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Thread: K-Dramas: Categorizing Common Themes & Cliches

  1. #21
    Member mi do ri's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Suet Seung View Post
    Thanks, but I meant to ask Dictionary about his/her examples for
    Oh sorry, I thought anyone could just jump in.

    I'm not sure if it's already been mentioned but something I noticed about Korean dramas is the pulling arm scenes. In these scenes, it's usually the females that would get up and walk away then males would wait just as both their arms/hands cross each other and they'd give it a yank/pull.
    Less Than Perfect

  2. #22
    Moderator Suet Seung's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by mi do ri View Post
    Oh sorry, I thought anyone could just jump in.

    I'm not sure if it's already been mentioned but something I noticed about Korean dramas is the pulling arm scenes. In these scenes, it's usually the females that would get up and walk away then males would wait just as both their arms/hands cross each other and they'd give it a yank/pull.
    Sorry, I asked Dictionary because he/she probably had a specific example in mind and I wasn't clear what he/she had in mind when they mentioned the motif.

    Feel free to add to the thread.

    I call that the Wrist-grab technique. They always used it in K-dramas. I posted a post on K-drama cliches on my blog, if you want to check it out.
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  3. #23
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    Sorry, forgot to mention examples last time. There are many but here are a few:
    Scent of a Woman
    Protect the Boss
    Over the Green Fields
    My Lovely Samsoon

    Over the Green Fields (aka Over the Prairie) also belong in the terminal illness category.

    Couple or Trouble fits in the categories 1st love is not main girl & one woman, two men.


    This is not a category or anything but when watching Korean dramas one can almost always expect to see flashbacks. And the same scenes are shown over and over. I don't think I have watched a drama that doesn't have flashbacks.

  4. #24
    Moderator Suet Seung's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by dictionary View Post


    This is not a category or anything but when watching Korean dramas one can almost always expect to see flashbacks. And the same scenes are shown over and over. I don't think I have watched a drama that doesn't have flashbacks.
    Yeah, I think Korean dramas are guilty of using flashbacks too much and sometimes when the event happened within the same episode. I understand they try to get viewers to see into the mind of the character, but it doesn't allow the actors to act it out or something. I think they need to tone that down.
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  5. #25
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    Just thought of one more: no kissing until the last episode (very proper!) and sometimes even the very last scene.

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    On the terminal illness cliched, it wasn't until I watched Christmas in August that I understood why this theme has been so resilient in Korean drama plots. The movie is excellent, a cinematic accomplishment, and used to teach cinematography and screenwriting in Korean universities. It also happens to be the favourite film of many distinguished Asian actors (including Tony Leung and the late Leslie Cheung).
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  7. #27
    Senior Member junny's Avatar
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    Heroine falls for a.sshole/cold-hearted hero
    - My Name is Kim Sam Soon
    - Myung-wol the Spy
    - Best Love
    - Boys before Flowers
    - Secret Garden
    - Sons of Sol Pharmacy (the 2nd son)
    - You're Beautiful
    - Playful Kiss
    - Full House

    and tons more...
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  8. #28
    Moderator Suet Seung's Avatar
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    Main Heroines and their Bad Relationships - Another common cliche motif is to not only have the main heroine come from humble and an ordinary family (that's poor), but she has to suffer from a betrayal of long-standing relationship with a boyfriend. If the main heroine is dating or engaged at the start of the drama, most likely she will have a cheating boyfriend or fiance who cheats and sometimes cheat her out of her money and life-savings. It's a plot device to garner the audience's sympathy for going through such things.

    Soulmate, My Lovely Sam Soon, Personal Taste and numerous other TV series...I don't have time to list them all out. But if you watched a Korean series, you'll know.
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  9. #29
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    Every so often we get to see our main guy bare his chest/semi-naked. He gets wet and has to take off his shirt or just got out of the shower. The main girl suddenly enters the room or turns at the right moment to catch a glimpse of his tight abs. I think this type of scene is inserted intentionally for female audience to drool over, heh.

    Bad Love
    Couple or Trouble
    1st Prince Coffee Shop
    My Lovely Samsoon
    A Thousand Kisses
    ...and more

  10. #30
    Moderator Suet Seung's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by dictionary View Post
    Every so often we get to see our main guy bare his chest/semi-naked. He gets wet and has to take off his shirt or just got out of the shower. The main girl suddenly enters the room or turns at the right moment to catch a glimpse of his tight abs. I think this type of scene is inserted intentionally for female audience to drool over, heh.

    Bad Love
    Couple or Trouble
    1st Prince Coffee Shop
    My Lovely Samsoon
    A Thousand Kisses
    ...and more
    Just saw it happen in Dream High and it was seen in Delightful Girl Choon Hyang too. It's common as the obligated shower scenes.
    I just love how you Captivate My Mind

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  11. #31
    Moderator Suet Seung's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Suet Seung View Post
    Main Heroines and their Bad Relationships - Another common cliche motif is to not only have the main heroine come from humble and an ordinary family (that's poor), but she has to suffer from a betrayal of long-standing relationship with a boyfriend. If the main heroine is dating or engaged at the start of the drama, most likely she will have a cheating boyfriend or fiance who cheats and sometimes cheat her out of her money and life-savings. It's a plot device to garner the audience's sympathy for going through such things.

    Soulmate, My Lovely Sam Soon, Personal Taste and numerous other TV series...I don't have time to list them all out. But if you watched a Korean series, you'll know.
    Man, I think this is a really common motif. Most of the Romace comedy dramas, I've seen the girl always have a bad relationship at the start and bump heads with the guy she will hate at first and then fall in love with. It's so typical. Flower Boy Ramyun Shop is another drama to add to the list.
    I just love how you Captivate My Mind

    Self reminder - Update blog more often and continue editing/writing for TOV fanfic.

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