How has my life changed since starting to watch K-Drama, BLs, and Asian Dramas in general:
First off I need to say that quite honestly I am not at all the same person after I started my journey with The Untamed just over 2 years ago, these series have helped me to repair what had been a very broken heart.
1) A deep appreciation for the Asian cultures in general. It opened my eyes, mind and heart to seeing people as more the same than we are different. I feel more connected to our shared humanity and enjoy the differences very much.
2) I started to absorb the languages, mostly Mandarin so far since I have watched far more Chinese series than any other still but slowly getting some familiarity with Korean, Japanese and Thai. It has made me interested enough to do some free online courses as just a hobby but I am really enjoying it!!
3) Music!!! OMG the soundtracks for so many of the series are just phenomenal! My playlist is just FULL of music now from BL's and non-BL as well. I never, ever expected to like some of the styles of music so much and though I haven't gotten into K-pop, I did have a many weeks long love affair with The Astronaut thanks to a link in the discord music channel about Jin. I am looking forward to many more years of quality music from all these incredibly talented folks!
4) How to kiss! Seriously. I can tell you that the North American approach has never captured my heart the way these Asian series have regarding courtship, kissing, love-making. There is a tenderness and cherishing within it that is so beautiful to witness. I just appreciate getting to learn a different way of orienting with all of the romantic expressions from a new perspective!
5) Unexpectedly my Mom also has really fallen in love with non-BL Korean shows and so we get to share our enthusiasm about what show we are currently watching and occasionally even watch one together! She is 86. So far we have watched Go Ahead, Flower of Evil, It's Okay to Not Be Okay, Move to Heaven, The Sword and the Brocade and one my Mom asked me to watch, If We Were a Season.
6) The pure delight of seeing so many, many, MANY beautiful faces! I tell you, the actors and actresses from these shows just boggle my mind with how lovely they are. I enjoy beauty in Nature very much, flowers especially and I now tend to view these sweet faces as human flowers!! Each one is so wonderful in their own way and some of them are truly breathtaking! Yes, I am talking about my unending crush on Lee Joon Gi! :D
7) Food! OMG I am constantly craving noodles, hot pot, kimbap, moon cakes, bubble tea and I even wondered briefly about pink milk!?! I can't imagine how I will function for the rest of my life without travelling over to all these countries and sampling ALL of the foods they have to offer. How many lifetimes would it take me to get that done!? ;)
8) Last but most important to me I learned how to LOVE. Somewhere along the line, perhaps in Love&Redemption I had the realization that there was a bigger kind of love, one that I had never experienced before. I began to actually understand it more deeply through watching time and time again as the characters wrestled with loving someone even though that person didn't love them back. Their hearts and love were strong enough to stay true to that person even when they didn't get what they wanted. My heart has healed so much and though I haven't tested it out in the real yet, I strongly feel it's now also a heart that can hold a bigger love, a less selfish love and a love that will know how to cherish.
A deep and sincere thank you to these dramas for making me a better, happier and more loving person!!
wildbutterfly_32:
kiyois back scrubber:
dramaaddict24:
Plushpriestess:
