7 times K-dramas make us act like overly emotional children

For better or worse, watching K-dramas brings out some pretty intense emotions in us. Somehow, they turn otherwise rational and responsible people into impulsive and moody creatures akin to 5-year-olds. If you've ever been around young children, you've seen how kids just can't quite hide or contain their emotions. The secret is that those emotions don't suddenly go away when you're an adult. You still feel like pinching the person next to you when they don't share and throwing a tantrum when you're tired and hungry, socialization has just taught you how to hide it. Well, here are 7 uncontrollable emotions we just can't hold back while watching K-dramas! 

1. The uncontrollable joy that makes you want to dance like a child when they get their first taste of candy.  

2. The extreme frustration that makes you want to throw a tantrum like a 2 year old when things don't go the way they want them to. 

3. The impatience you feel when you have to wait for what you want and are getting very close to having a meltdown because it feels like it will never come.

4. The confusion you feel when you have to choose between two great things, like ice-cream or cookies for desert, and you just can't comprehend why you can't have both. 

5. The exhaustion and crankiness you feel the next day when you fought being put to bed all night because you didn't want to miss a moment of fun.

6. The obstinance and stubbornness you feel when you are being made to say you're sorry, but you're really not. 

7. The total inhibition you display that is usually reserved for either the very young, very old, or very drunk about your K-drama obsession.  

Have K-dramas made you feel more "young at heart" (to put it nicely)? Comment below!

Why Jang Geun Suk is the Prince of Asia: Pretty Man (Bel Ami/Beautiful Man/Pretty Boy) Korean Drama Review

Pretty Man was one of those K-dramas that could have gone either way for me, pretty much until the very end when it all unexpectedly came together. There were parts of the plot that made no sense, and aspects of the characters that I loathed, but somehow by a little magic it kept me coming back for more, and even left me satisfied at the end. After short thought I contribute this largely to the mystery that is Jang Geun Suk's charm. I can't explain it, and never believed in it before, but this drama has undeniably led me to understand why it is that Jang Geun Suk is indeed the Prince of Asia.

But let me back up…

The main reason I was drawn to Pretty Man was because of IU's charming ability to make you want to be her, or to at least be her best friend. Her character, Kim Bo Tong, is this strange combination of awkward, adorable, whimsical, slightly perverted, very determined, and incorrigible in her determination to love the male lead.

IU portrays this child-like innocence and wonder like no other actress. Her big round eyes, porcelain skin, rosy lips, and cute little haircut all contribute to this ability, but beyond that she just exudes an excitement as if she's discovering the world for the first time and is in awe of all of it, especially of the male lead, Ma Te (Jang Geun Suk).

I just couldn't resist this female lead despite the fact that her type of one-sided love and obsession for the male lead always is a huge turn off for me (see my Playful Kiss review for another example of my hatred for puppy-like female leads). It still really bothered me to see her give and give relentlessly to Ma Te even though he snubbed her and used her so arrogantly, but in spite of this assault on my senses, I was able to overlook it. IU magic!

One reason I think I was able to get past that was that I LOVED the second male lead David Choi, played by Lee Jang Woo. Since he played such a big part in the drama, more so than most second male leads, I sometimes forgot entirely about Ma Te. He provided a great distraction from the parts I hated and I was sucked into his equally quirky, innocent, and loyal character. He definitely was the other half of IU and their interactions were hilarious and awww-inducing.

I knew he wasn't going to win, but I managed to live in denial completely for about 14 of the 16 episodes. Then it all went south when the male lead finally decided to do a complete, sudden 180 and fall in love with the female lead.

Oh my heart! I was so sad for him.

I want you by my side David!!!

I don't think the writers really thought the plot all the way through before they wrote it, or even until they were writing the second to last episode. The main story line of Ma Te having to seduce 10 women to steal their powers so he could become a worthy heir just didn't really solidify. They kept up the "a new girl to tame an episode" theme for the first few episodes, but then it was like they forgot about it entirely or ran out of ideas. It was as if in the last few episodes the writers were like, "I feel like we're forgetting something. Oh yeah! We never finished the PLOT!" So then they hurriedly threw in a couple more girls and assigned some random women that already existed in the story those roles.

Oh man, this moment when he was trying to seduce the electric fairy was when I first realized his charm.

Also the whole "secret code" thing was problematic to me. First, I don't understand what the point of the secret code was since he didn't actually need it to get anything since he wasn't actually an heir. Second, I don't really get what it means for IU to be his secret code. Secret code to what? His CEO father, who ended up not even being his father, didn't give him anything once he brought IU with him. It made no sense. I don't think that's what the writers originally set out to do. I guess they meant that IU was his secret code to happiness in life, but it just wasn't well thought out.

The biggest problem of all was the placement of the main couple in the plot. We all know that this genre of K-dramas are pretty much all alike in that there is a mean male lead, but then he falls in love with the poor, hard working female lead, so he's nice to her and they are blissful for a couple of episodes until they face one last major challenge to their love (usually involving an evil matriarch) and then they end up happily ever after.

Pretty Man succeeded in this, but the timing was all off. Ma Te was not nice and showed hardly any signs of love towards Bo Tong until the last two episodes. This should have happened by episode 8! It was too little too late. They totally missed the couple blissful episodes in the middle that they should have had, and the male lead never grew on me.

For every 10 arrogant faces he made, there was one irresistible smile. And let's not forget the myriad of hairstyles, mostly ugly!

And this is where the magic of Jang Geun Suk comes in. Somehow he made this work. He scowled and was arrogant for 90% of the show, but when he turned around and became loving and humble at the very last second, I actually bought it!

How is that possible? And I wasn't even all that sad that she didn't end up with the second male lead, even though his sadness broke my heart and I wanted them together so bad. But beyond comprehension Jang Geun Suk flashed his hypnotizing smile and made me believe it was all going to be ok. I kind of hate him for it, but I can't deny he did it. He saved the show!

Overall, I enjoyed Pretty Man partly because I tricked my roommate into watching it with me so we bonded over it, partly because the whimsical feel of it was fun and light after watching so much crying in Heirs, partly because I love IU, partly because I wanted to marry the second male lead, and ultimately because Jang Geun Suk is the Prince of Asia and kind of the Prince of My Heart, just a little bit.

For all its plot holes and the obnoxious female lead's love for the male lead, I can recommend it as a fun, light hearted K-drama to watch when you just want to mindlessly sit back and relax. There wasn't too much excessive crying or longing, but it will give you the pleasant FEELS.

What did you think of Pretty Man? Did Jang Geun Suk steal your heart? Which of his hairstyles did you hate the most? Comment below!

12 MORE Things we learned about Korea from Watching Kdramas

Anyone who's been watching Kdramas for very long knows just how educational they can be. We learn so much about what life must really be like in Korea, right? Right? Ok, maybe not really, but the fantasy aspect is what makes them so great! I already shared 12 Things We learned about Korea from watching Kdramas, so if you missed it be sure to go get educated. Here are 12 MORE! 

Any other fun things you learned about Korea from watching Kdramas? Comment below!

Told You Kdramas Were The New Twilight!: Interview With Justin Chon

Remember how my very first post on our blog was about how Korean drama is the new Twilight? Well, what's really funny about that is that I was just able to interview Justin Chon, the Korean American actor who played Eric in the Twilight series, yesterday for DramaFever! I feel like my life is finally coming full circle!

Justin is a truly genuine, fun guy, and it was a pleasure to interview him about his upcoming film roles, his experience acting in Twilight, the challenges of being an Asian American actor, and what else? Kdramas!

Isn't he a cutie?

Check out my full interview on DramaFever:
Justin Chon talks Kdramas, Twilight, and being a Korean American actor with DramaFever

And the best part of the interview? He gave me a sneak attack back hug when he left, Kdrama style!

On Re-Adaptations, Remakes, and the American Version of Boys over Flowers

In case you haven’t heard, there is an American version of Boys over Flowers in the works, and it’s created quite the hubbub among the fangirl crowd. Every single article I’ve seen on the subject—from the initial announcement to every casting decision—is filled with people outraged that anyone would dare touch their little baby.

American "Jun Pyo" source/Korean Jun Pyo source

Considering that Boys over Flowers might just be the most popular kdrama in the history of anything ever, this outcome isn’t surprising, but I wanted to take another look at the issue.  Since my focus in grad school was adaptation studies, I have a slightly different take on the whole thing. (And yes, I realize that this makes me kdrama fan type #3. I can’t help it, okay?)  

After skimming through the comment sections of several articles, I have noticed a few consistent complaints about the American version of Boys over Flowers. Let’s have a chat about them one by one.

Complaint #1: The “original” was perfect

BoF source/P&P source

This is probably the most common concern.  A lot of people have been saying that they love Boys over Flowers so much that they don’t want another Boys over Flowersbecause it’s an insult to the original.  In order to talk about this issue, it may help distinguish the difference between a “remake” and a “re-adaptation.”  A remake is when you take a movie (or, in this case, drama) and redo it.  As an example, 2011’s Footloose (blech—Julianne Hough) is a remake.  A re-adaptation means that there is original source material, and it has been adapted multiple times.  Pride and Prejudice would be the perfect example of a re-adaptation.  Not only did Joe Wright adapt the source material differently than the BBC did, but the BBC adapted it differently than Robert Z. Leonard did in 1940, and so on and so on.  Maybe you believe that Colin Firth was the best Mr. Darcy of all time and that it was a travesty to even try to make a “new” one in 2005, but if everyone felt that way, there would be no Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy because we would have stopped at Laurence Olivier back in 1940.

So what does this have to do with Boys over Flowers? Well, lest we forget, not only is Boys over Flowers an adaptation of the Japanese manga Hana Yori Dango, but Boys over Flowers is already a RE-adaptation of the manga.  If we’re applying the “We did it first!” attitude across the board, Boys over Flowers wouldn’t even exist because Meteor Garden (2001) and Hana Yori Dango (2005) beat it to the punch. 

Is it possible to re-adapt something too many times?  Probably.  But I don’t think there’s some magical cutoff to determine when that happens.

Complaint #2: They will change too much from the original

Source

If we accept the possibility of re-adaptation, then the concern becomes whether this particular adaptation will completely change the original text. 

The idea of a “faithful” adaptation is complete nonsense to begin with.  The second you decide to adapt something from one format (manga) to another (live action), you’re going to be stuck with an interpretation.  The choices you make in casting, costuming, lighting, etc. all put a personalized twist on the source material in order to place it in conversation with the original text.

That being said, I think what most people mean is that they worry about basic plot changes.  Guess what? Boys over Flowers doesn’t follow the exact manga plot, either, though I can understand why a complete, unrecognizable overhaul of the story would be concerning.  From what I hear, the basics will be the same: rich, snooty guys at a private school with a hardworking poor girl who won’t put up with their bullying.  Multiple rich guys fall in love with the poor girl, and romance ensues.

What would concern me more, however, would be if they kept everything exactly the same as it was in Boys over Flowers.  Think about adaptations as people on an elevator.  When there’s only one person in the elevator, that person can stand wherever he or she wants.  When a new person gets onto the elevator, what happens? They naturally spread as far apart as possible.  The same process repeats every time a new person gets onto the elevator in order to maximize personal space.

Think of re-adaptations in the same way.  They can’t all occupy the same space because then they really are pointless remakes. (I haven't seen it, but the new Carrie looks like it may suffer from this issue.) If each adaptation is in conversation with the original text, then why bother saying the same thing over and over and over?  Even changes to the plot can create an interesting conversation to keep things lively.

Complaint #3: It’s another American rip-off

IA source/ The Departed source

This one’s interesting to me.  If we’re okay with having Meteor Garden from Taiwan and Hana Yori Dango from Japan and Boys over Flowers from Korea, what’s wrong with an American take?  From what I gather, each one of those stories embeds its own distinct culture into the story, much like Bride and Prejudicetakes Jane Austen’s story and gives it a Bollywood spin.  Is the concern that American culture is much farther removed because it’s not Asian?  If so, see point #4.

But is that reallythe source of irritation here?  What if this were a French adaptation or a Chilean adaptation, or even an English-speaking adaptation, just done by the BBC instead of Americans?  I somehow suspect that there wouldn’t be so much outrage.

There’s a sense that Hollywood rips stuff off all the time from other countries, and that’s what makes people mad.  When the English-speaking version of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo came out barely two years after the Swedish version, it seemed like supreme laziness to me.  I mean, really?  People are so averse to reading subtitles that they need Daniel Craig to dumb things down for them?

Even though I get riled up about this issue all the time, there is another side.  First of all, this movie isn’t being made by Big Hollywood.  It’s a small, independent production, so it’s not like they’re robbing ideas and trying to make the big bucks by casting Kristen Bell as the female lead or anything. 

Second, English-speaking (or French-speaking, or Spanish-speaking) remakes and re-adaptations are a way to expose new audiences to your favorite works.  How many people had never heard of Infernal Affairs until they saw The Departed?  What about all of those people who decided to check out Japanese horror movies after that huge string of popular remakes in the early 2000s?  So maybe you can lure your friends into watching an English-speaking rom-com, and once they’re hooked, you can bring them to the source material.  If your predictions are right and it can’t even come close to Boys over Flowers, then even better.  It will finally force them to recognize the value of the kdrama world.

Complaint #4: The story won’t work outside of Asia

BoF source

Again, I hear you on this one.  Really, I do.  When I heard that they were redoing the stunning Swedish film Let the Right One In as Let Me In with creep-tastic Chloe Grace Moretz, I was horrified.  I reacted so strongly partly because the trailer looked like a pointless shot-for-shot remake of the first film (see point #2), but mostly because there seemed to be something inherently Scandinavianabout the film that couldn’t quite translate to an American setting.  As a Finn watching the movie, the reserved people living in the quiet and the cold somehow made the entire thing work beyond just a simple vampire horror tale (which I generally hate).  When I saw Oskar, he reminded me so much of my little brother that I cried for an hour after the final credits.  I recognize, however, that my experience with Let the Right One In isn’t everyone’s experience, and that many people could appreciate different aspects of the story in its American counterpart.

Obviously, there is something about the Korean culture in Boys over Flowers that resonates with many viewers, and if you simply aren’t interested in seeing what happens in an American setting because the culture was the most interesting part to you (much like my experience with Let the Right One In), then go ahead and skip it.  No one will blame you.

What I find interesting, however, is that most of the complaints seem to assume that the plot itself is impossible in an American setting.  I have read comment after comment that specifically claimed the bullying aspect of Boys over Flowers would never work on an American show.  I don’t think that’s the case.  The sad reality is that people get bullied everywhere in the world, and it can get pretty bad even in the States. As a teenager, my husband got shoved into a locker and had to wait until a teacher found him. (Yes, really.  This stuff doesn’t just happen on Saved by the Bell, folks!)  Sadly, more extreme cases where bullying leads to teen suicide are far too common.  I wish it weren’t true, but that part of the story isn’t specific to Korea.

On a lighter note, I like to think that the parts of the story that are outlandish in America also require suspension of disbelief for Korean audiences.  Where are these schools where people do no studying and there are zero teachers?  Is that a real thing?

So, what I’m trying to say is that the American version of Boys over Flowers probably isn’t a sign of the impending Apocalypse.  Personally, I’m not super interested in watching it mostly because it kind of looks like a bad made-for-TV-movie, but I’m also not upset by the fact that they are making it.  It’s certainly not worth writing hate mail to the actors and producers involved with the show.  Just take a deep breath and go re-watch Boys over Flowers instead.  I promise it will make you feel better. 

12 Things We Learned About Korea From Watching Kdramas

The first Kdrama I ever watched was Lie To Me, and the main reason I began watching it was because I didn't know anything about modern Korea and wanted to learn. And boy did I ever! I've even been teaching all the fans over on DramaFever's Facebook page. Here are 12 things I've learned about Korea from watching Kdramas.

What other fun, exaggerated things have you learned about Korea from watching Kdramas? What about American dramas? Comment below!