Kdrama Tropes Bingo Card/Scavenger Hunt

If you have just gotten started in the world of Asian, and specifically, Korean TV shows (commonly called kdramas), you are in for a world of fun. For even more fun, print out this list and see if any of these stereotypical clichéd plot elements are in the drama you are watching. Like the bodice-ripping in a historical romance novel, there are just some things you need to be prepared to expect. Make it into a scavenger hunt, a bingo card, or even a drinking game! Warning: Don't turn this into a drinking game while watching Boys Over Flowers - unless you need to get really, really drunk.

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The Players

• An arrogant rich male Chaebol heir or CEO
• Mean/bully male who has a complete personality change after meeting the female lead
• The male lead who is 100% qualified for everything (tops in looks, skills, intelligence, athleticism, etc.)
• The female lead who dresses like a blind hobo, falls down everywhere, and is constantly told she is lacking in one or more ways: bad family, not smart, not pretty, etc. 
• Candy Girl Trope: The female lead has multiple jobs from sunrise milk delivery to the middle of the night convenience store clerk while going to school and being the sole breadwinner for all the useless members of her family who can't get hired & can't stop gambling, and she does it all with a big smile of joy & delight and she brings sunshine to everyone around since the world is always beautiful even when it rains and no one is suspicious or scary except when a male accidentally touches her hand. 
• The female lead starts out able to hold her own either in smarts or martial arts or sports, but ends up never doing a smart or coordinated or athletic thing again after the first couple of episodes. 
• Rival second female (either an ex or a rando with feelings for the lead) who is manipulative/scheming from a mild to a psychotic extent but everyone either thinks is innocent OR no one tells her to stop her shit OR no one ever presses charges for behavior that legit warrants it. BONUS this asshole gets a redemptive character arc and is actually forgiven even if she seems insincere 
• Second male lead that gives female viewers a mad crush called Second Lead Syndrome because they are beautiful, attractive, perceptive and fully supportive and kind to the female but their love is just not meant to be 
• (Another version) Second male lead that hangs around c#%blocking the main romance and having a bromance with the first male lead where they fight a lot but also have a lot of skinship and should just kiss already
• There is a huge age gap between the main leads. BONUS if there is a more appropriate option who is closer in age/circumstance/life experience, it's okay because the older one has some kind of implied brain damage or is super quirky, or just really emotionally immature.
• One or more BAD parent or in-law. This is a broad description but guaranteed sure thing bingo freebie. Selfish or irresponsible or passive-aggressive/manipulative parents are plot drivers in every show, psychologically or physically abusing them, neglecting them, liking their sibling better, or living vicariously through them... BONUS if the offspring apologizes first even though they didn't do anything wrong
• Parent decides the kid needs to marry, so they set up blind dates or arrange an engagement
• Father who goes to prison for corrupt business dealings
• The one single parent or guardian of any decency or goodness just up and dies (or disappears) 
• There is an illegitimate son that desperately wants to gain approval from the cold, disapproving father
• Good sibling/Evil sibling. BONUS if they are twins
• Principal of the school takes a bribe from a shitty parent
• The homeroom teacher that is actually NONEXISTENT in the classroom. Seriously, where do they all go? 
• The kimchi couple. They are the adorable side couple that almost steals the show.
• The Awesome Assistant/Secretary who is secretly a matchmaker for the couple

The Romance

• The meet-cute (Doesn't count if it isn't exaggerated, slapsticky, or full of coincidence.)
• The hate-meet (in order to establish enemies-to-lovers arc.)
• Possessive Guy Tantrum. So the girl is nice to another guy, like a human being can be, and now she's in deep shit and being ordered around.
• The Meaningful Bus Ride... EXAMPLES: Staring at true-love from another seat, protecting true-love from jostling, getting pressed together because crowds, catching true-love's head in hand against the window when they've fallen asleep, letting true-love rest their head on your shoulder BONUS if they have no idea until they're told in a flashback & they suddenly remember even though they were sleeping...
• The spa date! BONUS if Princess Leia bun hair via towel makes an appearance
• The contemplative shower/changing scene where the male has to think a lot about STUFF AND THAAAANGS while slowly shampooing or buttoning and displaying back muscles and taut abs (known as chocolate abs in Asia). This scene is known as FANSERVICE and it makes life worth living.
• Makeover! BONUS if done by the guy for the girl, because all men understand fashion & makeup better than this particular female lead 
• Pretty Woman Style clothes try-on scene BONUS if they show a purchase but you never actually see the girl wear any of these clothes later, she just keeps dressing like the blind hobo
• Drinking followed by a piggyback ride home
• Drinking at Karaoke/Noraebang
• Twisted ankle for no discernible reason followed by piggyback ride
• Umbrella Sharing (because it downpours unexpectedly all the time but only ONE love interest ever carries an umbrella)
• The It's Raining Coat Removal to Cover the Girl's Head Because No Umbrella
• Someone got caught in the rain for 2 seconds and now they are sick with a high fever so someone else needs to keep a cool washcloth on their forehead all night proving their love.
• Someone has a wound that needs to be tended to lovingly.
• Someone has indigestion, so they need a needle prick. 
• Male lead ties female lead's shoelaces.
• Fate has destined these two to be together as shown by a series of coincidences or explained by a wise elder/shaman/roadside vendor who sells food on a stick.
• First love/Childhood friends DESTINY
• They actually met previously as youth at some point as shown in a flashback that they don't remember as adults because FATE 
• One needs to desperately find the other and runs outside and BAM!! there that person is getting out of a taxi, or pulling up on a bike, or holy shit - they live in the same neighborhood.
• There is a Very Important Necklace/Ring/Hair Clip/Keychain that has many adventures. (Examples: Someone can't decide if they should wear it; someone hides it in a box & takes it out to stare at ritually while the OST plays; or it's lost so someone searches for it FOREVER AND EVER and finds it through the strength of love even though they almost died in a sand/snow/rain-storm/sewage drain trying to get it.)
• Someone worries about whether someone else is eating. This is freebie, it will happen in Every. Single. Show. BONUS: If someone feeds someone else -- just shoves food right into their mouth-hole with their hands
• Someone cracks a hardboiled egg on someone else's head (usually during the spa date)
• Someone begs for meat. Vegetarians be damned, the only way to show someone you love them in Korea is to buy them meat.
• The Mukbang scene. Since it's in EVERY drama, just tally up how many times you watch people eating throughout the run of the drama and you can keep track of which dramas have the highest score. 
• They share a pet or a plant
• Girl's about to get hit by a bike (but not really, there was plenty of room) so guy pulls her out of the way and right into a hug
• The yearning I'm-Just-Watching-Over-You walk from behind, or staring at your window all night because we can't be together because reasons situation. 

The Humor

• The Stereotype-Breaker. Examples: The big, strong male is scared of cats or spiders. The male uses the female to block himself from a puddle splash. The girl is caught during a fall, but then is promptly dropped.The girl catches the guy. The girl piggybacks the guy. It looks like it's going to be romantic, but then someone gets kicked. Etc.
• A bathroom joke or unfortunate poop situation occurs.
• Singing for someone while they poop.
• A meta reference is made about dramas or famous scene from another drama is parodied, or a comment is made about how someone thinks they are a lead in a drama.
• Two guys wake up in the morning in bed together, shirtless, and freak out.
• The score is paired with the scene for maximum hilarity. Ex: a slapsticky fight scene to Bob Dylan's The Times They Are A-Changin'

Modern Living

• The lead (usually male) buys the other lead a cell phone (usually female).
• Someone doesn't want to talk but turning off the power is too tricky so they pop out the battery. 
• The Inverse of above: Cell Phone dies/breaks/can't get signal at a most crucial moment. BONUS if it is right after the leads were separated for dramatic reasons and one finds the other, but someone is injured!!! INJURED! Or at least very tired. POWER UP BONUS if they have to spend the night secluded together. 
• The Very Dramatic Yes or No Delete This [contact, photo, voice recording, file] scene. 
• Someone uses their cell phone to find or convey information (usually with a stylus) that is VERY obviously a cell phone product promotion. 
• One lead needs to get into the other's  residence and figures out the numeric door code based on knowledge of the other one's personality 

The Confession

• The Botched Confession: Was that a declaration of love? Or did you just say you won't know how to clean your laundry without her? Did you just shout "I love you" while spraying liquid everywhere but then pretended you were talking to a squirel? We don't know what is happening, and neither does the person on-screen.
• The Take-back Confession AKA Noble Sacrifice Nevermind. Due to drama gods, as soon as love is declared, a Dramatic Event occurs or Secret is revealed so... haha, just kidding!
• The Romantic Confession: Everyone watching melts into a puddle because it's lovely and sweet and kissy and perfect and everyone has heart-eyes. BONUS if the kiss is staged in such a romantic way, it gets a nickname, like the Fountain Kiss.
• The No Actual Confession, Just Stares. They can't actually be together, so they think, because they are related (but not really) (but maybe really) or someone is sick or from Outer Space or N. Korea or whatever.... so stares. And longing. Probably some sobbing. 

The Touchy-Feely

• The Wide-Eyed Frozen Kiss. BONUS if it's the guy who freezes instead of the girl.
• The shocking skinship. BONUS if the girl is shocked by touching after a kiss scene. 
• The Oops Our Lips Just Smashed Kiss. I really don't know how a two people can manage to trip/fall/spin/flip/whatever and land on each other's lips but that's just how miracles work in dramaland.
• The Famous Wrist Grab (Followed By Drag). 
• The Famous Back Hug. 
• The Famous Yank Embrace. This is almost always some variation of the Second Male lead sees First Male lead, but the girl doesn't, so SML yanks her into a hug while she stands frozen and shocked and the two males stare aggressively into each others' eyes. This is the Asian version of Matt Damon going "how do you like these apples?" POWER UP BONUS if the show actually gives the girl enough agency to shove the guy off instead standing stiff as a cardboard.
• The Arm Cage Against A Wall. The key to escaping is a kiss, of course.

The Dramatics

• Someone is kidnapped
• Someone has cancer
• Someone has a brain tumor
• AMNESIA! 
• Someone's in a SECRET coma
• During a struggle, someone is seriously injured on the head by falling and bashing it on something.
• A white van of doom appears.
• Someone puts on a black cap and becomes a villain. 
• There is a shocking vehicular accident either in the present or in someone's past (train or subway explosions count).
• Pedestrian Versus Vehicle At The Crosswalk. ROMANCE BONUS if it ends in a yank-out-of-the-way-and-hug instead of a hospital visit.
• Person versus water. Someone who knows how to swim needs saving because leg cramp, spacing out, trauma, or they forgot they can just stand up in shallow water. Something.
• Someone gets a piggyback ride to the hospital (are there ambulances in Korea? Serious question).
• If there are ghosts, then murders are caused by an inky-black evil spirit bad-guy combo.
• Someone has a debilitating injury that allows them to function normally in every way but ends their sports career
• Someone gets an entire glass of water tossed right into their face.
• The LOAN SHARKS are after the lead!!! Usually the girl or her family.
• Someone ends up at the Han river and closed-captioning tells us the meaning of all the bridge platitudes they are walking past. 

Because Reasons

• A birth secret that affects parentage and especially inheritance or sibling status
• Misunderstanding or SECRET about true identity (similar to but not quite the birth secret plot twist) BONUS if ghost, alien, mermaid, Grim Reaper, name-twins, real twins/curiously identical-looking sibling, or time traveler
• Someone is out for REVENGE.
• The girl pretends to be a boy because reasons (this genre has the name "gender-bender" because it's so popular)
• The two leads have to live together because reasons
• Time-travel!
• Past-Life or Future-Life issues. Character either remembers, dreams, re-lives, or time-travels to it.
• A forced engagement or marriage or marriage contract initiated by parents. BONUS if initiated by lead to get out of one initiated by parents
• The No-Com Plot where no one communicates and everyone misunderstands everything and that's the sole reason why things go wrong. BONUS if there was an attempt to communicate that failed (like deleted text or lost letter). ANOTHER BONUS if it is the kimchi couple that tricks them into meeting at a restaurant or karaoke bar to solve it. EXTRA BONUS if the No-Com is because of Noble Sacrifice!!!
• The Noble Sacrifice. This is necessary for someone's physical safety or mental health or bc of a threatening parent or family member or blackmail or Martyr Syndrome or low self-esteem or a bad haircut, whatever the reason, someone lies. (Also see Noble Sacrifice Nevermind, above)
• The Noble Sacrifice as an injury that is taken for another.
• Disappearing No-Com Feelings Twist: Someone turns off their phone (or pops out the battery) and disappears because REASONS... and the other lead FINALLY realizes their love.
• Don't forget AMNESIA! It's out there, waiting, lurking, and it hasn't forgotten you. Hahaha, see what I did there? But, seriously, amnesia. BONUS if they get it more than once. POWER UP BONUS if they recover memories from a past life!!
• One lead (or someone in their family) causes the death directly or indirectly of someone related to the other lead. This will lead to either a revenge plot or a noble sacrifice. ROMANCE BONUS if forgiveness, communicating, & true love prevails.
• Their parents got married, dammit.

The Last Act

• WE NEED A FINAL EPISODE SCRIPT DOCTOR SPECIALIST, STAT! You watch a drama for 15 to 19 hours and love it all, but for some reason the very last episode is trash. Sometimes even 10 minutes of the final episode can ruin it for you. If we have specialists in almost every field, why do we not have someone taking the time to pour over the last episode and make sure it is lovingly crafted like an artisan puzzle instead of "thank God this is finally over, everyone run for your lives." Not every show fails on the final episode, but enough do to have this as a bingo spot.
• The Final Episode Deus Ex Machina. BONUS if there is an ACTUAL god in a machine (I'm looking at you, writers of Moorim School, you insane bastards.)
• Forget the Rules, It's The Last Episode! For any show in the genre of supernatural or fantasy, once the last episode rolls up, don't expect any of the previous world-building rules to apply. They have to end this shit, afterall - who cares if it makes sense anymore!
• Time Jump in the final episode. When handled like an epilogue to share what the various characters are doing with their lives, it's usually uplifting. BUT there's also the:
• Time-Jump Missing No-Com Combo! This is utter nonsense that makes you want to kick shit. One of the leads disappears (often goes Overseas) and doesn't call or communicate at all (or did for a bit, but then stops). They reunite in the finale and the lead explains he/she didn't call because it would've been TOO PAINFUL and then they have a love-filled 5 second kiss reunion AND/OR proposal as if nothing changed at all in the months/years they were separated and NOT SPEAKING because TRUE LOVE and REASONS....

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Here is a great article from a wonderful site that explores the bigger themed tropes in dramaland and lists great examples to watch:

http://www.dramabeans.com/2017/01/our-top-10-favorite-k-drama-tropes/
(also, I live for dramabeans recaps, so check them out)

Here is a funny article from MDL about tropes: 
http://mydramalist.com/article/2017/08/18/kdrama-tropes-we-love-to-hate