5 Reasons to Fall in Love with the Villain

If Heirs has taught me anything, it is that the villain that you should hate can quickly turn into the person you love most. We can all admit that Choi Young Do (Heirs) is a pretty scary dude, but there’s so many things to like about him that I am actually rooting for he and Eun Sang. Crazy, I know, but hear me out. Here are 5 reasons why you can fall in love with the villain and not feel shame.

 1. They’re Hot

Let’s not lie to ourselves. Even the villain is good looking. That's one of the best things about K-dramas: all the eye candy. Even though you know the antagonist should be hated, when they make “that face” or wear “that” you can’t help but love their good looks.

2. They’re Misunderstood

A villain almost always becomes more tolerable when we get a back story that explains their mean-streak. For instance, think of all the junk that Young Do has to deal with on Heirs: his mom (supposedly) abandoned him, his dad is crazy, and his best friend lied to him for years about his identity. That’s enough to make anyone snap. Once you find out that the source of all evil on a show is simply misjudged or has gone through a lot and doesn't know how to deal, you start to lighten up on your criticism. Once you open your mind to them, it’s not too hard to open up your heart.

3. They Like Good Girls/Good Boys Too

Sometimes it is hard to believe that the jerk finds a spunky and somewhat disheveled person attractive, but it happens time and time again. Once you find out that the person they like is the person that is most likable (typically), you can sort of cut them some slack.

4. They’re Protective

The villain is always protective of whoever they decide is worth protecting. They should get points for that. Though the bad guy or girl can do some pretty shady things, when they decide to take up for someone or keep them from harm they go through all kinds of heck to do so. Take, for example, Gu Jun Pyo. I know that we don’t see him as the villain, but until he truly shows his love for Jan Di he is still the big bully. However, once he decides that she is worth protecting, he practically gets killed to keep her safe. That kind of love you can’t ignore.

5. They’re Funny

Many people cite “sense of humor” as one of the qualities they look for in a love interest. It may just be me but sometimes the villains are the most hilarious characters in a show. Let's take Lee Bo Na from Heirs, who is only one of the many characters we can't stand. She's annoying, clingy, and delusional (thinking that Tan is still in love with her), but all of this creates not just tension between she and Eun Sang but some pretty amusing interactions between she and Kim Tan, among other characters. 

Everyone loves a bad boy, but now you have some legitimate reasons to cite for liking the villain. Comment below about which K-drama villain you felt guilty about liking. It's okay, you're in a safe place. We accept you here.

Thanks for reading.