Are clichés in K-dramas overused? Definitely.

Does this matter to us whenever we’re picking a K-Drama to watch? Maybe. Not really… no actually. We love them in dramas regardless. Sure they make dramas unbelievably predictable sometimes, but we really can’t deny how fun these dramas are.

They’re enemies now, but I KNOW they’re going to be ready to die for each other between the torturous conflict episodes 12 - 15. Sign me up, please! From birth secrets to villains we can’t help but fall in love with, here are some of our favorite K-Drama clichés.

Amnesia

In K-dramas, we all know amnesia comes with many accidents. Even actors in K-dramas acknowledge that almost all their TV series have a character with amnesia. Although this looks common, K-dramas that use an amnesia storyline always have a twist we would never have imagined.

Hot Leads

Do you see the way the leads in a K-drama are introduced? Gosh! I mean, what is there not to love? From the slow-motion walks to the detailed highlights of their beauty and more, hot leads are the actual plots that draw us to their dramas.

I’m sure casting directors do a careful job when considering leads for a K-drama, because tell me why it is mostly difficult to hate a villain. They are supposed to be the bad guys! But they look too good to be hated.

Rich and Hot CEOs

This definitely upped my delulu index as a K-drama fan. If you disagree, tell me why you dream of finding a rich and hot CEO who will erase all your problems with his infinite black card.

*insert bombastic side eye*

Ramyeon

Although I would have said “Food” in general, it would be disrespectful to boss Ramyeon who always comes through for our characters any day and time, right? Also, have you seen how Ramyeon serves a romantic connection through the popular flirty question "Ramyeon meokgo gallae?" I mean, we all know that asking if a person wants to have Ramyeon is basically asking them to Netflix and chill in Korea. Another thing we should always reference about Ramyeon is how it made its way into the K-drama "Mr. Queen" even though it was a Sageuk.

Advertisements (also known as PPL)

Quick question, why do you think even the poorest lead in K-dramas will own the latest Smartphone? And not just smartphones, the list goes on; from beauty products to Subway to coffees and more. An example of a K-drama filled with different adverts is the K-drama "The King Eternal Monarch". Almost every scene had a different PPL

That’s another reason for me to visit Korea. I must use all the things advertised in K-dramas. You can add it to your bucket list as well.

Love Triangles

What is a romantic K-drama without love triangles? Although Love triangles are not present in all K-dramas, they know it keeps us on our toes and it’s another reason we’re addicted to K-dramas. And if we should mention the second lead syndrome I'm certain we are all guilty of it. We mostly get torn in our choices but it's okay. If you ask me, I’m so in love with K-series with love triangles! That’s because the person I support will always win, and who else if not the main lead most times?

Amusement Parks

You know I wonder why amusement park dates are the best but that’s because K-dramas make it look so romantic that I want to have something like that with my dream Oppa someday. If there’s no amusement park date in a K-drama, for me, it’s incomplete. It’s the curse of the blockbuster *wink wink nudge nudge to all Park Seo Jun fans.

Dramatic Falls and Coincidental Meetings

There’s nothing as thrilling as dramatically and coincidentally falling (literally) in love. According to K-dramas, the greatest love starts with a dramatic crash into or around your future life partner… How else will the love story progress if the female lead does not fall dramatically and the male lead who can be a few miles away saves her from falling?

Psychopaths

Who else noticed that most Villains in K-dramas are mostly psychopaths? They either suffer from abusive parents or they grew up without love. Either way, I love the fact that they don’t go unpunished, even if it makes the general public sad. Yes, I’m talking to you fans of Ryu Shi O 🤨

Enemies to Lovers

Using the enemies-to-lovers trope for story progression is another thing common in Korean dramas. The leads mostly meet in the most uncomfortable way possible and end up developing feelings for each other. A very specific example is the 2023 K-drama "King The Land". Falling in love with someone you almost injured on your first meeting? That was extreme but I love it!

As a Korean lover, do you think you're tired or will you ever get tired of these clichés? I think I'll continue to love, and expect these things in K-dramas because just when you think you’ve figured it out, comes a new plot twist, and that’s a trump card they always have over us.

What’s your favorite cliché K-drama trope? Share with us in the comments!