An Ultra Fan's Guide To: Urassaya Sperbund (Yaya)
#5: GENDER BENDER
Gender bender is probably one of the most unrealistic tropes out there. Mistaking a girl for a boy, just because of her haircut and baggy clothing, seems a bit...unbelievable. But hey, when have dramas ever had anything to do with reality?
It might be an unrealistic trope, yet, for me, it's one of the most enjoyable ones. The confusion, the frustration and the acceptance that comes along with this trope, makes for one enjoyable ride! While part of the reason I love watching this particular trope is because of the comedy, I also appreciate the fact that the drama deals with serious issues too, such as gender, sexuality etc.
Lu Li & Wu Julan (The Starry Night, The Starry Sea II) |
#4: THE TSUNDERE GUY & THE CANDY GIRL
Tsundere Guy: It describes a person who is cold and even hostile towards another person, before gradually showing a warmer side over time. (source)
Candy Girl: Candy Girl is described as a woman who has unfortunate circumstances but is 1) hardworking 2) cheerful 3) innocent. (source)
Yes, this is that one trope that can be considered cliché and is outdated. Yet, it's that one trope that I would never miss out on.
Perhaps, its because this drama trope reinvokes the preteen in me whose favourite fairytale used to be 'The Beauty & The Beast'. And isn't that what this trope is? A modernized version of a beloved fairy tale? Or in some cases, a mixture of 'Cinderella' & 'The Beauty And The Beast'?
I might be a bit off here, but I think lately, we are starting to see less and less of the tsundere main guys in dramas. They are still there, but they are definitely getting outnumbered by the cute and adorable male leads. Which is good! Hey, I love the cute male leads too. Because really, who doesn't? But still, there's something about this pairing that almost always works out for me.
Ha Ram & Black (Black) | Jeon Seol & Se Ju (Chicago Typewriter) |
#3: FORCED COHABITATION
I added the 'forced' because I don't mean the couples who start to live together after dating for some time. Not that I mind those, but it's not what's I'm talking about here. I'm sure almost all of us are familiar with this trope. Two people who are forced by any certain situation, start to live together. It's an "innocent" cohabitations, where the leads aren't involved romantically (at first) at all.
This trope can be all sorts of cute! Living together when you're just strangers (which, in most cases, they are) can be really awkward, to say the least. And yet, our main leads, amidst all that awkwardness, fall in love. How is that not adorable?
Nam Se Hee & Ji Ho (Because This Is My First Life) | Wu Julan & Shen Luo (The Starry Night, The Starry Sea) |
#2: ARRANGED / CONTRACT MARRIAGES
This trope is actually interrelated to the forced cohabitation trope, in the way that all arranged/ contract marriages have forced cohabitation, but not all forced cohabitations are (because of) arranged/ contract marriages. Can you see the Venn diagram in your mind? (Merong)
While in most of the dramas, marriage represents the '(happy) ending', here the marriage is only the start of our OTP. Our leads don't get married for love, but simply because of their situations. It's an unlikely love, one they didn't count upon. Watching our leads stumble their way to love makes this drama trope one of the most enjoyable, and one of my absolute favourite ones!
Most recent drama with this trope: Because This Is My First Life
#1: HATE TO LOVE
And here it is, ladies and gentlemen, my favourite trope. The one that I could watch hundreds and thousands of time, and probably still not get bored.
Again, it's a cliché one, but one I can't help but love.
Whether it's just mere dislike, where the leads get off the wrong foot and bicker with each other. Or it's actual intense hate where our leads cannot even stand the thought of each other and have the urge to... you know, kill each other off. Whatever it is, I just know that if a drama has this trope, I'll be ready with my bucket of popcorn to watch it.
Ooy & Att (The Cupids Series: Sorn Ruk Kammathep ) | Jee & Sathit (Kleun Cheewit) |
So these were some of my favourite tropes that I just love to watch in dramas. And I'll most probably never stop watching them.
What are your favourite drama tropes? Make sure to comment!
Thanks for reading!
P.S. Image credit goes to owners.
