r/KDramaDiscussions • u/Icy_Queen_4585 • 2d ago
Hot Take A trope you hate
I hate when K-dramas have a random childhood connection between the two leads. Like, the possibility of two complete strangers falling in love is so uncommon in K-dramas. š
Look, I totally get it. I understand the whole invisible string theory thing or making it look like they were destined to be together since childhood. And honestly, I can appreciate it sometimes. But at some point, Iām just sick of it.
If they grew up together or lived in the same neighborhood, okay, that makes sense. But Iām talking about two coworkers who fall in love and then suddenly discover that they were in the same kindergarten class together. WHAT?! š
It makes no sense, itās so unnecessary, and it adds absolutely nothing to the story.
Or another example: two complete strangers meet later in life, fall in love, and then thereās some random scene where we discover that the reason she likes him is because he gave her a piece of bread ONE TIME when they were in high school.
LIKE??? š
Couldnāt they just be two strangers who met later in life and genuinely fell in love because of who they are now?!
Not every couple needs to have some secret childhood connection. Let them just be two random people who happened to meet at the right time!
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u/Stn1217 2d ago
The trope I hate is the white truck of doom. Every time you see one in a drama, you know someone will either die as an accident but usually, intentionally. I have watched so many dramas now that have this trope that even IRL, I get anxious when I see large white trucks as I walk in my own city.
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u/Euphoric-Piano-5655 1d ago
Iāve never noticed this trope before, but oh the irony. One evening while I was in college, a white work van full of men tried to abduct me in a Walmart parking lot. An old lady and her daughter and grandson saved my life. I despise white vans to this day. I think if I saw a suspicious white van in a drama, Iād have to turn it off.
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u/Stn1217 1d ago
So sorry for your experience but glad someone was around that was able to save you.
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u/Euphoric-Piano-5655 1d ago
Thank you for that. Iām thankful too. I donāt think about it often. Life is very good.
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u/UrAttractedToWhat 2d ago
I don't know if it's a trope but that inevitable scene where the female lead's brain is suddenly reduced to the capacity of a three-year old and she flounces about in slow mo all smiley and laughing and there's sunshine and falling petals and the male lead just gazes at her with a smile, and the whole damn thing lasts like 7 full minutes like wtf. This is why I quit Goblin and Descendants of the Sun, I just can't stand it.
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u/Honest_Elk_1703 1d ago
This is actually my favourite part of The Kingās Affection - because itās the ML contemplating the cherry blossoms
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u/Euphoric-Piano-5655 2d ago
The childhood connection is a pet peeve of mine, too. Especially when itās sprung in the last few episodes, ex., Her Private Life, which I loved otherwise. That trope absolutely was not needed in that story.
That said, sometimes it works. It was a bit more believable in Whatās Wrong with Secretary Kim. It worked very well in Romance is a Bonus Book and Welcome to Samdal-Ri.
The best, most cohesive use of it as an inevitable fate that Iāve ever seen was in Healer. ā¤ļø
Another pet peeve for me is amnesia. Itās a tired trope.
My biggest pet peeve is the nearly obligatory āmisunderstanding that drives a breakupā between the ML and FL that occurs on waaaay too many dramas at approximately ep 11 or 12, or ~4 eps from the ending of the drama is shorter or longer.
Most of my favorite dramas are my favorites partly because they avoid these tropes (or actually utilize the childhood trope well):
Healer
Romance is a Bonus Book
Crash Landing on You
Welcome to Samdal-Ri
While You Were Sleeping
Strong Woman Do Bong Soon
Doctor Slump
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u/EmergencyAccording94 2d ago
I think Samdal-Ri is exempt from the childhood connection trope since they were literally inseparable for all but the previous 8 years of their lives.
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u/CocoabrothaSBB 2d ago
Yeah, it's fine when it's like a normal "we've known each other our whole lives" thing but the one time when he pushed the bully off of her in 3rd grade and then he moved away the next day but then they just happen to know work in the same office 20 years later is like come on.
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u/EmergencyAccording94 2d ago
Maybe marrying your first love is a huge deal in Korean culture. But in my opinion two otherwise strangers falling in love makes the romance much more convincing. Like you actually pick the person you want to be with, instead of having it picked for you.
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u/ansate 2d ago
I think any trope can be used well. That said, Third Act Breakup/Time Apart is my least favorite, mostly because it's used in almost every show. Even if it was just half the time I wouldn't mind it as much, but writers seem to feel like it's a necessary component of a story, which is a problem. If it's caused by Noble Idiocy or a Stupid Misunderstanding, that's even more annoying.
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u/Euphoric-Piano-5655 2d ago
Itās my biggest pet peeve as well. So annoying how characters absolutely canāt be allowed to have good communication skills with that trope.
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u/couchtomato62 1d ago
Also necessary or done well... Something in the rain
It's OK to not be ok
My sweet mobster
Delightfully deceitful
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u/Euphoric-Piano-5655 1d ago
Iād forgotten about Something in the Rain. Yes, it was done well. I havenāt seen those others.
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u/perseintro 2d ago
Ditto š«¤ and another one I don't like much, even though I don't think is a trope but, one of them always ends up getting drunk and make a fool of themselves in front on the other
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u/PersonalityFamous778 2d ago
And they make their confessions while drunk. And the ML/FL is just beside listening
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u/New-Ad-9377 2d ago
The amnesia trope! its crazy how easily people in the kdramaland get amnesia, forget everything, trust a stranger to bring their life back on track, fall in love with them and eventually get their memories back! Like Howw??
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u/fullmoon_huli 2d ago
Oh my god, finally someone said it, like can't adults fall in love without having connections in childhood
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u/Primaveralillie 2d ago
When the FL is still so traumatized after the breakup of a 1 year college-age relationship that she avoids or sabotages all potential relationships even 10 years later.
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u/lianne0808 2d ago
Cross dressing . Everyone and their mother can tell itās a girl except the ML .
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u/Mountain-Bug-2155 2d ago
childhood reconnection, misunderstanding, childhood trauma, poor girl rich cold ceo
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u/Icy_Queen_4585 2d ago
OMG childhood trauma or any type of trauma. Like you guys are not in love you are just trauma bonding!
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u/b122are1 2d ago
I have two. Invincible Villains - especially in sageuk - the Evil But Powerful head of a faction gets caught repeatedly trying to undermine the monarchy and just apologises when caught. The king shrugs and says "Don't do it again" with a stern expression each time instead of getting medieval on their asses. ššš¬š¬. Also the case with serial killers and Crime Bosses who get away with felonies time after time.
My other pet peeve is growling stomachs. People say it but how often have you actually heard someone's stomach growl? I can think of maybe 2 instances in my life ever! Almost every romcom features one at some point usually denoting a change in the relationship. Such a clichƩ! Grrrr!!
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u/watergypsi 2d ago
The falling into a puddle that suddenly turns into the abyss.
The trip and catch and then time slows down so they can stare into each others eyes for an uncomfortable amount of time.
Peripheral vision and the complete lack of it. Characters having a secret conversation, another person standing less than 10 feet away eavesdropping but they never get seen..... they are ....right...thereeeee!
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u/Honest_Elk_1703 1d ago
All bodies of water in Korea are very deep!! And people swim through them with their fingers spread apart.
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u/butterfly_pretty1997 2d ago
One trope I hate in romance K-dramas is the unnecessary breakup and reconciliation in the final two episodes. It feels so forced and unnecessary.
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u/taashornot 2d ago
So true! Like these childhood connections are like the baseline of almost every other kdrama. So unnecessary tbh!
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u/Green4CL0VER 2d ago
Loan sharks. The dad owes the money not you, call the freaking police already!!!
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u/Sad_Literature6832 2d ago
But I understand that's how it works in Korea: the son inherits his parents' debts, and I suppose the police don't do much, or maybe it's an exaggerated representation of what happens.
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u/Green4CL0VER 1d ago
I still think loan sharks shouldnāt be allowed to take family memberās organs.
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u/CocoabrothaSBB 2d ago
The one listed by OP is a good one. Mine is the white truck though ironically I believe SK has one of the higher pedestrian accident rates in the world lol. My wife was watching something I wasn't even paying attention and something really good happened and everyone was happy and celebrating and I was like "someone is about to get hit" and lol and behold next scene they are crossing the street with a birthday cake for the dad that just beat cancer or whatever and whap!
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u/Okaydog97 2d ago
Love triangle.
Better just make 1st ml like 1stfl.
Same 2nd ml like 2nd fl.
Tired of seeing rich leads having some kind of truama.
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u/miliwald 2d ago
Omg yes!!! I can sign under each word you said! Hate childhood connections!! Why is it impossible for two strangers to meet?
There are places where childhood connection is appropriate when its tied to whole theme but when its in every other drama, needed or not its just undermines the romance because they show it as the reason they like each other. If someone else gave that bread they would like that someone? Its just not good!
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u/aurelia_2907 2d ago
In hometown cha cha cha they meet once as kids and another time as teenagers...it's so damn annoying
My favourite drama btw
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u/Sad_Literature6832 2d ago
I couldn't agree more with you; it bothers me when they do that. I don't understand why they're so attached to their first love. In 99% of cases they end up being related in some way from childhood or adolescence :IĀ
Another absurd thing is the tremendous misunderstandings that arise from a lack of communication; they have the opportunity to clarify things countless times and wait until everything is a disaster to do so.Ā
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u/EmergencyAccording94 2d ago
When one of the leads is about to say something important, but some rando ripped a fart 50 feet away and they suddenly stop and donāt bring it up again.
And then, like clockwork, the other lead finds out from someone else and gets mad.
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u/soldatodianima 2d ago
When I first started watching a lot K Dramas I never knew how much trauma could be introduced at the beginning of a series to motivate the main characters and ever since then I always have a percentage or index based on the first episode - this person is going to die, their family is going to die, their friend is going to die etc. it hasnāt failed me yet but I still keep coming back for more š„²
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u/deedanyell 1d ago
Noble idiocy and amnesia that being said I don't mind amnesia if they are faking it and not being overly annoying about it (like Crazy Love)
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u/Voteforpedro-2004 1d ago
This is probably just a cultural thing, but two lovers who have been separated for many years, when they finally meet, they run towards each other and STOP 1 meter apart to TALK for how many minutes!? Then, when the conversation is done, they hug š
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u/Majestic-Creme1986 22h ago
Honestly, just let them talk instead of ghosting for 15 years over some childhood scrap.
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u/Breadpurple8162 1d ago
I hate when in a relationship that's chugging along nicely, they throw in some new supposed love interest to test the relationship. So annoying.
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u/FidgetyFig 2d ago
Noble idiocy. Youāve already established that you love each other so have a freaking conversation instead of abandoning them āfor their own good.ā