20 Things Newbies Need to Know About Korean Dramas

Note: I have updated the first paragraph to address some situations in which visitors to my blog often ask me questions about Korean culture. Please read this introductory statement carefully, because previous visitors do not seem to have done so. While I appreciate the visits please take into account that I am not  an expert on Korean cultural or historical matters. I watch Korean drama, that doesn’t make me a Korean sociologist or historian.

First of all, I am not Korean.  I do not speak Korean.   What I  understand of Korean culture barely scratches the surface.   Let me repeat that, I am not Korean, I do not speak fluent Korean,  I have never lived in Korea, I am not an expert on the culture and what I know of the culture barely scratches the surface. In other words do not ask me deep questions about Korean culture. If you want to study Korean culture please do your own homework as this is not an authoritative site on Korean culture. You can start with some of the links on my links page.   Oh look, I mentioned that in my original post below.  Also, Google is a wonderful and useful tool, employ it. I hate to say it this way, but I am borrowing from one of my hobby groups to say, “Do your own homework, just like everyone else, and don’t be an askhole.”

Therefore this list is  simply what I wish someone had first told me when I stumbled on to the fantastic world of Korean Drama so that I was not lost thinking things like look at all these wonderful characters but why can’t they hug in public?  It is a really a very basic K Drama list for Dummies Newbies.  After you get your feet wet and begin trying to understand very BASIC cultural and language elements of DRAMAS,  I suggest you visit korean culture and  other k drama resource blogs.  You will find one that fits you.   Dramabeans, has some excellent information for beginners and is run by Americans of Korean descent.  The recaps that Dramabeans does are also really helpful when you are learning your way into K Drama Land because they are generally middle of the road.   This is the value of Dramabeans, it helps non-korean/non-korean speaking newbies a place to “keep up”  with dramas when they don’t exactly understand what is going on due to cultural differences, pop culture references, and of course the language barrier.  Also Ask A Korean has great insight to cultural information, but is not a K Drama specific site.  This link is you tube links/channels from people that post various instructional info that is quite helpful:   Newbie Help.

Also, please check out the Links for other webpages and blogs.

Okay, now to my actual list of things that that Newbies might need to know to ease into Korean Drama.  The idea here is that Newbies get to say, okay, now I need to do FURTHER research, maybe?

1.  Most Korean TV shows are called dramas.  Most run one season-13-30 episodes.  16-24 episodes is the norm.  A  basic Korean Drama is basically a 1970’s Romance Novel.   There is conflict and angst and epic stuff that happens.  Without the sex.  Except- half the time the female lead character is older than the male lead character or the actress is older than the actor (go Korea).
2. Main types of dramas:  Rom-Com/Romance, Melodrama, Makjang (Extreme Soap Opera Melodrama), Sageuk (historical drama)/Fusion Sageuk (historical drama infused with modern elements and/or fantasy).  There are some medical and procedural crime drama type shows.  Every now and then we get a drama that does not exactly fit in these categories, such as Misaeng, which is a work place drama.  There are also longer dramas and sitcoms that run 50-100 episodes often called dailies (think soap operas).
3. These labels  in #2 are deceiving.  Rom-coms can have tragic elements.  And melos can have funny moments.  DO NOT TRUST PROMOS AND TEASERS.  EVER.
4. Korean women in dramas rarely show skin and it appears they might die if  even their collarbone is exposed.  Except legs, even in freezing cold weather,  tottering on ridiculously high heels, even when they are say, secret service agents.  Men are often more sexualized on TV than women.  All that really means is that there is usually a shirtless scene.  There are very disparate culturally assigned gender role behaviors for the Korean culture.  This is often problematic for western viewers.
5. There is little diversity in Korean Drama other than class and sometimes a Japanese or Chinese character.  There are very few non Korean cast members or characters in the shows. This has slowly changed a bit in 2016.  This may be due to the investment of Hollywood in DramaFever and Viki.  There are some rare male homosexual characters, or inferences that a character may be homosexual.  I have yet to see a lesbian character.
6. TV Shows are heavily monitored, censored.  Most kissing is a lip press.  If you see an actor open his mouth this is a big deal.  I If it’s in a public setting it’s almost porn-PDA is a no no, I mean even holding hands-this is TV LAND KOREA and does not always translate to real life.   If the couple actually has sex over the course of the show consider you have witnessed the television event of the year.  Do not make the mistake in thinking the actor or the actor is a terrible actor or a bad on screen kisser because of bug eyed lip press kisses.  The actors are taking DIRECTION and do what they are told.
7. Do not try to translate or recognize words as a newbie, just go with the flow.  The subs are often not literal translations because of grammar structure and cultural practices, and other reasons.  Sometimes the literal translations that do make it into the subs will seem odd because they are folk sayings or puns that make no sense to non-Koreans. It’s terribly difficult to navigate in the beginning.
8. There are strict age and social pecking orders. It is a highly patriarchal society also.  The younger you are, the lower you are in status.  People rarely call each other by their given names, unless the person that is being spoken to is younger or a lesser social status.  Even married couples.  Even twins-the younger twin calls the older twin by a certain designation (sex specific)  but the older twin may call the younger by their given name.  Thus, sometimes when you see a name in the subs, it doesn’t match what the person is saying.  This causes newbies a lot of grief. The first words you will learn to translate will most likely be these titles-Sunbae, Noona, Unni, Oppa, Hyung, Ama, Appa, Harabeoji, Halimeoni.
9. Usually someone in the drama will  be an orphan, or at leat one parent may be absent or dead.
10. Do not even think about trying to make sense of anything medical or illness related.
11. Do not even think about trying to figure out monetary subs, or heck even any numerical subs.
12. Prepare to crave ramen, rice, and soju and shout out Aja!, and Fighting!
13. There will usually be two primary leads male/female, and two secondary leads male/female. You will probably want to stab the second female lead.
14. Family is a big huge deal.
15. Money and physical beauty are big huge deals.
16. This is real, not TV Land=Plastic surgery is common in Korea.  See comments section below for a discussion on this.   Many celebrities have had plastic surgery and use skin lightening products.
17. There is usually one “idol” in the cast.  An “idol” is a singer/performer/musician that also acts.
18. Most shows spotlight an industry/service through the characters jobs.
19. There will be a long separation and/or a time jump with the lead characters.  This ties to the Korean concept of Han-this is a real cultural element.
20. Words and phrases that you will hear a lot:  Confession-confessing like/love, Burden and Tired-this is when someone else’s feeling or needs impose upon another person, and Do you want to die?=this is said when someone is annoying or challenging.  One-sided love-a crush, unrequited love (which is burdensome to the other party). Exclamations—Aish! Aigoo!  Jjinja?  Ottoke? Araseo.