Bring out your inner anger with the dramas that made me mad

Some dramas will make you mad for not living up to your expectations while other dramas will make you mad for just making really bad decisions and then there are those dramas that have characters that infuriate you. Can the amount of anger a drama provokes in you be a measure of how good it truly is, or is aggravation in dramas just an unnecessary part of life that we wish we could avoid? In this editorial I try to embrace my inner anger, giving you some wonderful examples of dramas that truly brought out the anger in me and/or others. Writing about those dramas made me want to scream what the ***** are you doing, releasing a lot of built-up frustration onto the screen. Giving me a much-needed break from the tranquility in my otherwise boring life. 

^{Gif made from Extraordinary you} 

Warning, this piece may include some spoilers as well as capitalized words to convey the feelings of anger. If you require fluff or happy places I strongly recommend you watch a sweet, sweet fluff piece or read about comfort dramas, You can also have this song in the background, as well as look at Jung Hae In playing with puppies (click here for full video). I have included several cuteness breaks along the article to help people not smash their screens. These are all surrounded by a soothing green frame so you can easily find them whenever you feel the need to calm down. Pictures made to aggravate you are surrounded by the warning color red. If the text is blue, it has a link to something (could be anything) in it.

However, if you feel like getting pissed off please do join me in this great ode to anger, and feel free to skip the green screens, and embrace the red!

Finding our inner anger 

A while back I composed a voting list called  Bring out your inner anger,  mid-august it had 550 voters, 112 titles confirming the idea that some dramas do have the ability to make people mad. This list probably peaked in popularity around May so a new list would probably show a different result but we cannot deny these dramas did make people mad one drama (Cheese in the trap) even 5 years after its release.  What was it that made people mad?  I am going to take some wild guesses and make them sound scientific even though I am just another internet know-it-all with 0 evidence, so please do follow what I say without questioning it seeing I am a self-proclaimed expert. 

Here are the top 3 most aggravating dramas according to voters on MDL: 

1. Love Alarm 2 (7th place for SLS)

2. Cheese in the trap  (4th place for SLS)

3. Start-Up (2nd place for SLS)

Sometimes disappointment leads to anger

Number one on the bring out your inner anger is Love alarm 2. I remember the feeds on MDL being flooded with disappointed viewers, naming it the most hated drama of 2021 the day it was released. With time the reactions calmed down, but I admit I was one to join in the disappointment. What was it that made people so disappointed? Was it the long wait,  the way the story went, or did the Second lead syndrome kick in? For me, it was probably all of the above, but now that time has passed my anger has subsided and I can write these words without even an increased heartbeat.  But now is not the time to stay calm, lets see if some pictures from Love Alarm 2 can bring back that feeling of anger if not the pics may be the OST?.  

SLS -Second Lead Syndrome

According to the urban dictionary : 

"Wanting so desperately for the lead actress of a drama to end up with the better guy, but you always know that she is going to end up with the lead bad guy in the end. Usually goes with the feelings of either wanting to curl up and cry over your ramen, knock someone's teeth in or both.

Me: In the drama "You're Beautiful" park shin-hye should end up with jung yong-hwa instead of jang keun-suk. Friend: Oh you definitely have second lead syndrome" 

The top 3 dramas that gave voters on MDL SLS are: 

1. True Beauty  (4th place anger)	2. Start-Up (3rd place anger)	Who are you: School 2015 (22nd place anger)

 It is pretty safe to say that the feelings people get from SLS are real. Many of the dramas that infuriate people also show up in the list  Warning this drama may give you major SLS!  Leading me to believe that one of the top reasons to feel anger is when the lead chooses the wrong person (in the viewer's opinion). 

I am just going to put some pictures of leads and second leads to fuel your anger, along with some  (un)-popular opinions. Those who have seen them know... those who have yet to see it will probably find out if they see it but I'm not telling you who is who because I may be mean but I try not to spoil the show... Not even if I am that evil...  (or am I).

She chose the right guy!

My personal top 3 dramas that gave me SLS, only 2 top my inner anger top 10... But hey, I did get disappointed, indeed I did...   In Cheese in a trap, Extraordinary You, and Dr. Stranger

Cuteness break… for those in need to calm down, count to ten actors and watch PP-Krit playing with puppies

Highly anticipated second Seasons  

Second seasons are a bit like revisiting a restaurant you love just to find out they changed the chef. Sometimes it is just as good, other times it's better but many times you just end up disappointed. 

Love Alarm 2 being the number one disappointment, a second season that disappointed was Go Go squid 2, just making viewers confused and feel unfamiliar balancing between the old and the new it made me want to scream either KEEP TO THE ORIGINAL PLOTLINE or MAKE ANOTHER DRAMA FOR  F** *sake, chose one and stick to it! 

Many people were also disappointed by I Promised You the Moon, not me, I LOVED IT but seeing I plan on making you angry,  I feel like it is worth mentioning many fans were deeply disappointed by this sequel for the much more loved I Told Sunset About You. I like the sequel more than the original and I am not alone in thinking it was better. 

Other Highly anticipated dramas

One drama that was very talked-about and highly anticipated was Mouse. It started so well but then it just took a confusing term to the depths, Taking a bizarre dive into some too far-fetched twists made people disappointed. And what happens with people who get disappointed? Yes, they get MAD ;)

The Devil Judge: “The drama should have been called V for Vendetta because Yo Han was originally supposed to sit in a court, judge impartially and punish the guilty. In the end it became a game of cat and mouse with a fish in the middle who is as malleable as play dough. The characters all look like indecisive and temperamental children.” - ManUtaN 

And some had high hopes for Doom at Your Service with its popular cast but found themselves disappointed with the plot. Just one look in the review or comment section for it and you will see a lot of disappointed fans. Words used in the headlines for the reviews for this drama include boring, waste of time, disappointment,  and waste...  Again not me I LOVED IT!  But for all you who were disappointed I shall whisper Doom at your service, Doom at your service, Doom at your service just to help you find that inner anger, can you feel in bubbling yet? or have I still not managed to find something to aggravate you by yet? Are you getting too aggravated by my annoying tone? Well, there is a cuteness break coming up next before I mention my top 3 aggravating drams and the characters that make me mad. Skip it or watch it, it is your screen. 

Now take a deep breath and count ten dramas that made you happy and click on the kittens to watch  Falling Into Your Smile playing with cats

My  personal top 3 Bring out your inner anger dramas
Something in the Rain	Dr. Stranger	Strangers from Hell
All have characters that infuriate me but include some of my favorite dramas, could it be that the more I love it, the more I  hate it when my beloved characters are treated badly?

The characters that infuriate me 

There are different categories of characters that bring out my not-so-pacified side. Though I am sure that dramas would be cut very short and probably be pretty boring without them, just the sight of some of these characters is enough to make me want to throw a shoe at the screen.

Selfish and controlling parents 

Some parents seem to find pleasure in ruining their children's happiness or just seem to think that the fact that they chose to bring life to this world means they own them and can do more or less whatever they want with them. 

Sorry but not even Jung Hae In playing with puppies can calm me down when I think of the mother in Something in the rain combining being both two-faced towards Seo Joon Hee (Jung Hae In) as well as completely ignoring her daughter's thoughts. This woman claims to be caring but in reality, she just wants to be able to brag about her daughter marrying a guy with a fancy job and the “right'' family background, whatever that is, all while acting as if she cares about him as if he were a son, with a mother like that who needs enemies.  

NO "mommy", IF that is your real title,  you are the one who should feel ashamed!!!!

" There are some meddling parents, but not to that extent, no. Whenever I remember that mom I hear nails on blackboard...ugh " - AnaTechWr

Listen to the sound of nails against a chalkboard  to get the full experience

The mother in Crush has a lot in common with the mother in Something in the rain but is a stubborn meanie, fine she is not trying to sell her daughter but does not listen to anyone. This "mom" uses extreme measures of guilt and completely keeps her daughter in the dark and then makes her blame herself for not knowing. Guilt + guilt+ self-blame + guilt + pressure+ control...  and is just a stubborn ableist meanie, that thinks she owns her kid and has 0 intention of even trying to understand or listen to anyone but herself. Controlling not only her daughter's studies but also her love life without even meeting the guy! Seriously! Stop, just stop and listen.  

While we are talking about bad parenting I must mention the father in Save me and the mother in Go Ahead, they may not have wanted to control their children but due to lack of psychological help they did end up guilting their kids into complete isolation.  The father in Save me even went so far as both lock up his kid and try to sell her to a much, much, much, much, much older guy (the guy with his hand on her in the gif below). Making my blood boil, but oh how I loved these dramas, indeed I did. 

The father in Save me not only sold his own daughter to a cult leader he also  subjected her to this against her will, if you want to believe in the boat to salvation fine but for the love of the spiritual fate you believe in do not make your kid do the same:

Kil Hae Yeon (the actress from Something in the rain) plays the mother in One spring night, and even though she is a lot nicer, the anger from Something in the rain remains. In this drama, the role of the selfish, child sacrificing parent is played by the father who is willing to sell his daughter for a promotion at work. But hey what is your daughter's happiness worth if you can avoid being forced to retire a few years earlier, it is only the rest of her life but sure you go get that job, sounds PERFECTLY REASONABLE???? what are kids for if not to be used for your gain. 

Daddy can still work, of course, the daughter should change her mind and go to a family that has mistreated her...

Another parent willing to sell his kid for a promotion is played by the father in Youth of May, or should I say, fathers? These guys are not even subtle about it, making it clear that the kids' choices do not matter and anything other than doing as father says will lead to getting locked up or someone or maybe two, three, or four people dying... honestly who is counting. All is fair in parenthood and war...

Parents locking up their kids can also be found in Do do Sol Sol  La La Sol, The heirs, and… well just about any K-drama with rich parents. However, locking up people for the sake of profit is also seen in dramas about idols such as Call it what you want and One Fine Week 2  where phones are taken away and people are monitored as a way to maximize profit.

Hey, People LEAVE THOSE KIDS ALONE!  you make me feel ashamed to be part of the grown-up community!!!!

Now take a deep breath and count ten actresses... and watch Xiao Zhan with animals for almost 5 minutes

Hierarchies, territory wars, and suck-ups  

At first, I thought to name this section doctors who do not do their jobs, but then I realized this applies to both the medical, workplace, and school dramas, so I just put them all together. 

A common theme in many medical dramas is the rebel doctor wanting to save their patients while other doctors are hung up on politics, budgets, and just about anything but trying to cure their patients. Now I know I may be naive here but I thought the point of becoming a doctor was to save lives, but hey what's a life or two when you can climb up the ladder and sign documents for a living. To be clear the ones that piss me off the most are not always the ones in power but all those sucking up to them as Dr. Song Hyun Cheol (Jang Hyuk Jin) does in Dr. Romantic. I am well aware of the power relations and that I actually should be more pissed off at the guy in power, I know that but somehow I find myself angrier at the suck-ups, it could be that the evil guys just seem so evil that I rather find them intriguing and arouse my fight back instincts while the suck-ups are the ones that make the evil possible and are the guys standing in the way of the fight for justice? 

When I was watching  Dr. Stranger I got so pissed off at the territory wars that I ended up composing the voting list, just so I could air out my frustration. I also think I spent a big part of Good doctor cursing at the ableist, suckup, scaredy-cat staff that just would not listen to Park Shi On (Joo Won), yelling at the screen  FOR F**** SAKE LET THE GUY OPERATE. don't just stand there and wait for the person to die… hello, a person is dying in front of you is now really the time to stand in the way of the person trying to do something???? 

The territory wars/ people unable to admit to their faults, going so far as to try to block a needed operation in Dr. Stranger are just so !"#"¤%#¤#¤%#¤&#&#¤%& , selfish !@###   !@#**

The number of people in charge sucking up to the conglomerate in Law School, was almost ridiculous, buying into this fake reality I probably felt like punching them all.  Last but most definitely not least in this category comes the man who is named after the sweet, sweet, sound of a cat but will make you want to roar. If you have seen  Moonlight you may feel that just one look at  Miao Jian Ping  (Zhou Pu) and you will need to scroll to the kittens. He is a straight-up suck-up that keeps standing in the way of both the company's interest and the talent just so he can advance in his career as well as being a backward striving economy-driven sellout with no empathy whatsoever. Stop Stomping on others to get ahead just because you lack talent, go find something else to do. 

Miao the, the guy whose name is the only sweet thing about him,...

People who do not talk to each other

Have you ever felt the urge to just grab both leads, lock them in a room and tell them to TALK TO EACH OTHER? well, I have... I also seem to find myself searching for this kind of drams so you could say I have a mild case of masochism… but anyway, this includes those who just assume what the other character is feeling or thinking without actually even attempting to ask them or give them a chance to make a choice. this behavior is very common among lovers with dreams that collide with the others as well as people who fall ill and parents who want their children to be happy and feel free to take their path but lack trust in their children's ability to speak their minds (yes there are such parents in Dramaland). I have chosen not to mention specific dramas here, why? Well because I think you can come up with more of them on your own and in many cases, this could be considered a major spoiler so just try to remember where you have seen this plot before: 

Who is it that can not handle the truth? 

Is there anything more undermining than being protected by being shielded from the truth?  or for that matter the assumed truth whatever the truth may be...  

A very common plot decision made by people in dramas that fall ill is hiding one's illnesses from loved ones. To you, I say: come on!  Sickness is a part of life and just about anybody can get ill, have an accident, or relapse. If you can not show your loved one your illness then get the f*** away and do not come back! really! We the sick deserve to be loved too! Not sharing illness is denying the person you claim to love you the opportunity to support you + the opportunity for closure in case it gets bad, so yes this plotline makes me so mad that I am struggling to find the words and though I may love the dramas were it has been seen I truly wanted to shake some sense into the people hiding their illness.  

I believe in you but I do not believe in me...

Then there is this extremely common plot in K-dramas but also a C-drama or two where one of the leads lies, just so they will not be in the way of the other lead's dreams, sounds all nice and kind. Showing viewers, I feel loved enough by my partner to think the person will sacrifice their dreams for me... but is a one-track mind, not very constructive and is more or less saying I do not love you enough to find solutions and I do not want to have to wait for you or have faith in you so I just give up and am knowingly going to make you utterly miserable for a while but it is for your good... DUDE! Have some faith in yourself, your partner and for FF let them make their own choices in life.  IT IS THEIR LIFE! 

The dad/coach in Racket Boys (ok, I will mention one drama) made me mad when he started doubting his child's free will, free choices.  He goes from wanting him to be part of the team to suddenly shutting him off from all his friends.  Why??? because he heard a doctor say that kids chose what their parents chose... or something like that so he just decided for him that he should not be pressured by him or the team to stay in the team. Practically isolating him from his friends, by telling them to stay away. The kid is the way he is (not the one to contact his friends first) rather feels abandoned by his friends and is more or less alone in his room and making him feel unloved. this was at a time when he was probably in need of love the most seeing he was recovering from an injury. But sure dad, you go and avoid pressuring him by deciding for him that he needs alone time... Why is it so hard to just TALK to the boy instead of dragging this out forever? 

Take a deep breath and watch a gif of Lee Eun Hye (Jung Seo Yeon) and Park Jae Shik (Jin Goo) petting a chick in You're So Precious to Me

Why are you so mean? 

Strangers From Hell tops my personal bring out your inner anger list because of the people around him, while Yoon Jong Woo (Im Shi Wan) is this sweet innocent guy who is just so in love with his girlfriend that he moves into this crappy place just to get close to her. Every single person around him is just fake, mean, and will not believe him. Making him both question himself and his reality. I am not crazy, or am I?  Making a person doubt their sanity and understanding of reality is just plain torture and I honestly still get mad when I think about the girlfriend and boss in this drama... (also what I love about it). So people if you need something short that is sure to bring out your inner anger go watch Strangers from hell, just do it (but mind the blood). 

Nice friend my @!#¤#

Can a person really be that stupid? 

There is stupidity or naivety that can be cute and then there is stupidity that just does not make any sense at all and makes me wonder how on earth would that character even survive in any world made up or not. In Perfect and casual, I honestly kept wondering how that girl not only survived to the age of 20+ but also (almost) graduated from university? Really, how does this even make any sense, you do not have to be super smart to survive but some basic survival skills feel kind of necessary. Then, there are also those characters that go from super-smart to super stupid without any logical explanation as in Unforgettable love I felt like I thought you were smarter than that come on... use your wonderful brain, I know it is in there. 

 I am not sure if stupid is the right word but many dramas have those characters that are there as comic relief but are just ridiculous and spoil the whole show.  Until you learn how to skip scenes, these characters whose stupidity does little to nothing for the plot seem to be there like a thorn stuck there to annoy the viewers and make them forget the otherwise great plotline.   Do not get me wrong, a lot of well-needed comic relief in dramas is done well and ads to the show. I am writing about the pathetic often doing some kind of awkward thing  (in a bad way) and more often than not punching down by appropriating other cultures.  The ones that have annoyed me include most of the family in Vincenzo, the older brother in Fish upon the sky, and  Chae Geun Shik (Choi Gwi Hwa) in Suits.

Mr. annoying from Suits, in his most annoying outfit... o a grown man being pathetic is not funny. If a man has got to scheme let him the scheme, why put him in an overly decorated baseball cap and gold chains? Why? why? why?

Another question that often pops up in my head is how the hell a person who otherwise seems smart keeps falling for others' petty tricks?  The female lead in You Are So Sweet keeps getting fooled by the second female lead being fooled not only once but…  over and over again. I do not mean to victim blame but Come on!  If a person has been mean to you, it may be a good idea to avoid trusting them unconditionally and double-check.  This type of behavior is not reserved for the second female lead seeing that in Marriage, Not Dating the mother-in-law and aunt are more villains than the second female lead. But to be clear if a person is not accepting of you, you might not want to follow them into a dark alley, mall around closing time, or go to a remote place when you have an important presentation or deadline without asking any questions.  I guess it does allow the male lead to be a hero,   but still can't he be a hero without her being portrayed as an idiot.  Then again, I guess these girls rather believe in humanity, and that is kind of sweet too so let us get mad at those who trick and lock them up instead... Roar, be kind, stop locking people up, you won't get the guy to do as you please by getting rid of his love interest...  HE IS JUST NOT INTO YOU!  (or filial) MOVE ON WITH YOUR LIFE!  

Honorable mentions

This just does not feel complete without mentioning Mad for each other, not only does the drama include the word mad in its title the first episode did manage to make me mad at everyone around the male lead (much like Strangers from hell) this drama has a whole lot to get mad at from judgmental people who do not seem to want to listen to manipulative mothers of abusers to society at a whole this drama has great potential to bring out anyone's inner anger. 

Another honorable mention is the Hong Kong Movie Mad world. This movie was both boring and brilliant at making me mad from both boredom and mad at the world for treating people with mental illness so badly that they truly do make them mad. If you look past the boring part this movie was pretty brilliant and is one of the safest bets to bringing out the anger within. 

Speaking of boring movies according to Ju Jun Young  (Song Hye Kyo) in The World That They Live In, boring dramas can make a person mad, feeling it was a waste of time... I  guess maybe boring articles too...  I feel I cannot lose here, either you get bored to madness or get mad at the content... So I guess my work here is pretty much done. 

I do however hope you do not feel that you have wasted your time here, and please do share your anger with me, but please do not get angry at me (even if I may deserve it), but just in case you may need it. As a last measure to save me and/or your screen, I will leave you with this gif and link to one of K-Dramalands cutest scenes.  Thank you for your time!