Song Rae takes you on her journey towards becoming a fangirl of some of South Korea's hottest Hallyu actors.
I work in the public sector of education. I am a professional and I take my role very seriously. So much so that I am very cautious about the music I listen to in certain areas, and what I say in restaurants or public places. I don't ever want to purposefully tarnish my reputation with my work community.
But I am also, almost, an ajumma (currently I am a naideun mihonnyeo). So since I am being free enough to tell the world about my passion for Korean dramas and associated actors (all while dismissing the jokes or laughs that may follow from some in my community) I figured that I would just let all the cats out of the bag:
I am a fangirl! 😲
According to Mashable.com, there are 14 levels of fangirling. As I went through the article, I had to laugh as I moved up the list. I realized that based upon their leveling system that I am a low-grade fangirl. I must share that I am a Level 9 Fangirl.
This is why I absolutely love ❤💖💞 my KDrama Twitter family. They are my saving grace and help me not feel like the oddball gushing about these professionals that live almost literally on the other side of the world. However, each day we can get together and talk about TV shows, actors, actresses, screenwriters, directors, plots, cinematography, style, fashion, etc. We have debates about why you will not say my Do Hwan has never had a leading role (especially since he's had two or more, depending upon how you want to view it). We can talk about whether the King and Tae Eul or Kim Shin and Eun Tak did a better job of showing their love through the most difficult situations on screen. We can debate what we think is the better drama airing at the moment and often share new drama information with one another. It's a community that I feel very comfortable with as a Level 9 Fangirl.
In fact, according to the Mashable article, I discovered that I am teetering between being an Analytic Fangirl and a Judgmental Fangirl (they're scary)!
I researched like I was working on a Master's to figure out the various codes and clues in The King: Eternal Monarch. I found a TKEM Ph.D. named Brunette on Twitter (see below) who has various threads about show theories, research behind plot points, and speculations about the intent of certain lines spoken by the actors. Her account is a LIFESAVER!
I have also found myself once or twice being the judgy type when I hear someone say they have never seen certain staple dramas. I don't care if you like them, you need to have seen them, darnit! I'm just saying! IS THAT TOO MUCH TO ASK?!!! [Okay, I'm calm now.] However, I have been on the receiving end of this type of fangirl and if you aren't careful you'll be verbally cut by a 20-something for not knowing that the OST was sung by t Yoon Mirae. "My Bad!! I am a KDrama fangirl, not a KPop one." So, I try really hard not to be that one.
Speaking of an ultimate fangirl, I adored watching Park Min Young in "Her Private Life" because she was singing my heart's song. In America, we don't really have fanmeets or signings like the ones in Asia, or airport sightings that I can attend (unless you count TMZ). If we did....well, let's just say I would be a little higher up that list. Now, there is an event called KCON which is hosted in LA and NYC here in the States, but I have never been. Also, from what I've researched, there aren't usually actors or actresses at those conventions. Based upon the site it is "the world’s largest fan celebration of Korean culture and music," so KPop stans may really enjoy that.
Sung Deok Mi, played by Min Young, is a professional art gallery curator, who hides her fangirling from all but her bestie. She owns fan paraphernalia, has a popular blog, runs the fan club website, takes those first glance photos at airports, goes to concerts, attends fanmeets, and even wins a one-on-one meeting with her idol. She does all of this while keeping it under wraps. She used to date, but could never keep a boyfriend because of her obsession with her idol.
The drama begins when she meets a man while working who stumbles upon her fangirl secret life, and instead of being turned off he becomes intrigued. Their romance and more unfolds in "Her Private Life," which aired in 2019 on tvN in South Korea, but can be seen now on Rakuten Viki (or Viki, as most of us call it).
So go to Mashable to find out your fan level, check out "Her Private Life" and then comment below with your level and thoughts about the drama! I look forward to hearing from you!
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