Korean Fascination

  For the past few months, I've been really into Kpop (Korean pop) and dramas. To be honest, I used to make fun of people who were obsessed with other Asian cultures that they didn't know the language for. It's just silly, especially looking at the outrageous fashion sense (orange hair, really?). But... I'm one of those fools too now, I'm embarrassed to admit. 

  Like practically everything in my life, it started with Circle K. Dang you Vijay Suzuki and your Big Bang Lies! I never really paid attention to it during the dance practices or FTC, but the name somehow stuck in my head (I bet there's something to say about subliminal repetition). Then at Bellis, two of the counselors were really hardcore into Kpop and wanted it at the dance (which I promptly vetoed), especially this girl song Gee (which I totallly heard Geeli or something). 

  Paul and McKendrick got me so  interested in finding out what Gee was because they were just so ridiculous (who learns girl group dance routines?). So right after camp, I searched for it on youtube and couldn't find it since I did not know how to spell. But, I remembered about Big Bang... so I started listening to them. I swear, they were like my gateway Kpop drug because after spending some hours looking at music videos and live performances, I started reading up on Kpop in general and then watching other groups' videos. Gateway bands are evil, especially when they make you eat your own words! 

  Because I started to listen to music, (and I was sooo bored and had no tv to watch) I started to do #2 on Alex's things he makes fun of- watching Korean dramas. In high school, I just remembered people always mentioning eye ball cancer, long lost amnesia reunions, and other ridiculous things in Korean dramas. What the heck is up with that? But I was desperate for something to watch, and my parents already started watching them since way back when, so I gave it a try. Coffee Prince, Full House, Boys Before Flowers, You're Beautiful, and now Shining Inheritance...I've changed my mind about Korean dramas for sure. Even if they all follow the same archetype (brazen tomboy girl who's poor but is super hard working and compassionate and naive meets arrogant privileged boy who always picks on her (or sometimes thinking she's a him) and befriends nice guy who really likes her but all his intentions are misinterpreted as just nice guy gestures even if he's the perfect understanding guy for her, but girl and rude boy just have this connection that draws them together, despite things like overbearing family or jealous biotchy but angel appearing privileged ex girlfriend) How are you so addicting, despite the Americanized, yet not so outrageous versions that we have here? 

  So now, what can I say but to admit that I am one of those obsessed-with-another-Asian-culture fans. Dang you Korean dramas and Korean pop, why must you be so embarrassing for me to admit? But it's too hard to escape, especially with sites like allkpop!