K-dramas have officially ruined us. They made us believe every man out there is emotionally available, consistently dressed in turtlenecks, and trained in the art of forehead kisses.

Meanwhile, on this side of the world? Nigerian boyfriends are built differently. Not necessarily bad, just different. So let’s compare, shall we?

Emotional Availability  

K-Drama Boyfriend:

He will cry. Not once. Not twice. He will look you in the eye and say, “I’m scared of losing you.” His vulnerability is his love language. He stares at the stars when he misses you.

Nigerian Boyfriend:

Emotions? Feelings? You might need to file a formal request first (because not here, ma). Best-case scenario? “I no like when you dey vex.” That’s him confessing emotional distress.

Communication Style  

K-Drama Boyfriend:

He will call just to hear your voice. He texts paragraphs with proper punctuation. He sends updates like, “I just had lunch and thought of you.” And if he’s angry, he lets you know, calmly, respectfully.

Nigerian Boyfriend:

His communication strategy is “just checking on you.” No context. No follow-up. If he’s upset, he ghosts. If he’s happy, he might send you a meme and expect the conversation to flow from there. Also, don’t bother sending him a long paragraph trying to explain how you feel to him because he is definitely going to reply only to the part he wants to.

Gift Giving  

K-Drama Boyfriend:

Expect surprise lunch boxes, handwritten notes, scarves, flowers on random Tuesdays, and meaningful trinkets that tie into a memory from episode 3.

Nigerian Boyfriend:

He’ll buy you a power bank, a hoodie (his), and Indomie. Sometimes shawarma if he’s feeling generous. Practical, but no symbolism. Just vibes and usefulness.

Protectiveness  

K-Drama Boyfriend:

The moment you trip, he appears out of nowhere to catch you in slow motion. He’ll fight off thugs, confront your toxic boss, and tell your enemies to “stay away from her.”

Nigerian Boyfriend:

Protective, yes, but with sense. If you trip, he’ll ask if you were watching where you were going. If someone messes with you, he might say, “Don’t mind them.” He means well, but he's not likely to pull up at your workplace for a dramatic confrontation.

Romantic Gestures  

K-Drama Boyfriend:

Picnic dates, quiet beach strolls, candle-lit confessions, slow dancing in the living room. The romance is poetic. There’s always a soundtrack playing in the background, whether real or in your head.

Nigerian Boyfriend:

You’ll hear “Let’s chill” more times than your name. The date might be suya in the car while he plays music from a speaker he bought in 2015. Romance? It’s there, just hidden under banter and Netflix…

K-Drama boyfriends were written in soft light with violins playing in the background. Nigerian boyfriends were written in Google Docs, maybe even WhatsApp Notes.

However, there’s a charm to both. Just know what you’re getting into. And always carry your own charger.