A lot of people think that Korean movies and series are overrated. They say, we watch it only because of good looks and acting. But the story goes all the same. Hey! Aren’t these good enough reasons for watching it? And besides, don’t you think it is more challenging if you have comparisons?

POOR GIRL MEETS MR. BIG TIME: It has to be in it or it won’t be called a Korean produce. They get sympathy from the viewers if other people maltreat the poor girl. Then the story will be more interesting when Mr. Big Time will fight for their love. Awwww… the knight and shining armor come to the rescue. (Lovers in Paris, Secret Lovers)

AMNESIA: This is the theme Koreans always use to compare 2 different lives. Not only they get to show shifts in personalities, this could also be the right time to meet the other main character that would turn out to be their love ones. When the memory is regained, the conflict arises. Even if the lover were forgotten, it would be a heartwarming scene when, eventually, he’ll come to his senses. (18 vs 29, Winter Sonata, Love Lost in Time)

DEATH AT THE END: You get to love the character as it is being established. Just as you thought you have fallen in love with it, they’ll kill the character. One reason is to give way to a better twist. Another is to make it more tragic and dramatic. Nobody would ever want their favorite character die so it won’t be predictable. (Sad Love Song, What Happened to Bali, Daddy Long Legs)

FAMILY DECISIONS: In the Korean culture, it is very evident that the family has a say in every decisions. May it be logical or not, people still have to respect their judgment for they have more experience in life. (Summer Scent, Jenny Juno, My Name is Kim Sam-soon)

RICH GONE POOR: It looks different to see a rich person do some chores he hasn’t done before. You’ll feel for him because you know that they are just victim of the circumstances. They don’t have any choice but to stoop down to their level. (Secret Lovers, Save the Last Dance)

STIFF GUY MEETS IMMATURE GIRL: This adds up to the comedic side of the story. It basically talks about a guy who is serious about life and work and then meets this bubbly girl. It would be a chaotic start but eventually, both gets to adjust for the sake of love. (Full House, Sweet Spy)

BEHIND THOSE VICIOUS EYES: There has to have a villain in the story. The story gets juicier as they unfold their endless schemes. It is where the complication starts (and usually, it is where the story evolves). And when they don’t succeed, it leads to a nicer ending. (All About Eve, Stairway to Heaven)

FIX MARRIAGE: The elder thinks that the best way to cover up a family embarrassment is through contract marriage. Sometimes, fix marriages happens when close friends made pacts. Since they know each other so well, they think that it is but right to become related to each other. (My Sassy Girl, Chun-hyang, Sweet 18)

CRITICALLY ILL: If the story starts with too much happy moments, expect that there would be a disastrous thing waiting to happen. Making the main character very ill (or somebody they know) could make it more dramatic. And having to have this kind of problems promote life changing decisions which would affect the flow of the story. (Autumn Tale, I’m Sorry I Love You)

FROM A NOBODY TO A SOMEBODY: People are sucker in watching people that succeed in life. It’s inspirational and people tend to be more hopeful as they watch their character transition. (Innocent Steps, Crazy First Love)

WITH AGE DIFFERENCE LOVE AFFIAR: They say that age doesn’t matter in love. It is proven in a lot of Korean shows. They do use these themes to emphasize in personality difference. What’s more challenging is how to make immaturity and sophistication jive. (Sweet 18, Wedding)

LOVE TRIANGLE: Even if love is not the main story, there always have to have a love triangle involved. One character is trapped between 2 people’s love. This involves a lot of confusion and evil scheme plotting. And to complicate the story even more, there would be a fourth party. The competition for love will always be the best theme regardless the genre. That’s why, even if it is typical, it would always be present in every story.