[Theme of the Month] The horror
by stroopwafel
October always puts me in the mood for creepy, scary stories and so I found myself re-watching the zombie sageuk Kingdom. Even on rewatch, it was incredibly creepy and horrifying, but I found myself moved by an aspect of the zombie scenario I hadn’t paid close attention to when I first watched the show.
In Kingdom, a zombie affliction sweeps through Joseon, destroying lives. Having loved ones pass away is heartbreaking; having loved ones become zombies is terrifying. Having to cut down your zombified loved ones to survive? Next level horror.
I realized while watching Kingdom that it’s not just the usual zombies, goblins, and ghoulies that scare me though. A drama that wrapped recently gave form to one of my greatest fears: losing someone I love.
Despite not being a horror drama, Be Melodramatic managed to terrify me with its portrayal of grief. If I lost someone I loved, like Eun-jung did, how would I manage to heal and deal in the aftermath? Seeing Eun-jung process her loss was so real that it hurt my heart to watch.
Tell us what K-drama scenarios strike horror in your heart. Is it supernatural? Serial killers? The thought of losing someone?
To submit:
- Email your submissions to hello@dramabeans.com. If you have a registered Dramabeans account, include your handle so we can link to it.
- Include at least 1 image, though more is preferred.
- Suggested length: Between 500 and 1,000 words.
- Deadline: We will post these on a rolling basis, so we’re taking submissions now. We will cut off accepting submissions on October 27. If you miss this month, join us for a new theme next month!
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Tags: Theme of the Month
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1 ObsessedMuch
October 1, 2019 at 11:12 PM
Wait, Be Melodramatic was about that?? And no one told me? Also, I already wrote a #MakjangMonday post on sth a lil similar!
Interesting theme and I am sure beanies would do awesome! Can't wait to read em all!
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frabbycrabsis loves KBS Drama Specials
October 2, 2019 at 12:48 AM
Be Melodramatic is about EVERYTHING and it's possibly the greatest thing ever.
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Cloggie
October 2, 2019 at 12:55 AM
There's the horror of Be Melodramatic ending and other things being nowhere near as good.
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frabbycrabsis loves KBS Drama Specials
October 2, 2019 at 2:03 AM
Ah yes, now that's terrifying.
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wapz
October 2, 2019 at 2:41 AM
That's the real horror. But yeah Be Melodramatic is about every fear, insecurity and joy of adulthood and so much more.
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amara
October 2, 2019 at 10:19 AM
it's about 3 best friends who all have gone through diff things. one of the friends is traversing through grief and it's terrifying and sad. but it's slice of life so it's not super super dramatic. on the positive flip side, it also shows why you can't live off of one consuming love because nothing is forever. that's kinda scary too LOL
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2 lemoncello
October 1, 2019 at 11:17 PM
Eun-jung's grief is more horror than seeing Park Il-do or Hwang Dae-doo...
Interesting theme for this month.. Waiting for Beanies' write-up.. :)
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3 💜🍍☠ Sicarius The Queen of Melonia ☠🍍💜
October 2, 2019 at 12:03 AM
Oh here was me thinking I could write about how Memories of Alhambra should've been a horror, and how the horror genre thrives off irrationalism and therefore unpredictability, and that's why so much of it works in scaring us because we crave control... (see: zombies)
Or I guess I could just write about how bad writing strikes horror into my heart, that works too.
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ohhaeyoung
October 2, 2019 at 9:51 AM
yes bad writing does strike horror, do it!!
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FlyingTool
October 2, 2019 at 1:13 PM
Yes, that moment, that crawling chill sensation on your spine when you realize this show is a horror (script, direction, whatever) but you’re in too deep, you can’t get out!
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4 Mel
October 2, 2019 at 1:17 AM
Does this mean each post we read will strike out hearts to horror 🤔🤔🤔🤔?...Maybe we all should invest in some of those heart calming pills 😉
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Midnight
October 2, 2019 at 2:22 AM
It probably means we will discover LOTS of new scenarios to fear in the next 30 days.
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BdxPelik
October 7, 2019 at 7:36 PM
This is off topic but reading your handle, it reminded me of an episode of Doctor Who called Midnight where this... creature took over a woman's and repeated the speech of every human in the room until it gradually got in sync with them and eventually able to predict what they'd say next. It was creepy beyond belief.
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BdxPelik
October 7, 2019 at 7:36 PM
*woman's body
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Midnight
October 8, 2019 at 3:37 AM
I'm glad I haven't seen it then! 😂
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5 Lord Cobol (Kdramas, like water, flow downhill)
October 2, 2019 at 9:18 AM
The most horrifying thing (to me) in kdramaland is needing to job-hunt in their incredibly harsh employment scene.
Fortunately I'm old enough so I'll never have to face that, even in its watered-down American version.
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amara
October 2, 2019 at 10:17 AM
oh to be an american millenial tbh. it's the same. minus the whole must go to drinks after work thing, the hell just presents itself in different wonderful american ways :')
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bong-soo
October 3, 2019 at 7:41 AM
@boughtabride, amara,
“Minus the....”, or getting kicked in the shins by the Boss if there is a screw up!
(I don’t know how many times I have seen that kick in the shins thing in a kdrama and immediately thought, “9-1-1 baby!”.)
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amara
October 3, 2019 at 3:02 PM
tru and the physical violence which i seriously don't believe in but those are terrors. apparently mike pompeo used to throw binders at his subordinates...crazy
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6 amara
October 2, 2019 at 10:16 AM
kingdom's premise is sooooo disgusting omg he really started a zombie apocalypse because they ate human meat..
spot-on with 'melo' like when she goes to the bathroom then the hospital i started crying. i stopped at like ep 11, but eun jung's whole delusions surrounding her ex was painful. it's a way to survive, but it's so unfair. that's probably part of why i haven't finished, the show is so funny and cute but there's that massive point of melancholy. and honestly that is terrifying
i cannnnoooto WAIT to see what people will write about! how fun
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7 mary
October 2, 2019 at 11:19 AM
Not to be shallow, but I love the character in the featured pic. :D
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8 Lord Cobol (Kdramas, like water, flow downhill)
October 2, 2019 at 1:20 PM
2nd most horrifying thing is the prospect of eventually not having anything to watch Mondays & Tuesdays.
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9 JustMe
October 2, 2019 at 2:45 PM
Ill have to make time in my agenda for this. YAY!!!
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10 bluekitchen
October 2, 2019 at 7:33 PM
I don't know if "horror" means just terror or also applies to a strong feeling of ickiness and repulsion.
I always get really creeped out by the workplace harassment scenes. Bosses physically hitting their staff, making the women pour them drinks or a take a shot even if they're tipsy. (Why does a guy even have to save you from the drink? What's so wrong about saying "NO!")
I also feel deep levels of disgust by the whole piggyback trope. Somehow that only feels natural if 1) you're below 5 years old and 2) the guy is your dad. How is this sweet? And do they REALLY do this in Korea? (I live in an Asian country and have never ever seen this, ever.)
Is this off topic? But really, this freaks me out more than clowns. I don't know what I'd do if I were ever cornered into that kind of workplace situation.
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Beverly
October 2, 2019 at 7:43 PM
The piggyback ride seems to be an unique trope, lol. I dont mind it at all. In fact the Gong Yoo in Coffee Prince still makes me swoon on rewatch and when it was her piggybacking him it still makes me laugh.
Until I started watching K dramas a few years ago I was completely unaware of the strong drinking culture in South Korea and shocked by it.
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FlyingTool
October 2, 2019 at 7:53 PM
Gong Yoo being piggybacked by Eun Chan was, I thought, great fun. I remember wondering how she managed the carry, and how many takes it took. And it’s still fun on rewatch.
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mary
October 2, 2019 at 8:13 PM
Horror as in “Oh noooo I wouldn’t want to be caught in that situation”. So you can write things in such a way that explains why certain kdrama scenarios make you think that.
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11 Jig
October 3, 2019 at 10:35 AM
What strikes horror into my heart: having one episode left and 183626 plot threads still to be tied up.
Also, a 5 years later 5 minutes before the end of the last episode...
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12 BdxPelik
October 7, 2019 at 7:31 PM
Master of study made me scared of the Korean education system
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