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If you’ve ever spent an entire weekend glued to a K-drama like Squid Game, Crash Landing On You, or It's Okay to Not Be Okay , you might be doing more than just entertaining yourself. According to mental health experts, those long hours spent watching Korean dramas could actually be benefiting your mental well-being. The Surprising Mental Health Benefits of K-Drama From Goblin to Vincenzo and Descendants of the Sun , K-dramas have captivated global audiences with their compelling storylines and high production values.
But for therapist Jeanie Chang, the real magic lies in how these shows connect viewers with their emotions and help them process difficult life experiences, reports AFP . K-dramas often explore universal themes like grief, family expectations, love, and trauma. “We all have family pressures and expectations, conflict, trauma, hope,” Chang explains.
“Seeing these themes explored successfully on screen can change how we manage similar challenges in real life.” Reconnecting with Roots and Emotions For Chang, who was born in Seoul but raised in the US, K-drama helped her reconnect with her cultural heritage and emotions she once suppressed. “The messages in Korean dramas are universal,” she says.
“Mental health is about how you feel, how you relate to others, and how your brain processes experiences. We see that in every K-drama.” K-Drama's Global Rise and Its Impact Since the Covid-19 pandemic, global viewership of Korean dramas has surged, particularly on platforms like Netflix, where shows like Kingdom , My Name , and The Glory dominate the charts.
Between 2019 and 2022, K-drama viewership on Netflix increased sixfold, making it the most-watched non-English content on the platform. Finding Healing in K-Dramas: Real Stories American teacher Jeanie Barry discovered K-drama during a personal crisis, after a family funeral. A friend recommended It’s Okay to Not Be Okay , and Barry quickly became hooked.
“The way this culture deals with trauma and mental depression really struck a chord with me,” AFP Barry. She credits the drama with helping her process her grief and “see that there is a light at the end of the tunnel.” Barry has since watched 114 K-dramas and no longer watches English-language television.
“They let me soften my heart,” she says. K-Drama as Emotional Therapy For Erin McCoy, a fellow K-drama enthusiast, these shows have helped her manage depression. “When you live with depression for so long, you’re numb.
You don’t feel bad, but you don’t feel good either,” McCoy explains. But through K-dramas, she was able to reconnect with her emotions. “I feel like I was able to express and experience emotion again.
” Art Therapy and K-Dramas The idea that K-dramas can be therapeutic isn’t as far-fetched as it sounds. According to Seoul psychiatrist Im Su-geun, watching these shows can be considered a form of art therapy. “Visual media like K-dramas have significant strengths that align well with psychotherapy,” Im says.
“They provide viewers with new perspectives, foster healthy values, and offer solutions to personal issues.” Although K-drama won’t be prescribed like traditional therapy, it can be a valuable tool in certain situations. For instance, K-dramas like Because This Is My First Life and Reply 1988 can help viewers process breakups or loss, giving them the emotional insight they need to cope.
So next time you binge-watch Hospital Playlist or The Uncanny Counter , know that you're not just indulging in entertainment—you might also be enhancing your mental health..
