CHAPTER 153

Original: 2007-11-01

Rewritten: 2026-05-08

My wife and I are both television addicts, and television has brought us much joy.

Looking back on my childhood, I was already glued to the TV. At night, I would only go to bed after seeing the Queen of England appear on the screen. Television programs brought me endless happiness and left a warmth in me that remains to this day. My favourites were TVB’s variety show Enjoy Yourself Tonight, Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color, wrestling, various American and Japanese dramas both long and short, and later Hong Kong and Taiwanese series. The most boring programs to me were fashion shows and modern dance.

As I grew older, life became extremely busy, and I mostly watched the news and wildlife documentaries. My wife was also a television enthusiast. She could tolerate endless tearful scenes and stories full of scheming and betrayal. Knowing how busy I was, she would preview programs in advance and filter out those that suited my taste, saving them for me to watch.

In the autumn of 2003, the organization I worked for was preparing for service accreditation. My colleagues and I worked overtime writing reports every day, and I often returned home late at night. My wife used Korean dramas to help me relieve stress.

The first Korean drama she watched was the classic romantic series Winter Sonata. From then on, she became a devoted fan of Korean entertainment. She would frequently recommend favourite movies or television dramas to me and keep up with fan club news.

Her recommendation process was quite thorough. She would introduce the genre, summarize the storyline, describe both the characters and the real-life personalities of the male and female leads, and point out the highlights of the production. I honestly think she had the qualities to become a film critic.

Korean dramas truly do have a soothing and calming effect. Their strength lies in the gentle and delicate way they portray emotions. In lingering close-up shots, every word and sentence is filled with tenderness, longing, attachment, and hope. Accompanied by romantic music, one feels as though the soul is bathing in fine wine — intoxicating, relaxing, and emotionally stirring at the same time.

The interactions between the characters resemble real-life lovers. Sweet words are exchanged endlessly; emotions are implied yet restrained. The “you and me” conversations can stretch over several episodes. Sometimes, by watching only one-third of a particular plotline, you can still understand the development of the story.

This suited my wife perfectly. After a tiring day, she enjoyed watching an episode of a Korean drama before bedtime, like slowly sipping a glass of red wine. She would drift into sleep in a pleasant haze without worrying about missing anything important in the plot.

I, too, praised Winter Sonata highly for its deep yet pure romance. We were very fair about it — she admired the male lead, while I admired the female lead. After work, I would also look forward to going home to watch Korean dramas and unwind completely.

She became even more obsessed than I did, transforming from a mere fan into a collector. Besides the Japanese dramas we already owned, our bookshelves gradually filled with different editions of Korean dramas. (The style of Japanese dramas is entirely different; I may discuss that another time.)

After watching many Korean dramas, we noticed a recurring pattern. Early Korean dramas were often built around a predicament: the male and female protagonists would meet or know each other in childhood, later become separated, and then reunite as adults, only to find themselves unable to be together because of external circumstances. This tension became the emotional core of the story.

Separation was an important theme. It perhaps reflected the country’s own political predicament — a nation manipulated by powerful states, with war and separation deeply engraved in both its history and the hearts of its people.

The backgrounds and experiences of the protagonists were usually extremely harsh and tragic. Historical dramas especially featured characters born into poverty, born to concubines, or illegitimate children with low social status and little chance of advancement. This made us think of the present-day Korean Peninsula, surrounded by powerful neighbours, with both North and South Korea striving relentlessly to strengthen themselves.

We deeply admired the resilience, determination, and fighting spirit of the Korean people, as well as their achievements in the fields of military strength, technology, economics, and culture.