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Discover Your K-Drama Cliche
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Over the past few years, Korean dramas and their creators are famous for impeccable storytelling that takes viewers on a roller coaster of emotions in 16 episodes or less. The riveting storylines, well-etched out characters, and excellent production quality have cultivated a huge fan base for the K-drama industry across the world.
Something that makes us happier to watch K-dramas is the sense of belonging we all share through our fondness for them. Whether you channel the brave determination of the heroine or the cunning ways of the devious sibling, read on and discover which archetype you relate to the most.
The Oh-So-Hateable Villian
Sometimes all it takes is a scary and savage villian to make a K-drama enthralling and exciting to watch. They look like absolutely normal members of society, yet they hide a heinous side. They are K-drama land’s serial killers, stalkers, or manipulators, always out to hurt their targets without any remorse.
In one of Netflix’s hit revenge K-drama The Glory, Park Yeon-jin (Lim Ji-yeon) was a multidimensional character who has the face of an angel and the heart of the devil. She becomes a heartless villain who feels no remorse for her past deeds (as a vicious bully) in front of the victims. Free of consequences, she learns to take the boldest path to get what she wants. As a teenager, Yeon-jin was the ringleader in her friend group, and the most conniving of Moon Dong-eun (Song Hye-kyo) 's bullies. She and her friends burned, assaulted and mocked Dong-eun.
The Funny BFF
Dreamy romances might be the lifeblood of Korean dramas but it’s the friendships that push the plot forward – the chemistry between friends in these shows is undeniably electric. These characters may always crack jokes, make fun of their friend, or act all clumsy and incapable in many ways, but they are also deeply emotional human beings that care for their happiness and are always ready to back them up in any situation.
Injecting brevity and laughter into every scene, thoughtful gestures, hilarious conversations, and eccentric personalities underline the K-Drama – Hospital Playlist, with the underlying theme of sticking close through the good and the bad. We can’t think of a better benchmark for squad goals.
The Savage Sibling
There is no doubt that K-drama siblings add spice to any K-series.
In the K-drama True Beauty, the dynamic between the siblings is a lot of fun as it shows the older perfect child, the disgruntled middle child, and the mischievous younger sibling. Whether they fight, their mother forces them to cut each other’s toenails while saying “I love you”. It was quite entertaining seeing the youngest ones fight and quarrel as many viewers can relate to them a lot. The siblings become even closer when they band together to protect Ju-Kyung (Moon Ga-young) from her classmate’s ridicule over what she looks like without makeup.
The Admirable Heroine
The combination of strength, intelligence, compassion, and relatable humanity makes the K-drama heroine archetype a compelling and aspirational figure for many viewers. Her journey of personal growth and triumph in the face of adversity is a key narrative driver in many popular Korean dramas.
In Fight for My Way, Ae Ra (Kim Ji-won) isn’t afraid to chase her dream or any opportunity that might get her there. Her strength comes from her ability to doggedly pursue what she wants. Unafraid to defend herself, her lifestyle, her choices, and her friends. She’s sassy, fun, full of spirit, and a loveable heroine simply because she is who she is. A character like her is a good role model for all young women looking for validation.