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Key points
- K-Drama stories focus on characters and their emotions, making them relatable and resonant.
- K-Dramas emphasize emotions over action, focusing on how characters manage their feelings.
- K-Dramas allow viewers to express their emotions vicariously.
Imagine this: Instead of turning to TV to escape reality, you turn to TV to face it. That’s what licensed marriage and family therapist and certified clinical trauma professional Jeanie Y. Chang proposes can help when trying to grieve after loss, heal from trauma, improve mental health, and navigate life’s challenges.
But not just any TV will do. According to Chang, K-Dramas have a unique therapeutic value thanks to their ability to entertain while delving into the painful complexities of relationships, prompting viewers to reflect on their own lives in a fresh light.
If you are unfamiliar with the genre as I was, K-Dramas are Korean-made episodic television shows that have gained international popularity and acclaim. Retelling her story to SELF, Chang said part of what makes them special is their knack for helping people “feel validated from watching stories that feel familiar to their own.”
As a second-generation Korean American, Chang’s upbringing in a small Philadelphia suburb devoid of diversity often left her feeling out of place. It was during her undergraduate studies at New York University that she first encountered other Korean students and was introduced to K-Dramas. She was instantly hooked, given how easily the storylines helped her relate to her own experiences of trauma, hope, and resilience.
Time eventually became scarce as Chang embarked on her first career as a broadcast journalist and later business school, marriage, and motherhood, causing her to put K-Dramas on the back burner. Returning to graduate school a second time to become a marriage and family therapist, Chang again turned to K-Dramas for an outlet, except this time, she began seeing them for their therapeutic value.
Having helped her resolve inner conflicts, gain understanding, and navigate difficult situations throughout her life, Chang began incorporating K-Dramas into her practice, guiding others toward achieving the same benefits. Her work is now the subject of her recently released book, How K-Dramas Can Transform Your Life: Powerful Lessons on Beloningness, Healing, and Mental Health.
Given my own interest in healing from the betrayal trauma a spouse’s infidelity (emotional, physical, or financial) can cause, I jumped at the opportunity to speak with Chang about whether she thought watching K-Dramas could provide a path to recovery. My interview with her follows.
What specific elements of K-Dramas do you find most effective for helping individuals heal from betrayal trauma, and can you give an example of a show or scene that illustrates this?
K-Drama stories focus on characters and their emotions, making them relatable and resonant by displaying the emotional complexities of betrayal trauma and the stages of grief. Watching characters navigate post-traumatic stress and manage trauma non-linearly is beneficial for those facing similar issues, aiding their healing by externalizing the experience.
“Marry My Husband,” a popular K-Drama on Amazon Prime USA, illustrates this. The protagonist, played by Park Min Young, discovers her best friend and husband’s affair and their plot to take her life insurance. Without giving too much away, she gets a second chance to change her fate. This hopeful, aspirational fantasy shows healing through empowerment.
How do K-Dramas compare to other genres or forms of media in terms of addressing betrayal trauma and helping to rebuild trust?
K-Dramas are mainly written by women for women, showing female-centric narratives unlike many stories, including ones from Hollywood, that focus on the male gaze. K-Dramas are about emotional wellbeing, social wellbeing, and mental health, and depict strong women hurt by betrayal being empowered to transform their lives. K-Dramas emphasize emotions over action, focusing on how characters manage their feelings. The actors cry hard, laugh hard, and yell hard, reflecting frequently suppressed daily emotions. K-Dramas provide a private space to express emotions from anger to exuberance at home, with family, or friends that are true to our experience.
Can you describe a case or a client experience when incorporating K-Dramas into therapy significantly helped with their healing process from betrayal trauma?
I had someone tell me she felt like her mother wasn’t really a mother to her. The cultural conflict and language barrier made it hard to relate, and she felt her mother was kind to everyone but her. Watching “Dear My Friends,” she saw a scene where an adult daughter lashes out at her mother, which resonated deeply. It was emotionally taxing but reflected her own feelings. The K-Drama allowed her to vicariously express her anger, giving her the strength and validation she needed. She felt seen, heard, understood, and less isolated, realizing it was okay to be angry even if she chose not to confront her mother.
What psychological mechanisms do K-Dramas employ that can help viewers process and overcome feelings of betrayal and mistrust?
This is tough to answer since K-Dramas aren’t necessarily seeking to employ psychological mechanisms. Korean culture is progressive in all aspects except mental health, which remains conservative due to Confucianism and its values. Many K-Dramas are based on webtoons by younger Gen Z/Millennial writers who openly discuss mental health. In this way, K-Dramas highlight intergenerationality, showing interactions between different generations, which aids the healing process. They center on the universality of human emotions and connection, both necessary for trauma recovery.
What advice would you give to someone dealing with betrayal trauma who wants to explore the therapeutic benefits of K-Dramas? Are there specific series or themes you recommend starting with?
K-Dramas show how protagonists and antagonists manage their trauma to achieve triumph, hope, resilience, strength, and empowerment. For those first getting started watching K-Dramas, I highly recommend “My Mister,” “Mr. Sunshine,” “Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha,” “Doctor Cha,” and, as I already mentioned, “Marry My Husband.”
Trauma, especially betrayal trauma, can make you distrust the world, which is why I suggest watching K-Dramas that promote belongingness. These stories help you to realize you are not alone in your experiences and feelings, and you do not have to let trauma define you.
