STAYING at home for the past two months or so couldn’t have been more depressing. Suddenly, we were compelled to lock ourselves up and work from home as our offices, malls, and churches closed as a preventive measure against the spread of the deadly virus called COVID-19. No more public gatherings, no travel escapades, no dining in restaurants, no classes. All the things that we used to do and what we consider as mundane have all become luxuries that we only enjoy during special occasions.
Aside from spending quality time with my kids and giving them some worthwhile activities at home, I also binge-watched Korean dramas as a way to stay mentally healthy and sane amidst the anxiety and fear the pandemic caused us to feel. I consider myself a newbie fan of Korean dramas, having watched only a few dubbed in Filipino. These are My Name is Kim Sam Soon, My Love From A Star, and Meteor Garden (this is from Taiwan).
After I finished watching the widely successful Netflix K-drama Crash Landing on You starring my now dream actor Hyun Bin as Captain Ri Jeong-hyeok, a member of the North Korean elite and a Captain in the North Korean Special Police Force, I also became a fanatic of the series “A World of Married Couple” which is an adaptation of BBC One’s drama series Doctor Foster. Having to wait for the fresh episodes through digital streaming site Viu, I had something to look forward to during the weekend. The thrill, drama, the conflict - all these worked so well and relieved my senses, reminding me that I am still a human and still capable of feeling emotions. While these may not be true in real life, it provided me that other world to escape to and forget the sadness and worrisome feeling I was experiencing because of the pandemic.
In between, I also cried tons of tears as I finished watching “Hi, Bye Mama”, a story that shows how a ghost of a woman became alive again for 49 days to spend some time with her husband and young daughter. The series was truly heartbreaking to watch as most mothers like me can relate to the feeling of wanting to be there for our kids for as long as we can.
Lastly, as my fondness for Hyun Bin continues to grow each day, I decided to watch his previous drama episodes such as Hyde, Jekyll, and Me, and Secret Garden. I also watched a documentary about Hyun Bin’s compulsory military service in addition to the fictional series which he starred in. As a new Oppa fanatic, I even subscribed to Korean sites to vote for him as Best Actor in the annual Baeksang Awards for Arts slated this coming June.
“Gomawo” to all the Korean stars who have helped me stay lucid during these difficult times. Most importantly, from the fangirl in me -- saranghae, Kim Taepyung (Hyun Bin) for inspiring women like me and brightening up our days with your perfect smile.