amethystwaves writes:
Dear Kfangurl,
I’ve been an active reader of yours since I got into K-Dramas, and I just have to say how helpful your reviews are to figure out whether a drama is worth my time or not.
Your humor is very similar to mine, and I just love reading your in-depth explanations about what makes the dramas I love so squee-inducing.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, we have a pressing problem at hand. I am a teenager, and because I am stuck at home with my parents and two brothers, we have been watching a lot of TV.
My mom has expressed interest in watching a K-drama with me, and while I love her to death, I am not super inclined to have her watch me scream over a hot Korean man.
So, my question to you is: How can I enjoy a K-drama with my mom without it being weird? Also, what do you think are some good dramas to watch with the family?
I would love to watch one with her, and she’s not bad about watching kissing scenes and the like with us, but how can i do it without making it awkward?
Anyways, sorry for unloading my familial insecurity onto you. Thank you for always being a reliable source for laughs, insight and good drama recommendations.
Happy watching,
amethystwaves
..Not just with Mom, but the whole family too. 🤓
Dear amethystwaves,
How very cool, that your mom has expressed an interest in watching a kdrama with you! Not all of us have this chance to watch kdramas with our moms, and I can say from personal experience, that it can not only be a fun thing to do, but it’s also great for the relationship.
Imagine excitedly talking dramas with you mom, not just during the episodes you watch together, but in between as well!
I’ve put some thought into your concerns about sharing the kdrama screen with your mom, and I have a couple of broad ideas.
I’m far from having all the answers, so as always, everyone, do feel free to chime in with your insights and sharing in the comments! 🙂
HOW TO ENJOY A KDRAMA WITH MOM WITHOUT IT BEING WEIRD: A COUPLE OF IDEAS
1. Dramas you’ve already seen
I feel like as you and your mom get more into the groove of watching dramas together, that you’ll both get more comfortable expressing yourselves as you watch together, whether it’s squeeing at a romantic development, or crying your eyes out at the heartbreak on your screen.
For start, though, I feel like this is a safe approach because if you’ve already seen the drama, you’d already know that you like it. And, you’ll also know:
(a) whether or not this is the kind of story your mom would enjoy, and
(b) whether there are scenes in the show that you’d feel uncomfortable watching with your mom
2. Dramas with male leads that you’re able to contain your excitement over
I think it’s safe to say that we don’t squee equally over all the male leads in all the dramas that we watch, so if you’re concerned that you won’t be able to contain the squee, then pick a show which features a male lead that you’re quite confident you’re able to contain your squee over.
If you can squee internally, and keep it at that, for a particular male lead, then that show is a pretty good contender, I think. 😉
3. Dramas where romance isn’t the only point
There are a good number of enjoyable dramas where romance is either not present, or not the main point, or at least, not the only point.
This could be anything from action-oriented dramas, to family dramas, an underdog drama, or an ensemble drama with so many characters and side stories, that there’s a little something for everyone.
A SELECTION OF POSSIBLE DRAMAS TO WATCH WITH MOM – &/OR THE WHOLE FAMILY
With the above parameters in mind, I’ve come up with a list of possible dramas that you could consider, in no particular order.
Of course, this isn’t exhaustive, so please feel free to add your own suggestions, everyone!
Prison Playbook
Not heavy on the romance at all, Show serves up lots of warm found family feels, peppered with corny humor. Who knew a prison drama could be this warm?
Review is here.
Father is Strange
Lots of lovely warm family feels, with romance sprinkled in via Mom and Dad’s adult children.
Flash Review is here.
Five Children [Five Enough]
A heartwarming story where the emphasis is less on the mature romance, and more on the merging of our leads’ families, when they decide that they’d like to make a life together, complete with children from their first marriages.
Flash Review is here.
SKY Castle
Not a romance, so no worries there. A compelling look at the high pressure lifestyle kids endure because their parents are intent on them getting ahead in school and in life.
These are dysfunctional characters in a dysfunctional world, but it might actually foster some healthy discussions with Mom, since the show allows perspective from both parents and children.
Also, a very compelling watch with many twists and turns to keep you on the edge of your seat.
Review is here.
I’m Not A Robot
A little romance that leans funny, cute and endearing rather than seriously swoony.
Flash Review is here.
Are You Human Too?
So much fun, with the right ironic lens. I imagine it would be fun to lean in and embrace the weird, together with Mom, while admiring the handsome sweet robot. 😉
Review is here.
Thirty But Seventeen
A sweet rom-com with a strong found family theme, this one gave me lots of warm, fuzzy feels.
Review is here.
Let’s Eat
A bit uneven in the writing, but the food p0rn is glorious, and don’t Moms usually have an interest in food? It’s also a story of community, since our characters who live in the same building are brought together by food.
Review is here.
Let’s Eat 2
The food p0rn is less glorious in this one, but the romance is better written. Plus we still get the community feels, from people in the same neighborhood sharing food.
Review is here.
Terius Behind Me
Such a fun spy show! The romance is very restrained, and the cute and funny is amped up. Plus the kids are really cute (when they’re not being naughty).
Flash Review is here.
Answer Me 1988
Augh. Such lovely warm family and community feels, both among the kids and the parents. Should be fun for the whole family, I think.
Review is here.
You From Another Star
A romance that’s extra fun for the alien fantasy, and our comedically gifted female lead. Plus, Show does bring all the feels, while bringing the laughs.
Review is here.
Bad Guys
An action-packed ensemble drama that feels kinda Robin Hood-esque, with the bad guys being deployed to catch badder guys.
Review is here.
Familiar Wife
A heartfelt and fun do-over drama where the romance is handled with relative restraint. My mom enjoyed this one a lot.
Flash Review is here.
We Married as a Job [Japan]
Such a fun little contract marriage drama! Our leads are polite dorks, so any romantic interaction is also very politely handled. Very cute.
Flash Review is here.
Arang and the Magistrate
Yes, there’s an OTP (Lee Jun Ki and Shin Min Ah are extremely well-matched in this), but this is also a story of individual quest for identity. The world-building is excellent too; one of the best in k-fantasy world-building, I reckon.
I thought that would be interesting for you and Mom to explore as well.
Review is here.
IN CLOSING
Personally, I’ve found that having a chat with Mom before settling on the show, really helps. I describe what the show is about, and Mom gets to ask questions, like, is it funny, how many episodes is it, etc.
I also find that allowing Mom to pick the show according to her mood helps too. Sometimes she’s in the mood for something light and funny, sometimes she’s in the mood for something warm and thoughtful.
Flowing with Mom’s mood works best, so, if Mom isn’t feeling it after a few episodes, ask her if she’d like to switch to something else. And then have the initial conversation again, listing possible shows, and chatting through which ones sound good to her.
I hope this helps. Have fun!
Love! ❤
~kfangurl
Warning: probable closer mother-offspring relationship ahead! 🥰
POST-SCRIPT:
1. If you feel that I missed anything, or if you have your own insights that you’d like to share with the rest of us, do tell us about it in the comments!
2. Do you have a question of your own? Drop me a comment here or on the Dear kfangurl page, or send me an email!