During my free time I usually watch, well to be accurate binge on Korean shows. This saga has been going on for more than 10 years. It's been a rather healthy relationship, well if you look past the long nights of watching, the obsession with the OSTs, the constant search for the next good show and the marketing of K-drama brilliance to anyone who will or will not listen.
The meet - cute: My first encounter with K-dramas was The Jewel in the Palace. It used to air on TV, dubbed in my local language. Like a cliché romance ,it was love at first sight. Everything about the show drew me , it was new, refreshing and straight up brilliant . I was hooked from the first episode and would diligently watch it come parents or exams. This was a start of a long and sometimes unhealthy relationship.
The encounter: I reconnected with my love , K-drama back in 2010 when a friend suggested I try You're beautiful. Like every k-drama, we knew each other when we were kids and meet again when I grew up. Sparks flew, a life was changed. The show freaking blew my teenage mind and I knew this was the start of something magnificent.
The dating: After rekindling my love for k-dramas I spent time cultivating and nurturing a relationship with it. Every free moment was spent watching any show that peeked my interest. During this stage I would watch every show to completion irrespective of it being good or bad. This honeymoon phase lasted for about 4-5 years I would say.
The break: Like most long-term relationship we reached a burn out phase. where I stopped watching k-dramas. However the relationship had already made an impact on me and I spent this time off learning about Korea's culture and the language.
The relationship: I came back to k-dramas with new found love, respect and knowledge. I recognized that I had changed and so had my interest. The type of shows I started out watching no longer entertained me and so I started watching shows of different genres. The romance was reignited when I found crime, suspense and thriller shows. I loved seeing this side of k-dramas , I found that they were better written and more thought provoking. I was careful with the shows I picked and anything that I did not like I would drop immediately. This has kept my interest and entertainment value at a high.
And so we lived: Happily ever after :)