culture
April 11, 2026
I Swapped England for Seoul After Watching a Korean Teen Drama
I was on the verge of failing Mandarin, when a last-second pivot caused me to utterly fall in love with Korean culture, and send me in a totally new direction
TL;DR
- The author failed at learning Mandarin and was introduced to Korean dramas as a way to improve pronunciation.
- A specific Korean teen drama about a high-school rock band captivated her, leading to an obsession with Korean culture.
- She moved to Seoul five years later, initially to learn Korean, and became immersed in the booming Korean entertainment industry.
- By chance, she began appearing in K-pop music videos, commercials, and eventually as a featured extra on Korean drama sets.
- Her experience on set, where she could speak Korean, marked a personal transformation, overcoming her past struggles with languages and gaining confidence.
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