The following words were written in a moment of weakness when my desire to be open and transparent overrode any embarrassing concerns regarding my actions.  Better yet, maybe I should deny any connection with the comments below.  That’s it. I will plead the 5th or shout “blog hacker” as if such remarks will distance me from the laughter I know is coming.

Oh, balderdash, I might as well be man enough to admit it.

My wife made me do it.

I watched a K drama!

For you ladies, this is not a movie about Mary Kay cosmetics.  Guys, it isn’t a baseball documentary on strikeouts.  It’s a rather new and unique category of movies and series on Netflix.

On a recent visit, one of my daughters shared her addiction to this rising international genre on Netflix.  More specifically, K dramas.  My wife and I had never heard the term.  With a snicker, knowing she had baited the hook, my daughter proceeded to explain how these Korean romantic comedy dramas had her hooked.  They were funny, romantic, dramatic, and addictive.  Free of gratuitous sex or violence, at least the ones we have seen thus far, these multi-episode Korean films require multiple boxes of Kleenex, a willingness to keep watching the “Next Episode” late into the night, and a focused attention to read English subtitles, all while laughing at the comedic elements scattered throughout the plot line.

Yes, Korean is spoken, though some are dubbed in English.

My wife and I grimaced, “Who wants to watch a foreign film when you have to read the subtitles?”  Apparently, we do.  

We soon found ourselves engaged in watching the sixteen episodes of “Crash Landing on You.”  The acting was superb, the soundtrack was perfect for the storyline, the actors were attractive and engaging, and the plot was impossible to predict.  As the characters are developed over multiple episodes, viewers find themselves riding along the emotional ups and downs as the main characters face their trials and tribulations.  Each episode ends in such a way that it is impossible to resist starting the next episode to see how your lead actors survive their latest brush with death or defeat. They are usually clean shows — often a G rating where you find yourself cheering when they finally hold hands.  No enticing bedroom scenes here, just good old-fashioned values and, best of all, no political agenda being shoved down your throat.  Frankly, I found it a refreshing change and a fascinating opportunity to learn about the beautiful Korean culture. 

My wife and I had to admit this was a different viewing experience. Yes, there were cheesy moments and plot twists that drove you crazy, yet it was engaging and, in a way, reminded me of the romantic comedies of the 1940s and 1950s.

So, if you are fed up with the direction of American film, there are alternatives.  Check out a K Drama on Netflix.

I’m still holding tightly to my man card, so please, don’t tell anyone I told you about them.