My First Korean Drama

I just finished watching a Korean drama – all 16 episodes of it. 

No one is more shocked by this than I am. I’ve long scoffed at Asian soap operas regardless of their national origin, having watched a handful of episodes while overseas and glimpsing others on Asian TV channels here. They’re so over the top! From their maddeningly slow-burning, tear-drenched romances (always backed by gut-wrenching dirges about mismatched love) to the pristinely clean-shaven men who all look the same, Asian dramas have been anathema to me.

But one Korean drama has revealed to me my arrogance. It’s still got too much romantic angst for my taste – they’re talking about their relationship AGAIN? – and sad songs that I’d rather put on mute. Yet this K-drama really won me over.

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UPDATED: #RepresentationMatters for My Daughters – and Me

AUGUST 18, 2018 UPDATE: After watching both Crazy Rich Asians, which was a deeply emotional experience for me, as well as the delightful To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before on Netflix, the scene I’ve embedded below came to mind. It’s from Supergirl on the CW network, and it features two wonderful actors in a flashback: Izabela Vidovic as a young Kara Danvers/Supergirl and Ivan Mok as bullied schoolmate Kenny Li.

I’ve read some Asian-American women comment over the last few days that it would have been hugely helpful, when they were younger, to see themselves represented by the main characters in romantic comedies like Crazy Rich Asians and To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before. In a similar vein, it would have been significant in my own youth to have seen myself represented in a scene like this:

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