How to Fight K-Drama Boredom

Let's say you've been a fan of Korean Dramas for years and you've finally gotten to the point where the excitement has worn off. The recent set of dramas you've seen didn't take your breath away and you are considering giving it up but you really don't want to. What do you do? 

Even though I've only been a K-Drama fan for two years, I have hit a few slumps. The shows I wanted to watch didn't interest me as much as I thought they would, I am getting bored of the same story line, I hate the OSTs they choose, and the list goes on. However, I always find a way to renew my love for K-Dramas with these few tricks. 

1. Watch a drama from a country other than Korea. You can get dramas and movies from all over the world in subtitles for your language through multiple streaming sites. If Korea isn't holding your attention anymore then check out dramas from other countries. When I hit a K-Drama slump I usually turn to Taiwanese, Japanese, or American dramas. They are great at entertaining me until another K-Drama comes along that piques my interest. Also, it's fun to compare entertainment norms between countries.

2. Watch a few episodes of a drama you loved. Sometimes when I can't think of anything else to watch I watch a couple of episodes of a drama that I've seen already. I've re-watched the first few episodes of shows like Boys Over Flowers and Nail Shop Paris because they reminded me why I fell in love with K-Dramas. If you're not interested in re-watching whole episodes then find some clips from your favorite shows and relive the magic.

3. Watch other forms of Korean entertainment. Variety shows and movies are a great way to escape the monotony that K-Dramas can have. Variety shows are, for the most part, unscripted and often show a different side to the actors that you've come to love. Movies give you all the drama that you love in K-Dramas but in a shorter amount of time. At one point I didn't watch any K-Dramas, but instead watched like 10 Korean movies. It was kind of therapeutic. I got all that bad K-Drama taste out of my mouth and when I returned to K-Dramas I was able to see certain actors in a better light and really appreciate their talents.

4. Marathon a popular drama you haven't seen yet. There are always those dramas that people constantly talk about even years after it released the last episode. If you want to get out of a slump then I suggest power watching one of the shows you're most curious about. For instance, I got really into simulcast K-Dramas around the time The Master's Sun came out. I didn't watch it when it was out, but about a year later I just told myself to watch it and I FELL IN LOVE! Now whenever something comes out with the actors in it I am confident about the quality. So far following those actors has not steered me wrong and the show definitely restored my love for K-Dramas.

5. Take a break. I know you don't really want to give it up but if you're seriously not feeling it anymore then take an extended break. The few breaks I have taken have only been for a few days at a time, at most a week and a half but I enjoyed dramas much more after taking a little hiatus. You can clear your mind of all the sucky dramas that got your hopes up and really define what you'd like to see out of a K-Drama. Once you know exactly what you'd like to see you can search for shows that fit those parameters and restore your love of K-Dramas.

Here is a list of shows/movies that helped me get back to loving K-Dramas:

Running Man (Variety), Bitter Blood (Japanese), Just You (Taiwanese), Grimm (American), The Face Reader (Movie), My Girlfriend's an Agent (Movie), Architecture 101 (Movie), Misaeng (K-Drama Marathon), Marriage, Not Dating (K-Drama Marathon), Empire (American), Attack on Titan (Anime), Tokyo Ghoul (Anime), Dream Knight (Mini-Drama)

All of these shows were entertaining, introduced me to new actors, and gave me a chance to see a different side to some of my favorite actors.

Here's hoping that your K-Drama boredom will end soon!

Monday Marathon: After School, Lucky or Not

Happy Monday! I know there may not be anything happy about it if you're headed to school or work, but there's still something to look forward to.

If you are in need a good laugh, quickly then check out today's Marathon Monday pick--After School: Lucky or Not playing on DramaFever.

Overview: This manga/anime inspired drama stars Kim So Eun (Ga Eul of Boys Over Flowers) and members of idol Group 5urprise (Seo Kang Joon, Gong Myung, Lee Tae Hwan, Kang Tae Oh, and Yoo Il). It is about 5 friends who make up the "Lucky or Not Club" and invite a shy girl to join the club. The club completes missions every episode in order to fulfill the wish of their friend.

Why It's Worth Marathon-ing:
1. It's super short. The show only has 12 episodes and each episode is about 13 minutes, give or take. If you are at school or work you can easily watch an episode or two during your lunch break.

2. It's hilarious! Crude at times, but really funny. I couldn't stop laughing.

3. A lot of eye candy. Whether you're a guy or girl their are a lot of pretty faces in this show.

4. Awesome cameos. There are cameos galore, in every single episode, so there's always something or someone to look forward to with every episode.

5. It's sweet. Once you really get to the heart of the show you realize why these friends are going on all these ridiculous journeys together.

It really is an amazing show that not only shows off 5urprise's acting ability, but also their vocal talents. I wish them many successful years.