Binge on, experts say
SEOUL: If you’ve ever binge-watched an entire season of a K-drama like “Squid Game” or “Crash Landing On You”, one Korean-American expert has good news – it has likely improved your mental health.
Healing power of K-dramas
High production values, top-notch acting and attractive stars have helped propel South Korean TV shows to the top of global viewership charts, but therapist Jeanie Chang believes there are deeper reasons why so many people are hooked.
With plotlines that tackle everything from earth-shattering grief to the joy of new love, watching K-dramas can help people reconnect with their own emotions or process trauma, giving the shows a healing power that transcends their cultural context.
Universal messages
“We all have family pressures and expectations, conflict, trauma, hope,” she said, explaining that watching heavy topics successfully managed on screen can change people’s ability to navigate real-world challenges.
For Chang, who was born in Seoul but raised in the United States, K-dramas were particularly helpful in allowing her to reconnect with her roots – which she rejected as a child desperate to assimilate.
But “the messages in Korean dramas are universal,” Chang noted.
Softening the heart
Global K-drama viewership has exploded in the last few years, with many overseas viewers, especially in major markets like the US, turning to Korean content during the pandemic.
Between 2019 and 2022, viewership of Korean television and movies increased six-fold on Netflix, its data showed, and Korean series are now the most-watched non-English content on the platform.
Personal experiences
US school teacher Jeanie Barry discovered K-drama during a family funeral, when a friend recommended a series – 2020’s “It’s Okay to Not Be Okay” – to help her through a difficult time.
“There was something about it, the way this culture deals with trauma and depression, that really struck a chord with me,” Barry, who travelled to South Korea as part of a K-drama tour organized by Chang, told AFP.
US teacher Jeanie Barry found catharsis by watching ‘It’s Okay to Not Be Okay’. (Netflix pic)
“There were a lot of tears during that drama, but it also made me see that there is a light at the end of the tunnel.”
Immediately hooked, Barry said she had watched 114 K-dramas since discovering the genre, and effectively gave up watching English-language television.
“They let me soften my heart,” she added.
Art therapy?
The idea that a K-drama binge can help with mental health may seem far-fetched, but it chimes with decades-old psychotherapy ideas, one expert said.
“Watching Korean dramas can be beneficial for anxiety and depression from the viewpoint of art therapy,” Im Su-geun, head of a psychiatry clinic in Seoul, told AFP.
“Visual media like Korean dramas have significant strengths that align well with psychotherapy.”
Conclusion
The healing power of K-dramas is not limited to their cultural context, but transcends it, providing a universal message of hope and catharsis for viewers worldwide.
FAQs
Q: Can K-dramas really help with mental health?
A: Yes, K-dramas can be beneficial for anxiety and depression, according to experts.
Q: Is art therapy a real thing?
A: Yes, art therapy is a recognized form of psychotherapy that uses creative activities to help individuals cope with mental health issues.
Q: Can I watch K-dramas to improve my mental health?
A: Yes, watching K-dramas can be a form of self-care and a way to process emotions, but it is not a replacement for professional therapy or medical treatment.