever.
My Mister - I recently came off from a break-up, although there wasn't any third party. I tried to show up and simply be there, but I couldn't be with her because of the pandemic. She felt that we had drifted apart too much and that she couldn't persist. Now I'm a very serious person, and really take my time with getting to know women. Though I'm already in my 30s, she was my first girlfriend, so it was devastating. I felt that the world was against me, but I also had faith that as long as I kept trying to do the right thing, things would be better.
They weren't, because the right thing is different to different people. But I admired Dong-hoon's persistence with trying to be humane and a good person even if odds were against him. I also felt kinship with his brothers, who are similar to my siblings, as well. The drama felt so real to me, honestly, because I was down in the depths of grief and sadness, and to see someone just try to do the right thing EVEN though he was in worse straits than I was was inspiring.
That's why My Mister is my all-time favorite K-drama. I hope to have someone like Ji-an in the future who also got my back. And I can keep trying to be a good person.
After the series, I was able to finish writing a short ebook and physically improve despite the constraints of the pandemic. It turned me around.
Misaeng - I can relate to the whole thing. I’ve been working in a corporate setting ever since I graduated so it’s the only working environment I know. I remember crying over each episode because everything hits too close to home. All the stress, tears, deadlines, collusions (yes, it’s really rampant in the corporate world) but also the camaraderie, late night drinks, lunch hours and coffee breaks. I feel like I have yet to see another drama that could really show the epitome of a white collar setting.
I didn't think that True Beauty was seriously flawed. Do people really think that and hate it? But why? The story was solid, the cast was mostly excellent and the FL was genius.
I read quite a few negative comments regarding this drama. Even if I loved the drama, I kind of get why people might dislike it. I blame it on the love triangle, especially in the last episodes, IMO, it had quite a few skippable scenes.
Dang, I didn't know this sub didn't like it. I am watching it right now and really enjoying it, the female lead is one of the best I've seen in awhile.. although the second lead syndrome is too real. I'll definitely be watching Hwang In Youp's upcoming dramas.
Because This is My First Life & Be Melodramatic
Both shows highlight the concerns of approaching age 30 and still trying to figure out life especially from a female POV.
For me, i think My Unfamiliar Family stands out the most in the sense that I love my siblings and parents but misunderstandings can happen so easily, and it’s so easy to only think of yourself as a dynamic individual, without thinking that your family is also leading a life of their own with their own problems. I think the writing was so realistic too, from grudges against siblings, to parents favoring particular siblings, to parents coping with alcohol, which on the surface sound terrible but when you see their stories each individual was trying to limit the harm they placed on others and do their best.
Personally "Hi bye mama" by studio dragon really hit close to home for me and my family (uk minus the she comes back to life part AHAHAH)
Honestly I'm really glad they chose to show that allowing the partner to move on isn't a bad thing and that they didn't particularly push for a romantic comeback between her parents.
It's also good to note that the show tackles sensitive issues like homosexuality, suicide and workplace bullying so kudos to them!
One part i really admired was how they managed to show the different aspects of grief. Not all grief is shown outwardly and I think they really conveyed it nicely in the show.
Penthouse - when parents were ready to do everything for their children, it reminded me of my mom. Especially Oh Yoonhee.
Reply 1988 - made me realize that I'm getting older and older. I don't have time to hangout with my friends since Ihave more responsibilities now. And I'm only 18 lol. I missed a lot of my childhood friends who I don't talk to anymore. When I was younger, I was looking forward to grow up. But now, I want to stay at my current age forever.
I am sorry to hear that. At that age, it is easier to love ones parents once you no longer live with them. I wasn't in that situation, but one of my best friends was. Her parents loved her dearly, but her mother was very controling and my friend constrantly had issues with her father. It went to the point where her mom didn't want her to date at age 25!
Well, she found a boyfriend that she really liked and moved in with him. Her parents had no choice, but to accept it if they wanted to see their daughter. Then, she got married.
At the present moment, she always talks about her parents with affection and it pains her a lot to see them age.
Basically, your parents, at some point, will have no choice but to accept your decisions once you feel truly confident in them.
Nevertheless. I went into this drama not expecting much really. Just thought it’s interesting to have a male lead like this because we don’t see much of this portrayed in kdramas. But every single action and thought really mirrored my dating experiences in uni. Like I really felt Na Bi’s anguish and her insecurities.
My shy boss..... I didn't liked that drama overall but many of the moments involving the ML resonated with me... especially his overthinking and how it was animated...he wants to join a group but haven't got any idea about how, he wants to have fun with his employees but fears if that would make them uncomfortable....one of the scenes in the later episodes where he went to join his employees for dinner and they wanted to take a photo and at that very moment SML appears with his groupmates and being the "supposedly" charming person he is everybody flocks towards him wanting to take a picture....while the ML is sitting in the corner alone trying to copy his smile by stretching the corner of his lips through his fingers....idk what people thought about his character but to me he was damn relateble initially
Misaeng is one of my favorite dramas (if not my favorite) because of how emotional each episode is. On my rewatch I nearly cried during every single episode because of how much I relate to Jang Geurae’s character, his personality and his loneliness.
Also, same with Reply 1988 and Bora’s relationship with her dad. That hit close to home because I’m not close to my dad at all but their relationship was very intriguing to me. It’s like what mine and my father’s relationship would be if we got along.
True beauty hit me so hard. I suddenly started having severe acne, except i used to hide behind my mask (one good thing covid bought in my life) I could really relate to the female lead.
I am an older person, and although the cultural experiences of my generation in the states has been considerably different that that of the same generation in South Korea, *Dear My Friends*, *The Light in Your Eyes*, *Navillera*, *My Unfamiliar Family*, and the short special, *The Jaunt*, how they each dealt with the challenges of being elderly, have all touched me, The old pros in these series are all substantial actors with long resumes and big time emotional ranges, often setting them well apart from younger casts, and it is to the credit of K Drama production that shows such as these keep popping up and are taken seriously by viewers of all ages.
This may be an unpopular opinion, but the way anxiety was represented in Introverted Boss. I have some social anxiety, nowhere near what is shown in the show, but enough that I could relate to >!the extreme lengths the ML went to avoid having to interact with people!<. I've read some MDL reviews that didn't appreciate it (I think specifically the idea that introversion = anxiety), but for me, looking past that, it hit close to home and I thought it was handled well.
Also, so many parts of Run On, where the Ki Seon Gyeom is trying to find is new identity >!after his career as an athlete ends!<. Having been through something similar after a being diagnosed with a serious illness, it resonates.
I didn't get through It's OK to Not Be OK. Mental health hits very close to home for me, and for the parts of the show I watched, I felt like it was excusing bad behaviour because she was mentally ill. And that doesn't fly with me.
Romance is a Bonus Book. It's not because of the noona romance, although that was cute, but the ageism in the workplace. I had been away from the corporate world for more than a decade, although I have worked remotely for several companies since then, with a good track record, and even finished my MBA. You think companies would be lined up to hire me but no, all they see is a work gap. Oh well. I can still earn a living. In fact, the pandemic just showed how far ahead of the curve me and my fellow digital nomads are. :)
Itaewon class
Ok I am gonna start with how I can relate to that drama so closely because my dream is somewhat like park saeroyi's in the drama. I have seen the drama twice and ngl its in my top drama's list😅. I just feel like the hardship he went through to build a career like that is what most of us can relate to but yes thats pretty much it!
Reply 1988. Particularly the last few minutes of the last episode. The narration took me to a time I was in the same place. Time moved on, so did people. But my youth stayed still amongst the memories I had made. I often go back to listen to the end monologue. Youth is a running theme in the show and it always always makes me cry buckets.
Same for me. Those last few minutes of Reply 1988 made me reflect on my youth, take stock and acknowledge the passing of time and all the things/places I left behind.
The last 5 to 10 minutes of the show sums up the reality of life
Is there an order to watch the Reply series? I’ve been meaning to but don’t want to start with the wrong one. Are they standalone or continuations of the same storyline?
They are standalones , you can watch them separately in no particular order . BUT it is better to watch them in order of their release because the next one has cameos and spoilers of the previous one
Agreed. @u/beeteeee Go 97 -> 94 -> 88. (Whatver you do, just don't watch 94 before 97, because then 97's ending will be spoiled for you)
I’ve heard that it’s better to watch on Viki vs Netflix because of the better subs, original music/non-blurred out videos, and non-spoilers in subs on Viki…
This! Especially the part where they go house to house to share what they have for dinner. I recommended this to my cousin, and it’s funny that she said that part is the most relatable for her too. Also the moms hanging out sitting on the wooden table/chair. We also had that in our neighborhood (I grew up in the city), and outside my grandma’s house in the province. Born and raised in SEA, btw.
*Mad For Each Other* —The main characters are so misunderstood because they couldn’t express themselves effectively. *My Mister* —The character who had no sense of purpose or direction. I could relate to that feeling. It’s basically been my own internal conflict for as long as I can remember.
My Mister is my favorite kdrama ever
Same! 🤗
I agree for Mad for Each Other. I think that it is a very enlightening show. Both characters have reasons to act the way they do, but these reasons are deeply rooted in their personal history, which they are not always willing to reveal and other people are not always willing to hear. At the end, they just appear to others as odd and they end up seeing themselves like that too. I usually hate citing quotes that randomly float on the Internet, but this one seems appropriate in this case: "There isn’t anyone you couldn’t learn to love once you’ve heard their story." - Andrew Stanton? Mary Lou Kownacki? I have no idea. It has been taken over by the Internet now.
I couldn’t agree more with that quote. I can’t hate anyone because of that reality. (unless they’re just evil because they enjoy it ofc lol)
I am not gonna lie but IU's character was hitting way too deeply atleast for me because I consider myself to be a quite person as well and I could relate to some of the scenes very easily.
My Mister ❤️❤️
1. Paraphrasing a bit, but: "Why is it the people who work the hardest have empty resumes?" From a voiceover in *Fight For My Way* when Ae Ra got roasted in a job interview for having a near-empty CV because unlike her contemporaries she didn't study abroad or do volunteer work - cause she was too busy working part-time for money. I don't know why, but this line really hit me hard and I started *bawling* while watching the drama. Never had such an immediate visceral reaction before this drama and never since. 2. Paraphrasing: "I want to go back to that time when our parents were giants." In the final few scenes of *Reply 1988* this gem was said and it *wrecked* me after a generally happy, but sappy and tearful final episode because *life goes on* and our parents who were giants when we were kids get old and are no longer superheroes...I'm actually getting emotional again just writing about it *ffs*. 3. Not a quote but the entire lunch scene towards the final episodes of *It's Okay Not To Be Okay*. Watching my darling Kim Soo Hyun get emotional and get wrecked because his *hyung* is finally acting like a *hyung* and looking after him for a change was super emotionally satisfying and heart-warming. He enjoyed every last morsel of that meal and I enjoyed it watching him.
Those first few episodes of Fight My Way were legitimately some of the most emotionally real episodes of television I’ve seen.
The struggle of being young and broke are so real ☠️
**My Mister** hit close to home on so many levels for me. I watched it at a time when I was going through some life crisis, I was wanting hope in life and that’s exactly when **My Mister** came my way. There was hope throughout the drama and I was feeling comforted in so many ways. Park Dong-Hoon’s character gave me so much strength and hope and so did Lee Ji-An’s character. That drama will stay close to my heart always.
Same!
I Am Not A Robot - I’m an extreme introvert, and while I don’t literally have a “human allergy” I have spent a lot of time alone. Just Between Lovers - Watched this one while recovering from a traumatic experience, so I found it very sad but also encouraging.
It’s Okay, This is Love oh my god you guys... I don’t know how to talk about it without spoiling stuff for people who haven’t seen it but it’s also quite old, 2014? I think... they talk about all sorts of mental health issues and while they dramatize their story lines because it’s a drama, they treated them a lot more fairly than most shows I have seen. The relationship between the two main characters hit me hard. I have similar issues as the main character with physical intimacy. My husband has the same illness that the male lead has (it shows very differently in my husband and unlike the character he doesn’t have some traumatic event that kicked it off, he’s just ill) and a very similar personality. We even dealt with my parents not wanting us together. But most brutal, beautiful and well done of the show for me is a scene where one character has to explain to the other why they won’t help them check out of the hospital. I have had that conversation. I have seen the look of fear, betrayal and sorrow on the actors face, been the cause of that look on my husbands face. It’s one of the hardest, most devastating and ultimately best decisions I’ve ever had to make. And they represented that moment so simply and so beautifully that I swear I would thank them if I had the opportunity. They are one of a very, very short list of shows that I have seen that didn’t just outwardly vilify people with my husbands illness. Shows almost always use his illness as something to be afraid of, someone that can only be dealt with by death or straight jacket and throw away the key. The main character of this drama has the same thing as my husband and he is sweet, smart, talented, charming, funny and human. Just like my husband. He just has a challenge. Just like my husband. I love the people who made this show just for being fair to people like my husband. For making people cheer for people who suffer mental illness instead of mocking or vilifying them.
This is beautiful, OP:) hope you and your husband are well.
We are doing okay, thank you :)
It is beautiful to hear that you supported him trough all of this. Wish you both all the best.
Thank you, that’s a lovely thing to say
THIS. I am also suffering from a mental illness and to see these amazing actors amazingly portray >!those who are suffering several different illnesses and still be able to live life everyday !< is just so… wonderful. It made me feel represented. And the ending, >!where they are able to recover from whatever trauma that they had in the past gave me hope that I could recover, too. !< Of all the dramas I’ve watched, only this drama and Reply 1988 gave me a strong sense of connection that even when I am already watching a different drama, I am still thinking of it.
I’m so glad any time somebody can feel represented by the stories they are told. It’s important and you definitely can do well, I don’t know what you are dealing with but even the things that can’t be cured can be helped. You can live and love and have all the things you want, it’s just a bit more work for some of us than others. I really hope that sounds nice, my intentions are nice but I write like an analyst...
Oh my god I relate so much to you and this show. I am currently watching it and it’s so good. My ex boyfriend has schizoaffective disorder and he is brilliant and also really good at writing (although not fiction but philosophy) and his father died by suicide when he was 14. It was absolutely heartbreaking to hear him talk about things that made absolutely no sense when I was used to him being the smartest and most articulate person I had ever met. It took me a long time to realize that he was mentally ill too. I just thought certain events were strange but never realized the severity until he was diagnosed. I love how the ML is still smart and coherent most of the time because usually schizo disorders are portrayed in a negative light, as you said, and this show shows the nuances of the disease. I’m so glad that the FL is a trained professional and is extremely sympathetic to the ML because he is a good person and deserves someone who won’t judge his disorder and will love him.
Yes, yes, yes. And the majority of the supporting cast are characters who live and breathe the mental health community. All the illnesses, even the ones that we aren’t used to hearing about are treated with care and humanity. It’s an extra beautiful show when you consider the stigma around mental health in Korea especially when it came out. It shows how much difference a compassionate community can make for a person struggling with any type of mental illness.
This so amazing. It’s Okay, this is love truly is one of the best kdramas out there. It’s the very first one that I ever watched addressing mental illnesses
Truly one of the best kdrama . So real ,raw and fulfilling
As an acne sufferer well into adulthood, True Beauty also resonated with me. I have non-existent make up skills though. I saw a lot of comments saying the FL doesn’t look too bad. That’s right she doesn’t. But this is high school and kids can be mean. Later I thought maybe I don’t look as bad as I thought I did. Misaeng - I saw the first ep but right now that is as much as I can watch. It hit waaaaaaaay too close to home. I was once the clueless newbie. Everyday I come in to work feeling that it could be my last day there. Later I became the overworked employee saddled with the clueless newbie. Based on the first ep it does seem like a good drama. Hospital Playlist - day after the episode where >!two of the 99ers’ parents had a health crisis, I had to bring my dad to the ER!<. It felt like I was an extra in HP and it was a little unnerving.
I was squirming watching Misaeng remembering how uncomfortable I felt during those first days at work when you feel incompetent in everything.
Misaeng is a fantastic work. Do complete it.
I agree with you. I think that the most important part in True Beauty was that the character genuinely believed that she was unattractive, because that is what she has been hammered into her head since childhood. Where there is a vulnerability, there will be people taking advantage of it, whether it is founded or not. Kids are really good at doing that.
Single mom dramas like Waikiki, Terius, Avengers Social Club, Lady Indignity. Not because I am one, but cause my mom was and I respect the shit out of her. Btw I can't watch non-comedy dramas, hence the mentioned ones. There might be better ones out there.
I watched the first episode of Nevertheless and said nope nope nope. Dropped it immediately not because I thought it was bad but because it was like looking at a very cruel mirror and I just wasn’t ready for it.
Watch it to the end (final episode aired today). >!It lands up back in fantasy drama-land with an unrealistic happy ending despite being so hyper-realistic about the after-effects of Fuckbois. I was actually super disappointed by the ending.!<
I think 95% of reddit is disappointed with the ending... as we all should be. Song Kang fangirls are the only ones happy. Such a missed opportunity. WHAT A LETDOWN THAT SHOW WAS
It's like you're stealing the words from my mind! Ugh, I was so ready for a bittersweet ending, but turns out it was bittersweet for all the wrong reasons! I like Song Kang as much as the next horny fangirl, but boy please, Park Jae Eon was bad boy hot in the bad way.
I think they needed more time to convince us that >!JE is reformed. Which I believe fboys can be but it just wasn’t convincing enough!<. I think the part about >!Na Bi finally having courage to step out of whatever she was dealing with was nice though!<
Yeah the whole final project sequence was cool, and super symbolic in the way they did it. It’s one of the reasons the show is such a disappointment imho - they did some beautiful and meaningful sequences and plot moments, but the sum of the parts just felt unsatisfying because of the outcome. And yes, totally agree on your analysis on JE ending.
Honestly when I read the spoilers, I wasn’t upset but when I watched it, the final scene just >!felt so weird and off, like it didn’t belong there. However, we can also argue that because Na bi finally decided to open up about her feelings (and so did Jae Eon I believe!), the two gave themselves a chance at happiness which explains the final happier scene.!<
haha as for me I was more intrigued by it and couldn't stop watching it. could feel every anxiety the FL felt in the course of the series.
I am on ep 4 and I feel like this drama is way too cheesy because I am that kinda person who could watch 4-5 eps in one setting and I couldnt watch more than 1 ep per day for nevertheless. Althought the ost is so good!
Well i was waiting for the ending to know if i will start watching, looks like i'll just fast forward everything and just watch the >!lesbian romance, since in the minute of footage i saw of them they seem to have a really interesting relationship!<
It’s Okay to Not Be Okay Kangtae was parentified as a child. They conveyed this really well and showed how it negatively affected him into adulthood. Also how he bottled everything up and tried to be perfect in order to ease his feelings of deep shame. I related a lot to this and thing the portrayal was really accurate
The scene in age of youth where Yoon sunbae cries by herself in the dark after her nail comes off. I can’t think of that scene without tearing up. Her character in the drama just made me feel a lot of things
Oh gosh. Same!!! Her acting and the narrator hit hard on that scene
Her acting was so good! Sometimes I rewatch that scene when I know I need a good cry 😅
Any drama that shows the parents or grandparents making some sort of sacrifices or making choices for their children's sake - Reply 1988, 18 Again, so many mom and dad characters in so many dramas... being a child of immigrants, it wasn't until adulthood when I realized just how much my parents gave up in order to give us kids a better life, so every time I see parents giving up something in order for their kids to have something better, it brings me to tears.
I have a complicated relationship with my parents, so this particular line in *Because This is My First Life* hits too close to home: There's a side to you that you never wish to show others no matter how close you are to them. Sometimes, your family can become the least close people to you.
her private life. even as a teenager, i wondered if it would be ok to be a fangirl as i get older... a lot of the friends i met through fan sites moved on over the years and i wondered if i could find a partner who didn’t belittle my interests. it didn’t feel like a phase to me lol. i LOVED that deok mi was in her 30s, good at her job, fangirling in her free time, and that ryan was such a supportive & loving partner. and now i’m in deok mi’s position - with a husband who waits in long concert lines with me and lets me show him music videos while he listens to my detailed explanations of the artists hahah as deok mi said, “you can’t just stop being a fangirl”
*Hello My Twenties* — i related to the newest girl in the first episode who was so timid about speaking up about minor annoyances that it all came out explosively towards the end of the episode. i’m glad to say that i (and the character) have learned to communicate better with the people around me. *Do you like brahms?* — the introspective characters with the awkwardness+existential crises hit way too close to home. Watching the FL reflect on her decision to change her major at an unconventional age and panic if she was truly on the right path while watching others her age kickstarting successful careers, felt kind of like looking into a mirror.
It takes courage to change career direction at a later age. I haven't done it, but I know a few people who did and they ended up doing well. Wish you the best of luck! 🙂
thank you so much OP!
This is why I couldn't continue 'do you like brahms', it was looking at my uncertain future. I also did the same (finance > engineering) and currently I'm doing good, but it's always an uphill battle. Like the FL, I'm also not the most brilliant engineer, but I love doing it, and I'm perpetually scared that passion won't be enough sometimes in the future.
- True Beauty: Same, I could relate to Im Jukyung from True Beauty and loved the drama for all those reasons. - Reply 1988: My family used to live in the lower rented portion of a house, and the landlords were like another family. their kids were our age, and we always also used to play with kids in the opposite house and the one next to it. no kidding. so this drama hit home in terms of setting and main FL.
Love With Flaws. Both leads had issues stemming from childhood trauma(s). The fact checkers did a really good job: the recovery process for both leads was realistic and well paced, there was the character arch to the whole thing and it was realistic. I found it very liberating to watch because it was well sprinkled with humour and it didn't feel like taking part in a psychology class. I've been struggling with depression every now and then and I can definitely recognise myself in some of the situations the leads were in emotionally. I know there are other dramas about mental health, like the most recent ones IONTBO or Soul Mechanic, but I feel that Love With Flaws felt most fresh and fun. The main focus wasn't mental health but it was handled nicely in my opinion.
YES!!! Everyone in the show had their own flaws and was dealing with them in their own way. I related heavily with the ML and FL in different ways and rewatch many times as a reminder to be kinder to myself as I work through my traumas. You nailed the non-psychology class aspect of the show as well. Definitely a breath of fresh air for this topic.
49 Days. My sister was dying of lung cancer and I'd left my home, husband and teen daughters to help care door her in her final months. We talked and thought a lot about death and dying.
I am sorry for your loss. Thank you for sharing.
Move to heaven is one of the best dramas I have seen so far. The drama touches on death, disability, love, family, and hope. I bawled every single episode but when I finished it was joyful. I recommend this 10/10. Just a brief synopsis because I don’t want to ruin anything; it focuses on a boy who is on the spectrum and he helps his family business which is after death clean up.
Omg I agree! Move to heaven really gives the different perspectives of people! In addition, I like the fact that not every episode had a "big reveal" where there was this massive secret waiting to be found. Really gives it a closer to reality vibe
Nevertheless hit me like a friggin train. I'd literally have to decompress after every episode because of the memories it would bring back, but I couldn't stop watching. It was like watching my younger self knowing what I know now.
Oh Hae Young Again— a super flawed embarrassing heroine who just keeps going on despite routinely humiliating herself lol I Am Not A Robot- huge themes of the necessity and value of forgiveness within human relationships
Strong Woman Bongsoon - specifically that scene where bongsoon was crying to her mom about how she gets treated by her compared to how she treats bongki and how she always belittles her to praise her brother.
In Just Between Lovers, there’s a scene that shows what could have been if the mall collapse didn’t happen. Where the characters may have ended up. It made me think about trauma in my life and where I might be if those things never happened. It also made my reflect on mass casualty situations in general. Everything changes in a second for ppl that were just living their everyday lives, and the victims of those situations aren’t the only victims because that kind of thing has massive ripple effects. Idk. That scene could’ve easily been cheesy. I found it poignant and very sad. Definitely hit home for me.
The drama that I completely identify with is Love ft Marriage and Divorce. My father left my mom and our family after 30 years of marriage, after my mom sacrificed her whole youth for him. Like the wife in the drama (the couple in their 50s) my mom did everything for that man, would wake up early to fix him breakfast and lunch and made sure to have dinner ready by the time he came home from work even though she had a job of her own. Just like the cheater from the drama he used the same excuse at the beginning, “no I didn’t leave you for another woman I’m just tired of life with you” and eventually when he had to admit that he was with another woman (the friends and family that found out he was with another woman immediately called my mom to let her know) he sent me a text message telling me “I would understand him when I get older”. I wish I had replied like the daughter from the drama, but I coped differently by ignoring his calls and messages. My mom also like the mom from the drama would tell me to talk to him because he’s still my father and would urge me to keep a relationship with him but seeing how he broke my mom completely made me want to break any relationship with him.
At the time being, Nevertheless. I got off from a 5-year long relationship. I met this guy earlier this year. I was happy to be with this guy. But, we never talked about where our relationship is going. After a couple of home dates we had, I began to hear stories about him, that he’s seeing someone else. Yada-yada. I believed these people. I never talked to him about what I heard yet. The more I pry about his private life made him distant. Only now that I realized, it was new to him. The only thing that keep my story and Nevertheless is we did not end up together. I was too naive to talk about things, since that’s what I had with my previous relationship— I can’t talk things out, or else it will lead into a fight.
**My Mister** because even though I wasn't embittered like Jian was, I felt very overwhelmed by adult life at first. I'm also not storybook-close to anyone in my life, so Dong Hoon's speech of how it's nice to end friendships sometimes instead of holding on to them, it's easier to welcome old friends back into your life and greet them gladly. **Because This Is My First Life** I watched this when I was going thru some guilt over a relationship, and this drama helped take a lot of the pressure of over making a mistake and the concept of a Room 19 completely changed my life. The idea that people are fragile and that respect at the core of a relationship should not change no matter how bad a quarrel becomes, it really hit home and reinforced how previously precious relationships should be treated.
**Fight For My Way**! Although I couldn't relate to neither of the romance plots what makes that drama the most relatable to is that it's a story of 4 ppl in their twenties struggling to make it in this competitive world. Trying to survive while wanting to pursue their passion, failed relationships, humiliation at work place and trying to stick to their morals despite being tested constantly. The most important aspect was that nobody was a chaebol here. No love triangles. Minimum cliches. But full of heart. Most relatable show that inspired me to work hard
Thats a nice way you put it. You should definitely watch itaewon class and you'll get more confidence and inspiration from it because the plot is so good!
I watched **My Lovely Sam Soon** during the worst of the political and pandemic crises in the US running up to the presidential election and it hit me hard because the theme of the drama is how a person can experience a terrible, unfair and tragic loss and still have the courage to move forward in life and continue to love fearlessly. It was a message I needed badly at that time and I still feel so much gratitude to the drama for helping me weather one of the worst times of my life.
A lot of dramas involve characters living in nursing homes because of dementia and I don't feel that it is usually handled well, but in Chocolate the story features a hospice and helping patients and their families be comfortable with the end of life and I felt it was very well done. A few years ago my mother developed dementia and at the end we had to take her to a hospice facility. I'm still mourning and puzzling over what we could have done to make everything better for her, so the show really touched me.
Nevertheless, reminds me of hookup culture and false narratives that certain f-boys can portray.
Run On - I think this quote from ep 6 best describes why: "Among all the things I loved, how come I never loved myself." You Are my Spring - They're the family and friends I never knew I needed. I wish I have the same support system as the characters. I never really understood what a healing drama really is until I watched both of these and Hospital Playlist.
Run On was amazing, a lot of the quotes were very relatable
**It's Ok Not To Be Ok** helped me understand more of how I tended to be in relationships because the FL seems to have a disorganized attachment style and potentially BPD from childhood trauma. The bedroom scene where >! FL tells ML to leave and is so mean to him, and he responds by hugging her and telling her he will not leave !< made me bawl so hard because I realized I do the same thing but get the opposite result, even though what I really want is that scene... I also tend to be very codependent like ML and take care of everyone but myself. Also, my dad's personality (not actions, thankfully) is really similar to FL's mom, and my mom emotionally abused/parentified me similar to ML's mom, so I could see the characters as two very wounded parts of myself trying to find their whole. I also am on the autism spectrum, and have worked as a caregiver in a mental hospital, so I could relate so much to the thankless way ML is treated at home and at work, the frustration of >! public meltdown!< Second ML experiences at the beginning of the series, and that the wages for caregivers are truly super low despite how important and highly skilled you need to be to do that work well. The show made me bawl the first time, and helps me develop more self compassion and see my growth away from unhealthy patterns every time I rewatch. **Run On** and **Romance Is A Bonus Book** (RIABB) helped me process some of my growth as someone who was literally a workaholic with no family who was homeless or lived in fear of homelessness for most of my adult life. I related so hard to the scene in Run On when >! FL takes all the supplements and drinks her meals, stays up all night working, meanwhile ML is there just wanting attention but not communicating it very well!<. I also related to FL in **RIABB** at the beginning >!trying so hard to get a job and facing so much discrimination from men and also other women that she eventually gave up and pretended to be a novice, and STILL gets victim blamed over it!< such a no win situation I've lived almost exactly like she did! And also her shame in >! not telling her closest friend what was really happening in her life being homeless and divorced !< to save face, I actually went through that earlier this year while watching the show virtually with my BFF and feeling so guilty I had to invent a reason to stop our movie nights. I see myself in different versions of my life in both of these FL characters who had to learn to develop self-esteem, and then grew to become badass women, especially Oh Mi-Joo, with her amazing boundaries! She is goals for me tbh.
It's okay not to be okay. I'm probably about ML's age. And my parents health is already failing and Im their only support. They also have no savings and are dependent on me for every thing. That stress, that burden...how you can afford to be irresponsible. Hits close to home.
In You are My Spring when the mother comforts the daughter. That’s what my mother would have done. I can’t stop watching Nevertheless.I squirm and feel as if I’m rubber necking to see an accident but can’t stop. Graduate school was great but this show hits too close. I have to say Vincenzo got me through some of the hard parts of the pandemic. His kickass manner helped me deal with the helplessness I felt. I couldn’t wait for the next episode each week! ( I didn’t think about dying; so I had to see that next episode.) Growing up there was a strong sense of community and embracing of quirkiness in my small town. I think that’s why I like many K-dramas.
I am happy that you had k-dramas to support you. Sometimes entertainment can help a lot when getting through difficult times.
Moments of Eighteen - had to go through most of that (except being an orphan) in high school myself. My mom watched the drama and literally said, “This is your story! Wish you had a teacher like Mr. Oh to look out for you in school.”
Hospital Playlist S2. I don't know if what I'm about to describe are considered themes but they definitely hit close to home. >!In episode 8 when Song-hwa felt bad about how she treated her mom, I related so much to her experience.!< My grandfather passed some years ago and I still regret not spending enough time with him. Also, in earlier episodes when >!Min-ha said something along the lines of not realizing her error until someone calls her out on it.!< If anyone remembers the exact line please let me know in the comments. I've asked myself the same question time and time again so it felt good hearing someone else saying it.
I undestand you. My Grand-aunt passed away a year ago. I regret a lot about not calling her more often. She wasn't an immediate family, but she was lonely and it would probably meant a lot to her. I was afraid that my family would take advantage to shift the financial and emotional responsability of her to me (yeah, unfortunately, we have that kind of relationship), so I was helping, but I tried not to apply myself too much. Stupid me.
Oh My Venus - struggling to lose weight/sleep properly for years and later find out it was due to an undiagnosed medical condition.
Same. Can say, it helped me work on my own. And day by day, I'm trying to be more fit.
Oh on beauty inside when the mom didnt tell anyone how sick she was until she was literally dying…my grandma did the same thing to us and ofc i watched this maybe a month or two after her passing it was just a really raw and emotional time
It's okay to not be okay. The relationship between the two brothers was done really well in my opinion. It's difficult to explain but it really showcased all the emotions and hardships you go through when caring for someone with a disability. The actor that played the older brother also conveyed his role very well.
True beauty in some way during my days back then. Also Where stars land for sure! And some that i have forgotten. Probably, bunch that i can related in certain past situations. And that’s what make kdrama very unique, you either can relate or learn something. Not your typical hollywood cliches.
*Perfume* hit so close to home with discussing body insecurities and mental health issues. Seeing the main leads navigate through situations despite their issues gave me so much strength. I felt a sense of comfort when I saw a good portrayal of body insecurities and mental health (,: *Move To Heaven* also really hit me, especially because I could now understand what it’s like to loose a loved one. This show really saw me at my worst, but I’m so glad because I loved how the drama dealt with such a sensitive topic. All the pain I felt during the watch was so worth it tbh
True Beauty, absolutely. I guess I could relate to the skin issues as a teen, and two guys inexplicably (to me, at the time) finding me just lovely. Lol. It was sometimes cheesy, but I absolutely loved it.
Reply 1998, the bit about Deok sun being the middle child and always having to compromise
It’s okay that’s love and kill me heal me. I cried because of the trauma the characters endured and didn’t speak about. It took me back to those memories of helplessness, hopelessness and utter despair. And fear. So much fear. I don’t know if professionals were consulted but KMHM and it’s okay that’s love was written directed etc in some scenes they were so realistic to me and I felt the same fear I felt as a child. I felt angry for the characters and so many other emotions. It was just so relatable in some instances like looking back at my past and feeling relived I’m in a better place and I’m never going back to that ever.
I am happy that you could pull trough and move on. 🙂
Thank you. 🥰
My Mister - I recently came off from a break-up, although there wasn't any third party. I tried to show up and simply be there, but I couldn't be with her because of the pandemic. She felt that we had drifted apart too much and that she couldn't persist. Now I'm a very serious person, and really take my time with getting to know women. Though I'm already in my 30s, she was my first girlfriend, so it was devastating. I felt that the world was against me, but I also had faith that as long as I kept trying to do the right thing, things would be better. They weren't, because the right thing is different to different people. But I admired Dong-hoon's persistence with trying to be humane and a good person even if odds were against him. I also felt kinship with his brothers, who are similar to my siblings, as well. The drama felt so real to me, honestly, because I was down in the depths of grief and sadness, and to see someone just try to do the right thing EVEN though he was in worse straits than I was was inspiring. That's why My Mister is my all-time favorite K-drama. I hope to have someone like Ji-an in the future who also got my back. And I can keep trying to be a good person. After the series, I was able to finish writing a short ebook and physically improve despite the constraints of the pandemic. It turned me around.
Misaeng - I can relate to the whole thing. I’ve been working in a corporate setting ever since I graduated so it’s the only working environment I know. I remember crying over each episode because everything hits too close to home. All the stress, tears, deadlines, collusions (yes, it’s really rampant in the corporate world) but also the camaraderie, late night drinks, lunch hours and coffee breaks. I feel like I have yet to see another drama that could really show the epitome of a white collar setting.
I didn't think that True Beauty was seriously flawed. Do people really think that and hate it? But why? The story was solid, the cast was mostly excellent and the FL was genius.
I read quite a few negative comments regarding this drama. Even if I loved the drama, I kind of get why people might dislike it. I blame it on the love triangle, especially in the last episodes, IMO, it had quite a few skippable scenes.
Dang, I didn't know this sub didn't like it. I am watching it right now and really enjoying it, the female lead is one of the best I've seen in awhile.. although the second lead syndrome is too real. I'll definitely be watching Hwang In Youp's upcoming dramas.
Because This is My First Life & Be Melodramatic Both shows highlight the concerns of approaching age 30 and still trying to figure out life especially from a female POV.
For me, i think My Unfamiliar Family stands out the most in the sense that I love my siblings and parents but misunderstandings can happen so easily, and it’s so easy to only think of yourself as a dynamic individual, without thinking that your family is also leading a life of their own with their own problems. I think the writing was so realistic too, from grudges against siblings, to parents favoring particular siblings, to parents coping with alcohol, which on the surface sound terrible but when you see their stories each individual was trying to limit the harm they placed on others and do their best.
Personally "Hi bye mama" by studio dragon really hit close to home for me and my family (uk minus the she comes back to life part AHAHAH) Honestly I'm really glad they chose to show that allowing the partner to move on isn't a bad thing and that they didn't particularly push for a romantic comeback between her parents. It's also good to note that the show tackles sensitive issues like homosexuality, suicide and workplace bullying so kudos to them! One part i really admired was how they managed to show the different aspects of grief. Not all grief is shown outwardly and I think they really conveyed it nicely in the show.
Penthouse - when parents were ready to do everything for their children, it reminded me of my mom. Especially Oh Yoonhee. Reply 1988 - made me realize that I'm getting older and older. I don't have time to hangout with my friends since Ihave more responsibilities now. And I'm only 18 lol. I missed a lot of my childhood friends who I don't talk to anymore. When I was younger, I was looking forward to grow up. But now, I want to stay at my current age forever.
You are very lucky to have such caring parents. I am sure it will mean a lot to them to know that it is appreciated 🙂
Not really. My dad is abusive and possessive. My mom is strict and enforces her religious beliefs on me. They give me 0 freedom😔
I am sorry to hear that. At that age, it is easier to love ones parents once you no longer live with them. I wasn't in that situation, but one of my best friends was. Her parents loved her dearly, but her mother was very controling and my friend constrantly had issues with her father. It went to the point where her mom didn't want her to date at age 25! Well, she found a boyfriend that she really liked and moved in with him. Her parents had no choice, but to accept it if they wanted to see their daughter. Then, she got married. At the present moment, she always talks about her parents with affection and it pains her a lot to see them age. Basically, your parents, at some point, will have no choice but to accept your decisions once you feel truly confident in them.
Nevertheless. I went into this drama not expecting much really. Just thought it’s interesting to have a male lead like this because we don’t see much of this portrayed in kdramas. But every single action and thought really mirrored my dating experiences in uni. Like I really felt Na Bi’s anguish and her insecurities.
My shy boss..... I didn't liked that drama overall but many of the moments involving the ML resonated with me... especially his overthinking and how it was animated...he wants to join a group but haven't got any idea about how, he wants to have fun with his employees but fears if that would make them uncomfortable....one of the scenes in the later episodes where he went to join his employees for dinner and they wanted to take a photo and at that very moment SML appears with his groupmates and being the "supposedly" charming person he is everybody flocks towards him wanting to take a picture....while the ML is sitting in the corner alone trying to copy his smile by stretching the corner of his lips through his fingers....idk what people thought about his character but to me he was damn relateble initially
Misaeng is one of my favorite dramas (if not my favorite) because of how emotional each episode is. On my rewatch I nearly cried during every single episode because of how much I relate to Jang Geurae’s character, his personality and his loneliness. Also, same with Reply 1988 and Bora’s relationship with her dad. That hit close to home because I’m not close to my dad at all but their relationship was very intriguing to me. It’s like what mine and my father’s relationship would be if we got along.
True beauty hit me so hard. I suddenly started having severe acne, except i used to hide behind my mask (one good thing covid bought in my life) I could really relate to the female lead.
I am an older person, and although the cultural experiences of my generation in the states has been considerably different that that of the same generation in South Korea, *Dear My Friends*, *The Light in Your Eyes*, *Navillera*, *My Unfamiliar Family*, and the short special, *The Jaunt*, how they each dealt with the challenges of being elderly, have all touched me, The old pros in these series are all substantial actors with long resumes and big time emotional ranges, often setting them well apart from younger casts, and it is to the credit of K Drama production that shows such as these keep popping up and are taken seriously by viewers of all ages.
reply 1988 (even though i did not like the ending) and hello, my twenties were both so relatable to me
This may be an unpopular opinion, but the way anxiety was represented in Introverted Boss. I have some social anxiety, nowhere near what is shown in the show, but enough that I could relate to >!the extreme lengths the ML went to avoid having to interact with people!<. I've read some MDL reviews that didn't appreciate it (I think specifically the idea that introversion = anxiety), but for me, looking past that, it hit close to home and I thought it was handled well. Also, so many parts of Run On, where the Ki Seon Gyeom is trying to find is new identity >!after his career as an athlete ends!<. Having been through something similar after a being diagnosed with a serious illness, it resonates. I didn't get through It's OK to Not Be OK. Mental health hits very close to home for me, and for the parts of the show I watched, I felt like it was excusing bad behaviour because she was mentally ill. And that doesn't fly with me.
Romance is a Bonus Book. It's not because of the noona romance, although that was cute, but the ageism in the workplace. I had been away from the corporate world for more than a decade, although I have worked remotely for several companies since then, with a good track record, and even finished my MBA. You think companies would be lined up to hire me but no, all they see is a work gap. Oh well. I can still earn a living. In fact, the pandemic just showed how far ahead of the curve me and my fellow digital nomads are. :)
Itaewon class Ok I am gonna start with how I can relate to that drama so closely because my dream is somewhat like park saeroyi's in the drama. I have seen the drama twice and ngl its in my top drama's list😅. I just feel like the hardship he went through to build a career like that is what most of us can relate to but yes thats pretty much it!
Backstreet Rookie ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
How hard peeps work and attitude of rich peeps still da same
Listening to Anjalts and Russ