Mental health is a major topic in the world. As society changes and the weight of the world becomes worse, many people deal with mental health issues in different ways. A common but serious mood disorder is depression. Many people experience depression and the condition can sometimes be hard to deal with. Depression takes away your enjoyment of things you once loved and is much more than simply feeling sad. The representation in media is a vast spectrum.

K-Dramas have broken the taboo of discussing depression in shows. Increasingly, more shows choose to address topics of depression and many of them have it as the main focus of their series. Each series is different in how they display their characters' coping mechanisms and symptoms of depression. These 6 K-Dramas address depression throughout the series but all have their unique ways of doing it. Here is how they differ and how K-Dramas have juggled such a difficult topic in their series.

 

1. "Daily Dose Of Sunshine" Shows Anyone Can Feel Depressed

Probably one of the most realistic depictions of depression in a series, "Daily Dose of Sunshine" talks about a kind nurse who works in a psychiatry hospital and tries to bring sunshine to her patients. Setting in a psychiatry hospital, the series dives deeply into depression and mental health issues for each episode. One that stands out the most comes from the main character herself, Jung DaEun played by Park BoYoung. Jung DaEun sees the mistreatment of mental health patients in society's eyes and has to juggle a difficult job. A tragedy from a patient she was close with sent her into a spiral of guilt and depression.

The drama depicts her depression as various forms of self-sabotage and emptiness. She goes as far as overworking herself, even though she doesn't want to work, to try and ignore her depression. "Daily Dose Of Sunshine" was impressive with their depiction of depression and reminding everyone that it does not have a certain look. People may not expect mental health workers to feel a certain way since their main job is to help others but depression is not linear and anyone can experience it.

 

2. "Our Blues" Reminds Us Depression Isn't Just "Feeling Sad"

"Our Blues" focuses on a hometown in Jeju and the daily lives of its residents. As they navigate the ups and downs of life, they must also face the problems that life randomly throws at them. Min SeonAh, played by Shin MinA, is a character in the series who suffers from depression. A single mother whose husband left her, the series shows just how much depression can affect a person's time. She has no organization and has a lack of interest in life.

It gets so severe that she even forgets to pick up her son from school because of her mental health. What makes it even more interesting is the choice of colors for her as she is often shown in a blue hue, showing her "blues" and depression. The series shows that depression can have varying effects. It isn't simply feeling sad; sometimes people can not function normally because of it.

 

3. "Doctor Slump" Shows That Depression Doesn't Have One Look

"Doctor Slump" further reminds us that depression does not have a certain look to it and even if someone seems "perfect" you never know their struggles. The main character HaNeul, played by Park ShinHye, is a perfectionist and wants to succeed in everything she does. So when she realizes she is depressed, she wants to ignore it, resulting in her feeling worse than before. Despite HaNeul's perfect demeanor, she is battling with her mental health and finds comfort in the male lead of the series.

"Doctor Slump" gave some clarity on what depression looks like. Many people may have the image of someone who is untidy, lazy, and cries all the time but that is not always the case. Depression can sometimes be the hard-working doctor who comes into work smiling or your classmate who tends to keep to themselves. The K-Drama tackled the issues and taboos of depression in a wonderful way.

 

4. "Juvenile Justice" Shows Negative Effects Of Depression

"Juvenile Justice" has a devastating but realistic depiction of depression in the series. This K-Drama follows the story of a judge who does not look kindly on juveniles in the system and various cases of juvenile delinquency cases. One plot line focuses on a group of students cheating on a major exam soon being exposed and tried. Kang ShinWoo, played by Kim JunHo, is the son of the main character, Kang WonJung. His father also happens to be the chief of the Juvenile Justice Division.

When ShinWoo is found to be involved in the cheating scandal, his father chastises him to the point he tells him if he plans to end his life, he shouldn't involve his family. This results in ShinWoo attempting to end his life, leading his father to feel an immense sense of guilt. However, this arc in the series shows that ShinWoo was severely depressed with his academics. He never seemed to do well like his brother and being the son of a prominent figure only made him feel even more inferior.

 

5. "Weak Hero Class" Shows Us Outside Forces Can Cause Depression

In a similar fashion to "Daily Dose Of Sunshine", "Weak Hero Class" addresses the main character's depression and his forms of self-sabotage. Our protagonist, SiEun played by Park JiHoon, comes from a broken home with neglectful parents. They are too busy to deal with him and most times they are not even at home. Without any guidance or support from them, he chooses to isolate himself from the world. He studies despite not enjoying it anymore.

He doesn't have friends and feels a sense of emptiness in his everyday life. SiEun's reasons for his depression show that many things can trigger someone into depression. "Weak Hero Class" did an amazing portrayal of how outside factors can negatively impact an individual to the point they can fall into depression.

 

6. "Sweet Home" Shows How Depression Is Not Linear

"Sweet Home" shows the many layers of depression and how sometimes people fall into it due to various factors building up over time. "Sweet Home" is about a boy who has to deal with mysterious monsters after a strange incident in his apartment. Our main character, Cha Hyunsoo played by Song Kang, intentionally isolates himself and plans to end his life due to his depression. Bullied in school, and isolated from his classmates and family, he has many layers to his depression and what led him to his decision. The major turning point in his mental health was when he was the only survivor of a car crash that ended the lives of his family.

The drama shows how this has built up over time with all of the tragic events in his lifetime. There was not one main reason for him to feel depressed but various factors affected him mentally. What makes "Sweet Home" so interesting is the use of horror and monsters as battles of mental health issues. Confronting and battling his inner monster in this series gives the illusion of tackling his inner turmoil and depression. The series hits the nail on the coffin when HyunSoo chooses to help himself. No one forces him out of his depression and it is not magically cured, it's something he will need to improve on because he wants to.

 

As more and more K-Dramas discuss the topic of depression, many of them will choose to talk about it in their unique ways. Whats important is that these series are bringing to light a serious topic that needs to be discussed more in media.

One thing that goes hand in hand with K-Pop are variety programs. With the help of these shows, both veterans and rookies have the opportunity to become better known to the public and earn a following outside of their music. Variety programs allow these artists to showcase their unique personalities, causing fans to fall deeper in love with their favorite stars.

However, one aspect that has remained a sensitive topic for both fans and idols is dating. Even under the premise of a dating program, these idols are put under a microscope and scrutinized over anything romantic. With the boon of dating shows in the past few years and the participation of idols, perception seems to be changing.

Idols being on a dating show isn't some foreign concept, nor was it born overnight. It's gone through its fair share of changes, culminating in both success and pushback from numerous fanbases.

 

The First Idol Dating Programs

One of the first dating reality shows that included K-Pop idols is the famous "We Got Married". Making its premiere in spring of 2008, it paired various celebrities and had them act as married couples. Some famous idol pairings include SHINee's TaeMin and Son NaEun, BTOB's Yook SungJae and Red Velvet's Joy, along with CNBLUE's Jung YongHwa and Girls' Generation's SeoHyun.

While it was well known by audiences and participants that this was a fake relationship, many became immersed into every single moment, as if they were getting a sneak peak of what these stars would be like if they were to actually date. The pairings produced such incredible chemistry, earning nicknames like the 'Goguma Couple' (YongHwa and SeoHyun) or the 'Bbyu Couple' (SungJae and Joy).

Another dating program with idols that surfaced in 2012 is tvN's "The Romantic and Idol". For its first season, it featured second and third generation idols in JiHyun (former 4Minute), AOA's HyeJeong, Jei (former FIESTAR), SeungAh (former Rainbow), Park HyungSik (ZE:A), GOT7's Jay B, 2PM's Jun.K, and MBLAQ's Mir. The group traveled to Jeju Island where they would stay for 4 days and 3 nights, get to know each other, and hopefully walk away being chosen at the end.

Then there's "SHINee's YunHaNam", featuring the SHINee members themselves. Through the show they proceeded to go on dates with older women, showcasing their charm as fresh-faced rookies in the scene. These programs were extremely fun and romantic, but also produced countless moments that made your entire body curl upwards in secondhand embarrassment.

 

Perception Of Idols Dating

To become an idol, one must dedicate countless hours of their life to honing their craft. They must reach a level of astounding dancing prowess, vocal stability, and outward charm to captivate the masses and become a chart-topping artist within the K-Pop industry. Of the many things that they can and cannot do, it's to date. This is due to the image of an idol and the fan culture within the industry.

However, with the modern globalization of K-Pop, sentiments toward idols dating have slowly started to change. It's becoming more and more evident that K-Pop stars are more than the vocal and dancing geniuses that regularly grace our screen. They're human just like everyone else, with fans slowly accepting the fact that these celebrities can go around, date, and find love too.

Slowly, but surely, idols have been starting to go out on a limb and have become participants in traditional dating programs, not under the premise of a simple variety program. Rather, they become vocal and sincere in their search for love. Some names include EuiJin (former A.CIAN & UNB) and soloist Sori who appeared on different seasons of Mnet's "Somebody", as well as DaHye (former BESTie) in the most recent "Transit Love 3".

While it was surprising to see K-Pop idols participate in these dating programs and actively look for a relationship, it portrays their human desire to be loved by someone else, outside of their beloved fans.

 

The Appearance Of A New Type Of Dating Reality

The beginning of March marked the start of a brand new dating reality program: TREASURE's "Shining SOLO". Where the idol dating programs of the past and ones idols participated in actually focused solely on romance, the series with TREASURE takes a different approach. The members go into the program with the intent of showcasing their various charms and capturing the hearts of the young women they meet. However, it ends not in a relationship, but one member being dubbed as "Mr. TREASURE", erring more on the side of a competition show.

It takes various components from traditional dating programs, while adding on its own spin to create a unique, never-before-seen experience for both the members and audiences watching at home. Prior to its premiere, however, it's worth noting that "Shining SOLO" did not receive a favorable response from netizens.

Upon its announcement, many were left scratching their heads with numerous responses asking if it's real or if anyone would dare to watch it. Even the international K-Pop community who is at times more open were having second thoughts on whether "Shining SOLO" should be something they watch or skip due to the pure nature of dating programs.

However, all the criticism aside, the idol "dating" show became a viral hit, with its first episode being its most watched at 7.7 million views on YouTube (as of April 9, 2024). The sincerity of the TREASURE members, their chemistry with the female participants, and their genuine reactions played a huge part in the program's worldwide success.

Even non-fans have been actively tuning in, falling for TREASURE's various charms. This could very well mark a new era of dating programs for idols. If geared under this lens, there's a fair chance that other groups could follow this model. In turn, they could capture the heart of netizens with their romantic tendencies. However, there's also the possibility that this may become a one-and-done type of occurrence. "Shining SOLO" puts idols in a new light, offering TREASURE the chance to openly experience what it's like to date, while still maintaining their idol image.

Whether or not more groups/companies will create their own "dating" program remains to be seen. However, after the success of "Shining SOLO", it can be a program millions look forward to.

What are your thoughts on K-Pop idols being on dating programs? Do you think they should follow the model of "Shining SOLO"?

Here are all the K-Drama ratings of March 2024.

 

Friday-Saturday-Sunday Ratings

Friday-Saturday-Sunday K-Dramas’ ratings are back!

"The Escape of the Seven: Resurrection" started on SBS on March 29th.

"Wonderful World" ratings increased and the drama reached 11.4% with its 9th episode which is one of the best ratings of MBC since 2020.

"Queen of Tears" ratings increased and reached 16.1% which is one of the best ratings of tvN.

"Beauty and Mr. Romantic" ratings were quite similar overall to last week.

"Hide" (Coupang Play web drama) ratings increased from last week.

"The Escape of the Seven: Resurrection" started and its ratings decreased on its second day.

 

Wednesday-Thursday Ratings

Wednesday-Thursday K-Dramas’ ratings are back!

There is currently no Wednesday-Thursday K-Dramas airing.

 

Monday-Tuesday Ratings

Monday-Tuesday K-Dramas’ ratings are back!

"Wedding Impossible" ratings decreased from last week.

"Nothing Uncovered" (Monday drama) ratings decreased.

 

Friday-Saturday-Sunday Ratings

Friday-Saturday-Sunday K-Dramas’ ratings are back!

"Beauty and Mr. Romantic", the new KBS weekend drama starring Ji HyunWoo and Im SooHyang started on March 23. "The Escape of the Seven: Resurrection" will start on SBS on March 29th.

"Hide" with Lee BoYoung and Lee MooSaeng is a Coupang Play web drama airing on JTBC as well.

"Flex X Cop" ended with 9.3%. The drama started at 5.7% and reached its best-ever ratings at 11.0% (8th episode).

"Wonderful World" ratings decreased. For information, the drama reached 9.9% with its 5th episode (March 15th) which is one of the best ratings of MBC since 2020.

"Queen of Tears" ratings increased and reached 14.1% which is one of the best ratings of tvN.

"Beauty and Mr. Romantic" started and its ratings increased on its second day.

"Hide" (Coupang Play web drama) started with around 4%.

 

Wednesday-Thursday Ratings

Wednesday-Thursday K-Dramas’ ratings are back!

There is currently no Wednesday-Thursday K-Dramas airing.

 

Monday-Tuesday Ratings

Monday-Tuesday K-Dramas’ ratings are back!

"Nothing Uncovered" with Kim HaNeul, Yeon WooJin, and Jang SeungJo started on KBS.

"Wedding Impossible" ratings decreased from last week.

"Nothing Uncovered" started and its ratings decreased on its second day.

 

Friday-Saturday-Sunday Ratings

Friday-Saturday-Sunday K-Dramas’ ratings are back!

"Beauty and Mr. Romantic" is the next KBS weekend drama starring Ji HyunWoo and Im SooHyang to start on March 23. "The Escape of the Seven: Resurrection" will start on SBS on March 29th.

"Live Your Own Life" ended with 22.0%. Its ratings were quite similar to last week.

"Man and Woman" ended with 0.2%.

"Doctor Slump" ended and ratings were higher than last week. For information, the dramas reached 8.2% which is one of JTBC highest K-Drama ratings with its 10th episode and ended with 6.5%.

"Flex X Cop" ratings were lower than last week.

"Wonderful World" ratings significantly increased and reached 9.9% which is one of the best ratings of MBC since 2020.

"Queen of Tears" ratings doubled from last week and reached 13.0% which is one of the best ratings of tvN.

 

Wednesday-Thursday Ratings

Wednesday-Thursday K-Dramas’ ratings are back!

There is currently no Wednesday-Thursday K-Dramas airing.

 

Monday-Tuesday Ratings

Monday-Tuesday K-Dramas’ ratings are back!

On March 18th, "Let's Get Caught by the Neck" with Kim HaNeul, Yeon WooJin, and Jang SeungJo will start on KBS.

"Wedding Impossible" ratings decreased from last week.

 

Friday-Saturday-Sunday Ratings

Friday-Saturday-Sunday K-Dramas’ ratings are back!

The awaited drama "Queen of Tears" starring Kim SooHyun and Kim JiWon started on tvN.

"Live Your Own Life" reached its best-ever ratings with 22.1% once again.

"Man and Woman" ratings increased from last week.

"Doctor Slump" ratings decreased from last week. For information, the dramas reach 8.2% which is one of JTBC highest K-Drama ratings with its 10th episode.

"Korea–Khitan War" ended and reached one of KBS best ratings since 2020 with 13.8% on its final episode (excluding weekend dramas).

"Flex X Cop" ratings were higher than last week.

"Wonderful World" ratings significantly increased and reached 8.0% which is one of the best ratings of MBC since 2020.

"Queen of Tears" started and rating significantly increased with its second episode.

 

Wednesday-Thursday Ratings

Wednesday-Thursday K-Dramas’ ratings are back!

"Queen Of Divorce" ended with its highest ratings this week. For information, the drama started at 3.3%.

 

Monday-Tuesday Ratings

Monday-Tuesday K-Dramas’ ratings are back!

On March 18th, "Let's Get Caught by the Neck" with Kim HaNeul, Yeon WooJin, and Jang SeungJo will start on KBS.

"Wedding Impossible" ratings were similar to last week overall.

 

Friday-Saturday-Sunday Ratings

Friday-Saturday-Sunday K-Dramas’ ratings are back!

"Wonderful World" started on MBC with Kim NamJoo and ASTRO's Cha EunWoo.

On March 9th, the awaited drama "Queen of Tears" starring Kim SooHyun and Kim JiWon will start on tvN.

"Live Your Own Life" reached its best-ever ratings with 22.1%.

"Captivating the King" ended this week and ratings were higher than last week. It reached its best-ever ratings with its final episode at 7.8%. The drama started at 4.0%.

"Man and Woman" ratings decreased from last week.

"Doctor Slump" ratings decreased from last week. For information, the dramas reach 8.2% which is one of JTBC highest K-Drama ratings with its 10th episode.

"Korea–Khitan War" reached one of KBS best ratings since 2020 with 12.9% on its 30th episode (excluding weekend dramas).

"Flex X Cop" ratings were lower than last week.

"Wonderful World" started and its ratings increased on its second day.