When/How/Because of Who did you discover Asian Dramas?

I love those threads when we tell each other story of how we discovered dramaland...I always picture us sitting in the woods at night around a fire, and there is a old man with a beard telling us the story... "It all beginned on March 15th 1904...I think it was...a Tuesday. It was a very cold night, and Spring wasn't there yet. For some reason (*I'm too lazy to make up* thinks Gandpa), I had to go out with my loyal friend Albert (a labrador)...when suddenly...!!!!"

I grew up watching Bruce Lee/Jet Li/Jackie Chan's movies ( in french) because of my brothers who liked kung fu movies, then they told me about this manga named Ranma 1/2. I loved it. That's when I discovered mangas. Thanks Bros. At that time I didn't know any things about dramas. I used to think asian movies were only about kung fu or horror ones. When I was 16 (I am now 22), I was looking for american movies ( rom-com) with French sub on a blog and that's where I found the drama Hana Yori Dango with eng sub, I didn't understand even half of what they were saying but I loved it. After that I looked for more jdramas, it took me quite a while before watching kdramas(my first was Delightful Girl Choon Hyang). I remember thinking that it was weird compared to jdramas. The funny thing is that I couldn't tell the difference between japanese and korean, it sounded the same to me. In the drama Tree of Heaven I was trying to guess when they were speaking japanese or when it was korean. Now I watch Kdramas without sub and I guess/understand half of it. I even watch lakorn sometimes to tell you how addicted I am to Dramas now.

Hmm my story is a bit complicated. The main thing is that I've always been interested in far East Asia, always been drawn to it, and always alert of everything Asian around me. I don't really know why... I have no Asian relatives (but some people say I look somewhat Asian, I don't see it, but they do), I live in a country where Asian pop-culture is rather unknown to general public. I've never even been an manga/anime addict. I considered studying Asian languages but I could decide which one, so eventually I decided on cultural anthropology. It was 2005, I just finished high school and at that time I started dating my current husband. Well, his biggest passion is breakdance, he was still training it back then - so as his girlfriend I was 'encouraged' to get familiar with this culture (or rather dragged into it). We've spent lot of time watching materials from events and stuff. And there is one thing you must know- some of world's best bboys are from Korea (and rest of Asia too)-they are just insane (if you want check some of them on youtube - Gambler Crew, Expression Crew, Hong10, Physicx and many others). I went crazy for Korean b-boys (and for my husband, and breakdance in general - it was a really fun summer). Ok so now fast-forward 3 years later- I was doing a thesis for my studies and it was about b-boying, I went to interview that one girl about it. She was really into Korean culture and we started talking about it. She said their hip-hop is really awesome, and they include b-boys and she showed me that one video where Physicx was featured - it was Get Ready by Perry and YG Family (little GD is featured too :) )and then she showed me some Big Bang videos..... my life was never the same... once you've faced the awesomeness of Korean pop-culture there is no return. She said that the movies and TV series are fun too. So a couple weeks later I was looking for something to watch on some streaming site with all kinds of movies, and I stumbled across 1000 pounds beauty and I watched it, then My Sassy Girl, then I found crunchyroll..mysoju...DC.... MDL says that I spent over a month watching dramas (scary! it's only been few years) so... Hello, I'm Ela and I'm a drama-addict. Douzo yoroshiku onegaishimasu.

Hey my name is Simran, Simmi or Sim for short. I discovered it though Japanese anime. I actually have this on my profile but long story short. I was bored. Netflix had Ouran High School Host Club anime and I thought it was interesting. Got into anime for about 8 months. Realized Hana Yori Dango had a live action version, watched Boys Over Flowers (Korean) BAM!! I was addicted. My friends don't understand this addiction and shake their heads every time I come into school dead tired after marathoning an entire drama but I can't help it... why do this to me Asia... whyyyyyyyyyyy...

My bestfriend from high school was Korean, so I was around the music, language, and food for the majority of high school. After she moved away for college, I lost my tie to the Korean culture (aside from eating at Korean restaurants on occassion). In college, a friend introduced me to My Sassy Girl and I loved it. Suprisingly, it didn't make me curious about other Korean movies or asian dramas. Years pass .. Then my dad starts listening to kpop. It was his influence and the discovery of Eat Your Kimchee that got me into Big Bang. Soon after that, I stumbled upon crunchyroll and here I am. A drama addict in full effect! Since I am fairly new to dramas and my recent discovery of MDL, there is so much I want to watch that it feels like there are not enough hours in the day.

it started with ouran high school host club the anime and i was searching some videos on youtube and came across the drama version and then I watched it and after that i search for more anime related drama's. And then it became a little bit quite on the drama's for me... Then i discovered big bang and watched a parody on coffee prince and well since then i watch more drama's then anime

2008.
I was introduced to dramas by a friend made through my Asian music obsession (which was fuelled by another friend).
Basically it is an easy to catch illness you pass on.

LisNoir wrote:

LOL, this thread does sound like a Asian Drama Addicts Anonymous meeting....lol

Oh man it is so funny that you should say that because I used to refer to my friend as "my drama dealer" as she used to lend me drama DVDs and copy films. :)

I used to come over for my "fix" OFTEN. :D

I started at least 12 years ago. I lived in Hong Kong and they would sell fake copies of Kdrama dubbed in Cantonese with chinese subtitles on the street. My first was Winter Sonata then Beautiful Days. Good way to practice my Chinese. Obsessed with it. Forget American TV.