Kdramas I’ve Watched and What I’ve Learned
I was never someone to start a drama by myself. I rarely watched dramas. Frankly because they’re so long, and I just didn’t have that kind of time. A lot of dramas I’ve watched was with my siblings because they were watching it.
But this quarantine has given me more than enough time to start watching dramas on my own. It’s been very interesting the way emotions, trauma, character development, healing, and change are depicted in each series. (Skip to the bottom to read more).
For those of you who are interested, here is a list of Korean dramas I’ve recently watched and finished (or am in the process of finishing as I’m writing this post):
Crash Landing on You
Bride of Habaek
Hotel Del Luna
When the weather is nice
Rookie Historian Goo Hae Ryung
W
While You Were Sleeping
Here are some of the things I’ve learned after watching the dramas. A lot of these things I’ve known, but seeing these ideas come to life brings a different perspective. Anyway, here are some takeaways:
Love and pain are not mutually exclusive.
Letting the other person finish what they’re saying causes less problems
Loss, experienced at any age and any capacity, will always hurt.
Live each day. Life is too short.
Forgiveness is a choice.
Everyone has insecurities. We often project that insecurity onto others. It’s best to acknowledge it and heal from it.
We need to learn to let go of pain that continues to hurt us. Especially when the pain was caused by someone who is no longer in our life.
Listen to what the other person has to say. Their side of the story matters too.
Time doesn’t heal.
Being honest about the way you feel and the things you feel causes less problems.
Our childhood experience plays a much bigger role in our lives as adults than we think it does.
We all have trauma, no matter how big or small, that we have to unravel
It’s okay to cry
OTHER THOUGHTS:
If we could see our lives the way we watch a movie, would it make us more empathetic towards the other person?
Would it help us understand the situation better? Would it make us better people? Would we be more compassionate & eager to forgive? Would we understand the ways we’ve wronged others & the ways we’ve been hurt? Would we understand that two people can both be wrong & right? Would we better understand the hurt other’s experience? Most importantly, would we be able to see the truth & accept it?
If we could watch our lives like the way we watch a movie, would we see how we’ve changed? Would we see how we’ve grown? Would we see the ways others have changed & extend them grace? Would we be able to let go of our pride & ego? Would we be able to admit our wrongs? Would we be able to set others free from our own traumatic thoughts?
Sometimes, I wonder how our lives would be different if you could watch it like a movie, would you grow in understanding? Would you understand the truth? Would you see the pain & the hurt? Would you see the growth & the change? Would you still choose the path you’ve chosen?
But life doesn’t reveal itself to us in the way of a movie. We can’t watch other people’s thoughts or even see what they’re going through on a daily basis. We can’t see their inner struggles & the crisis they’re battling. We only know our own experience. And we have to choose to try to understand others or trust what they say or have faith in their words. Which is not always easy.
But maybe not knowing is a gift.
I use to want to be understood. I thought that if people just understood, they’ll empathize & care. I never saw it as trying to justify my words or actions, because if my words or actions are wrong—they’re wrong. But I still thought it was important to understand.
But over the past few years, I realized that it’s okay to be misunderstood. I’ve concluded that explaining myself to others have to be done intentionally & not to everyone. Accepting that others will misunderstand is part of healing.
Because people have their own experiences, their own insecurities, trauma, and feelings too. They have their own hurt too. They have their own projections too. Not everyone thinks the way I do, and that’s okay too.
Isn’t interesting how watching a movie or film or drama can help us reflect on our lives? If you know me, you’ll know I don’t watch korean dramas unless someone I live with is watching. But quarantine got me to actually watch dramas. While I love watching the way a love story unfolds, I find it more interesting the way a character develops and the way emotions, healing, trauma, and growth are depicted in the story. Maybe it’s just me LOL. Does anyone else watch drama likes that?
Friend, I hope you’re doing well. I continue to pray for you and your family.