1. No sleep.

Korean Dramas (or K-dramas for short) are incredibly addictive. They have an annoying tendency of ending on cliffhangers. Secrets keep on being revealed but everyone’s reactions are left for the next episode!

2. Suddenly acquire a taste for men who wear eyeliner.

Or weird clothes. Or who are rich and bratty.

3. Believe people change.

Recipe:
1) Rich, angry men (3-5)
2) Add cute, kind woman (possibly disguised as a man and usually poor)
3) Unleash a complex love triangle
4) Everyone, traumatized by love, becomes someone new
5) Everything magically resolves

4. Tears.

My eyes are leakier than most. I can see a cute puppy video and the waterworks begin. Introduce cute, nice characters crying because they miss their dead parents or because they can’t afford to go to college and I will start crying too.

5. Inadvertently learn Korean expressions. Especially insults.

Like 오빠 (“oppa”, term of endearment for older brother or older male friend), 죽을래 (“jugulle”, literally “Do you want to die?” Yes. This is a common phrase), 보고 싶다 (“bogoshipda”, this means “I miss you/I want to see you”), and many many more. Korean is a really playful and pleasant language.

6. More tears.

Of course.

7. Rooting for the wrong main character.

I blame the casting directors. I see the main character and then I see the 2nd lead and my heart gets torn into tiny indecisive pieces. Unless it’s Lee Min-Ho. When in doubt, always go for Lee Min-Ho.

8. Make you believe that clothes and makeup are magic.

Take a poor girl with poor taste in clothes, buy her a new wardrobe, then have everyone in the whole show fall in love with her. Not to mention that Korean fashion is absolutely adorable.

9. Crazy self-talk, is acceptable.

Every character will speak to themselves. It’s a great way to get some subtitles on the screen and a great way to narrate the gazillion sepia toned flashbacks.

10. Make you excited over hand-holding.

UGH. Never in a thousand years would you think that touching someone’s hand for the first time would be something you’d put on your calendar, but watch your Kdramas closely, this is definitely something that will receive it’s own film montage. Korean Dramas are a world where everyone’s a virgin and holding hands sparks fireworks in your belly.

11. Every woman deserves a piggyback ride

There is always a carry scene, oftentimes a piggyback ride. Miraculously the woman will sleep through the ride, possibly due to too much alcohol or tear, both can really dehydrate someone.

I try to avoid watching Korean dramas because if I don't I won't sleep anymore T-T It's the middle of the night and I'm up watching Cinderella and Four Nights as I write this. I admit, I have a problem.