Drawing Comfort from Slice-of-life K-Dramas
We have these moments we get when we’re close to reaching milestones in life. They could be “I’ve done so much” or “look where I am now”. It could also be “what am I going to do next?” or just the simple “I’m scared of the future”. As a college student, I feel like I’ve had more of the latter moments. It’s normal, they would say. You’re going to be out of school soon and stepping into the big world. Admittedly, that is scary. Despite that, I managed to hold on to slivers of comfort through the help of slice-of-life k-dramas.
What is slice-of-life?
Slice-of-life pertains to the realistic depiction of day-to-day life in any kind of media or art. A large portion of cinema and television have representations of everyday living. This means that almost everyone has engaged with the slice-of-life theme. No doubt you have watched television shows about household affairs after school or work.
This theme, while not as intense as those of the action or fantasy genre, still has its own hold on the audience. People want something realistic once in a while. They look for films or shows that mirror whatever state they are in now. There is a want to have something they could relate with.
We watch not just to escape but also to be comforted.
Comfort k-dramas
One of the things k-dramas are known for are their astonishing plotlines and concepts. You have a hotel taking in ghosts to help them get through the afterlife. There’s also that show of a surgical resident getting pulled into a comic where no one knows that they are fictional. Oh, and that alien stranded on Earth who meets and falls in love with an actress. Of course, these are probably just the basics. However, if you scroll through various platforms, you’ll have so much to choose from.
Amidst all these fantastical and mind-blowing shows are also the ones that are closer to real life. I’m not exactly an expert but I’ve definitely gravitated towards a particular theme. It’s probably because of my anxieties for the present time as well as the future.
Shows like My Mister, the Reply series, Hometown Cha Cha Cha, and Our Beloved Summer have become saviors. They’re blankets. Although seeing something hit close to home can be too personal, it also helps. It makes everything more solid to you, more real. Even though the characters are fictional, their stories and their emotions are what you’d relate to. You’d realize that you just heard the words you didn’t know you needed to hear.
As a college student, it comforted me to see these characters living their lives. They’ve been alone and they’ve had friends. There were times when they had no direction but they kept moving. They went through the obstacles, sometimes losing and sometimes winning. And both are okay.
Facing that slice of life
It’s not such a bad thing to find comfort in shows. After all, aren’t they a representation of our lives? You should be allowed to take happiness where you can get it. Also, there’s nothing wrong with learning a few things from these k-dramas. They can make you feel a little braver and a lot more seen. It makes life a little less scary.
As Hong Du-sik from HomeCha once said, “You’re bound to meet unexpected situations in life. Even if you use an umbrella, you’ll end up getting drenched. Just put your hands up and welcome the rain.”
