A (Probably Completely Inaccurate) Guide to Love in S. Korea & China – as seen through the eyes of a drama watcher

As someone who has never been to Asia, whose only experience is spending a lot of time in American neighborhoods with majority Asian populations and “co-parenting” with someone living in Asia, I have no real conception of what dating and romance are like there. This means I am basically ethnocentric and have relied on k-drama’s and c-drama’s to show me, and I am pretty sure they haven’t done a great job since this is what I should believe about courting in S. Korea and China based on what I’ve seen.

1.THERE ARE RICH, ATTRACTIVE 25-40 YEAR OLD CEO/CHAIRPERSON VIRGIN MEN EVERYWHERE

2. ALL THESE RICH VIRGIN MEN (+ K-POP MEMBERS) ARE UNCONSCIOUSLY WAITING FOR A POOR (SIMPLETON?) WOMAN WITH A HEART OF GOLD TO COME ALONG

3. ONE IN THREE OF THESE GUYS AND GIRLS HAS SOME FORM OF PTSD FROM SOME SORT OF PAST TRAUMA.

4. TO LIVE HAPPILY EVER AFTER WITH ONE OF THESE GUYS A GIRL HAS TO OUT-ENDURE THE GUYS CRAZY MOTHER, FAMILY, BUSINESS ENEMIES AND/OR THE GORGEOUS (POSSIBLY MEAN) GIRL THAT HAS ALWAYS LOVED THEM WHO THEY WILL NEVER LOVE.

5. A GIRL WILL NOT WANT THE RICH GUY TO SPEND ANY MONEY ON HER.

6. A GIRL WILL MAKE A GUY TRY PIG SKIN OR INSTANT NOODLES FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER! AS A RESULT, THE GUY WILL START TO LOVE RAMEN.

7. IF A GIRL DRINKS TOO MUCH (AND SHE PROBABLY WILL) THE GUY WILL NEVER TAKE ADVANTAGE, HE WILL JUST PIGGY BACK/CARRY HER HOME AND LOVINGLY WATCH HER SLEEP.

8. A GUY WILL ALSO BE HAPPY WAITING ONE-TWO YEARS AS A CELIBATE FOR THE GIRL TO COME BACK FROM HER STUDY ABROAD (WHICH IS MEANT TO STOP HER BEING A SIMPLETON). MAYBE BECAUSE THEY ALREADY WAITED 30+ YEARS?.

9. IF THE COUPLE ENDS UP TOGETHER, IT WAS PROBABLY FATE. IT WILL TURN OUT THAT THEY WENT TO THE SAME PRESCHOOL TOGETHER, SAW EACHOTHER ON A BUS ONCE, SHARED A FAMILY TRAUMA OR ARE SOMEHOW RELATED. #DESTINY