<
https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2026/apr/11/a-teen-k-drama-led-to-a-new-life-in-seoul-south-korea>
"The first time I discovered South Korea was during a Mandarin homework mishap
in 2013. I was 16 and lacked all the characteristics required to be good at
languages: confidence, a thick skin and any desire to talk out loud. Forced to
choose a language, Mandarin seemed like the best option for me – with a
self-proclaimed photographic memory, I spent hours cramming complex Chinese
characters, convincing myself I could pass my exams without speaking a word. I
could not.
My vow of silence was shattered three months in, when I was introduced to my
native-Chinese conversation teacher. As suspected, I was woeful. I cried, she
cried. Stunned by my ineptitude, she quietly wiped a tear away with her knuckle
as she helplessly suggested that I watch Chinese TV dramas to improve my
pronunciation instead.
That night, I worriedly scoured Netflix. Unlike today, there weren’t many Asian
dramas to choose from – just a handful of broody Japanese crime series, a few
Chinese epics full of sword fights and long grey beards, and one South Korean
drama about a high-school rock band with perfectly coiffed hair. As an English
teenager at the height of
One Direction fever, this was the jackpot. I
hovered over the enticing thumbnail full of young Korean actors, and, never one
to turn down watching TV for homework, naively thought: “Well, she did say to
watch a drama.” I often think about what my life would have been if I hadn’t
clicked.
Korean culture became an instant obsession. The soundtrack in the drama,
Shut
Up & Let’s Go, was irresistibly catchy, the four main characters impossibly
handsome (I audibly shouted OMG at my laptop when the guitarist first
appeared), and the city of Seoul sang like a siren. It seemed to be a vibrant
place full of unfailing friendships, amazing food and a booming entertainment
industry. It felt like the start of something special. I knew I had to be
there.
Five years later, I finally made it. Korean culture still wasn’t quite
mainstream, so I travelled to Seoul under the ruse of learning Korean – which,
shockingly, was more believable than the K-drama obsession I had. Waiting for
the rest of the world to catch up, I’d devoured and loved every K-drama I could
find. But could Seoul live up to my soaring expectations?"
Share and enjoy,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
