One great thing about finding yourself in between drama reviews is that you’ll probably end up sifting through old drafts, which is where I found this little number. After some tweaking here and there, I present you with a list of some personal K-drama-watching experiences that hopefully a few of you can relate to.
And remember, this is just for funsies.
Okay, let’s go: You know you’re a K-drama addict when…
…you understand the significance of bangs placement.
While bangs down often denote innocence/youth/good, bangs worn up with the forehead exposed usually indicate the presence of villainy and/or that a significant period of time has passed by in that character’s life.
Iconic example: Oh Se Ho (Kwak Dong Yeon) in My Strange Hero.
…you accept glasses as a perfectly suitable form of disguise.
I mean, it worked for Clark Kent, so why not?
Iconic example: Ki Moo Hyeok (Yoon Kyun Sang) in Mr. Temporary.
…you find that your speed-reading ability has become rather remarkable.
Because we aren’t just reading quickly; we also have to catch what’s going on in the scene.
(In fact, does anyone else’s eyes have to adjust when watching a movie or drama in their native language? My eyes always have to take a second to chill out because they’re so used to jumping all over the screen between reading subtitles and watching the scene.)
…you find yourself — while watching with a K-drama newb — inserting helpful bits of knowledge about the Korean language that you’ve picked up solely through exposure.
Which probably means your definitions are not exactly technical, to say the least. Explaining “hyung,” for example, usually goes something like this for me: “Hyung” isn’t his name; it means older brother. But that guy’s not his biological brother. And that’s just if you’re a male saying it — if you’re a female, it’s “oppa”. Which can also be for a boyfriend. Okay, now we need to rewind; that part was important.
…you feel out of the loop when your friends talk about actors, actresses, and tv shows from your native country.
But by golly, you can school everyone when it comes to Korean celebrities and/or variety shows.
So there.
…you have watched an episode before it was subtitled in your native tongue.
And you’ll do it again.
(Thank you, by the way, to every subber — you guys are awesome and your work is so appreciated!)
…you realize that either you or the set designer is spending (arguably) too much time at IKEA.
I’m flattered because it makes me feel as though my home is at least somewhat on par with a K-drama home. But seriously, in my latest drama, I recognized an IKEA fake plant on the main character’s balcony. So if there’s a line here, I believe I might have crossed it.
…you first discovered idol-actors through dramas, then found out they’re also K-pop idols.
In my case: D.O (EXO)…
Joy (Red Velvet)…
Hyeri (Girl’s Day)…
Jung Eun Ji (Apink)…
and Kim Myung Soo (formerly of INFINITE), to name only a few.
…you have a prompt answer for anyone wondering what the time difference is between where you live and South Korea.
But you try to answer casually as though you’re not constantly calculating the time difference so that you know when your drama’s next episode airs.
That’s it for now — thank you for reading!
Which do you most relate to? Anything not on this list that you think should be? Feel free to comment your thoughts below and join in the conversation!
musings of a dramaholic 
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