@olethsmusings
Feb 11, 2024
Part 2: Dramas for that long coming Emotional Healing
This is part 2 of the K-Drama Recommendations for the Best Version of You series. If you have missed part 1, read here .
If Part 1 was about physical glow-up, the recommendations here would tackle Emotional Healing. But what is emotional healing? Emotional Healing is the process of acknowledging, accepting, processing, and integrating our pains and challenges in our life. There are times that we are unaware that we need healing because we repress the emotions or even bury memories thinking that not crying or grieving or not thinking about it means emotional strength. So here are K-Drama shows that may actually shift your perspective in life.
DRAMAS THAT DEAL WITH LOSS OF LOVED ONES
Death of loved ones is something that we will have to deal one way or another. But death, no matter how imminent will always be painful for us who were left behind. The three stories that I would recommend that subtly but effectively dealt with emotions springing from loss of loved ones are the following:
Hometown Chachacha (2021)- Kim Seon Ho, Shin Min Ah, Lee Sang Yi
Business Proposal (2022)- Ahn Hyo Seop, Kim Sejeong, Seol In Ah, Kim Min Gue
My Demon (2023)- Song Kang, Kim Yoo Jung, Lee Sang Yi
All the said dramas have one thing in common, one of the leads blame themselves for the loss of their loved ones. Du sik (Kim Seon Ho), Tae Moo (Ahn Hyo Seop), and Do Hee (Kim Yoo Jung) have lost their family and despite being successful in their careers, carried that guilt with them that closed them off to people, even to the point of closing their doors to love because they were afraid that they eventually lose the people they love.
As someone who have to deal with "multiple" deaths in the family (lost my mother in 2021, my sister in 2022, and my brother just this January 2024), it is like the foundation of home crumbling down before my eyes. Loss of loved ones specially of a family is like losing some parts of you and not being able to spend time with them or even just talk to them sometimes make the feeling worse.
But how can we move on from the pain of losing? How can we move on from losing them and not feel guilty about being alive? First is to accept the loss. Death is something that every being in the world will eventually end up to, it is just a matter of time who goes first. That being said, we have to accept the loss but at the same time mourn or grieve for them. Cry because it is Okay to do so. Crying doesn't mean weakness. Crying is letting out whatever gratitude or regrets we have for the person. After crying, think only of the good memories and keep them "alive" by honoring the good things or deeds they have done when they were alive. If you are like me who have to deal with loss of loved ones, I am sending hugs to you and please know that you are not alone and do not overlook the people around you that is helping you through the tough times
As long as we have memories of the, our loved ones are always with us.- Hye Jin, Hometown Chachacha
You can cry if you want. It must have been so hard for you. You must've hidden the pain deep down. You've been holding onto such a burden. You can be sad when you're with me. You can show me your pain, you can cry.- Hye Jin, Hometown Chachacha
Tae Moo: I thought I do not deserve to be happy. Ha Ri: How could your parents resent you? you're parents probably want you to be happy more than anybody else. They probably want you to be free from your past and live as happily as anybody else.
Do Hee: where in the world are you Madam Ju? Madam Ju:Â I am in your memory. Where else could I be?
DRAMAS THAT DEAL WITH SICKNESS/ SICK PERSON
Before dealing with death, some people (including me) have to deal with sick people. Accidental death may take toll on people having to part ways with their loved ones without notice but dealing with sick people (or own sickness) can cause emotional baggage too. Dealing with sickness can take toll both on the sick person, as well as their loved ones who are taking care of them. Not only are we concerned about their health but sometimes as common people, we also worry about finances, and personal schedule and life of the people who will take care of the sick. And sometimes, those worries translate into frustrations both for the patient and the caretaker.
I have chosen the following dramas because of how they portray the realizations that come to people are gravely ill as well as the people around them. The dramas are as follow:
Doom at Your Service (2021)- Seo In Guk, Park Bo Young
The One and Only (2021)-Ahn Eun Jin, Joy, Kang Ye Won
Thirty Nine (2022)- Son Ye Jin, Jeon Mi do, Kim Ji Hyun
Staying alive isn't what I want. I want to live a happy life. -Dong Kyung, Doom at Your Service
You need to have winter to have spring, and darkness to have light. Death must exist for life, it's like that, isn't it?- Dong Kyung, Doom at Your Service
For a really long time, I lived without thinking of myself. I don't know if it's out of stubbornness but I want to act now, according to my inclinations... You don't understand me do you? You don't know me because I don't even know myself.- Kang Se Yeon, The One and Only
I want to live ordinarily. When I thought I was dying, things that I wanted so badly, things that I thought were a shame, and things that I regretted, I can't really see things like that anymore. When you think you are dying, things that appeared big, go back to being small... To be honest that was their original size, the way that I lived isn't bad either.- Sung Hae, The One and Only
People who are desperate will cling on to anything. -Sr. Magdalene, The One and Only
Even while awaiting death, people look ahead. Until the very end. They hang on to hope... Is there such thing as false hope? Hope doesn't have to bring a good result. It just becomes a source of strength for sick patients to get through this time.- Sung Hae, The One and Only
I want to live the rest of my life as if I am not sick and just go when it's time .- Chanyoung, Thirty Nine
I decided to make her the happiest terminally ill person.- Mi Jo, Thirty Nine
Instead of worrying about the future, think about the good memories you had with her. - Mi Jo's doctor, Thirty Nine
Looking back, I am pursuing a lot of things now because of what I have learned from my mother and sister who before passing away had been sick for a long time. They wanted to do so many things and planned to go to so many places once they are cured... and so with their sickness and in their passing away, I have learned to live. I decided that I will not wait until I get sick to realize the things that I wanted to do, or to go to places I want to go to. I have to make as many memories with the people I love and happily spend days with them while we all can.
PS: You must prepare some tissues for the dramas in the list.