Why K-drama standard is the new relationship goal

Love makes you do all kinds of stupid things. But things are changing for the better in the world of modern dating, as women make sure that their partners know how to treat them. And the guidebook for these treat-me-well crash courses? Our trusty-dusty K-dramas.

Inspired by the picture-perfect world of Korean men and the meaningful impact that they seem to have on their partners’ lives, women are now urging the men in their lives to watch Korean shows so that they know how to treat a woman well.

Women are sending men K-drama scenes
“Men have no clue what we want! I sent a scene from a K-drama to my boyfriend so that he could see how careful they are in those shows with their girlfriends. But he didn’t even get it. He asked, ‘What did he do that you wanted me to see?’ It was a scene from Dynamite Kiss , where the female lead drops her fork and she leans to pick it up, so the male lead of the show covers the edge of the table so that she does not hurt her head.” shares Sunita Gosain, a teacher from Delhi.
Harshita Bhardwaj, another teacher, says that she shares romantic scenes with her boyfriend so that he knows what she likes. “The shoe scene in Summer Strike , where the male lead measures the female lead’s shoe size through the floorboards as she walks above him, was something I specifically asked him to watch... What works for these shows is that they are from a female perspective in terms of their treatment. The way they portray emotions, relationships, and everyday struggles feels incredibly real and relatable. I ask my boyfriend to watch these so that he understands what I like and communication becomes easy, visual learning is anyway better!” she explains.

Small gestures that have become big expectationsDrenched in rain? Men in Korean dramas will give you his jacket. Your shoe broke? They will carry you on their back. Sitting across the table, and your fork drops? They will cover the edge of the table so that it doesn’t hurt you. While opening a car door is common, they will put their hand on the roof so that it doesn’t hurt you while you are getting into the car.
And the list goes on for small and big gestures. Swimming across the ocean for you – no problem! Keeping a South Korean girl safe in a North Korean officer’s household – why not! Even vrooming their expensive cars in Seoul’s traffic to reach their love interest because she is stuck somewhere and is drunk! That’s what Korean men do, and in the world of modern dating, girls are making sure that guys know what they really want!

Hope, softness, and the promise of real love
“These shows give you the hope that a love like this exists,” sums up Vaishnavi Pandey, an analyst. “In K-dramas, they show us the love where they don’t go head over heels for each other at the instant, this sort of love lets your head rest easy and free.”
“Men in these shows are kind and fall in love with the messy and real version of you. Such shows give you the hope that maybe a love like this exists somewhere in the world. And in the world of dating, there are a lot of communication gaps – that’s why I always ask all my male friends to watch at least one K-drama so that they know how to put in effort and treat a woman right, and these are basic gestures like buying her flowers, listening to her, holding hands!” adds Vaishnavi.

‘K-dramas portray men as emotionally aware’
“ K-dramas portray men as emotionally aware – they notice small things, listen carefully, remember details, and handle emotions with patience things that leave the most impact,” points out Nikita Anand, a lawyer. Nikita shares that K-dramas often value things that really matter. “This year, I watched When Life Gives You Tangerines , and the show’s male lead was the perfect example of a green flag. He kept the female lead as his number one priority and didn’t let anyone insult her, not even his own mother. He built everything from scratch for her, and even in the end, when he died, he made sure to secure things for her, and it was the most beautiful story.” Srishti Rai, an HR professional, adds, “The guys are really attentive about what their partners like and dislike, they appreciate the way they look, keep a check on them if they are late, and cook for them. These are the small things we all like about K-dramas,” mentions.
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