The Cringe Hall of Fame: Analyzing Three Unforgettable Cringeworthy Moments in K-Drama History
- lewishooper1
- Sep 19
- 3 min read
Why can't we look away when our favorite characters trip, flail, and mess up? Why analyze three of our favorite "cringe-worthy" moments from popular K-dramas!
So what creates "cringe-worthy" moments?
When we talk about "cringe-worthy" moments in K-dramas, it's often a blend of over-the-top acting, outdated tropes, and scenes that induce a strong sense of second-hand embarrassment. While some viewers find these scenes part of the genre's charm, others can't help but look away, at least this is what the Dojeon team tends to think. Let's take a look at some of the hottest awkward moments!
Forced Romance scenes
As far as K-dramas go, especially those in the late 2000s, these were notorious for featuring forced romance scenes, which led to some problematic moments on film.
Some of these moments showcased forced kissing scenes where the male leads forcefully kissed the female lead, in an attempt to assert their dominance on set. What was once intended as a passionate or dramatic scene can now come across as non-consensual and uncomfortable to watch.
If that was not all, there were also a lot of overbearing chaebol, which often refers to the rich arrogant male lead, who treats the female in a bad way. Do you think that this behavior is desirable? The behavior is often possessive, and stalker-like, which can at times be "cringy" for modern audiences to watch, compared to the older generation. A great example of this, can be seen in the classic K-dramas like Boys Over Flowers.
The "Dead Fish" Kiss
This phrase is a classic when it comes to older K-dramas. The "dead fish" kiss is used in a romantic scene where one of both of the main characters remain still, while their lips are barley touching the other person. This of course leads for a pretty uncomfortable and unrealistic scene for the viewers.
It has been said in the past that this is used more with inexperienced actors in romantic scenes, or for the more conservative nature of older Korean television, which has since evolved.
This show featured a pivotal moment in K-dramas, mainly thanks to the show's hero Son Oh Gong (played by Lee Seung-gi), who was completely felt disarmed thanks to his love interest, Jin Seon Mi (played by Oh Yeon-seo). This is mainly because she used a combination of a food stomp, widened eyes, and a cute voice, which told him that she was cold.
Despite his initial attempts to resist, her childishly cute display affects him so deeply that he clutches his heart, ultimately giving in to her charm and offering her his coat. This led to pretty uncomfortable scenes for viewers.
This K-drama is full of memorable "aegyo" (cute) scenes. Actually, from the moment when Yoon Min-seok (played by Kim Min-kyu) starts singing and at the same time making finger hearts for his girlfriend (Yes, this is a very cringeworthy moment), the gesture he is offering is too over the top.
Later on, the main lead, Seo Yi-do (played by Shin Sung-rok) mimics the same moves in his office, though this time in a more comical way, while still looking awkward. His co-worker catches him in the act, and as a result, Yi Do looks mortified.
If you are looking for a drama to literally "laugh out loud" to, then this is it!
This teen K-drama embraces very common tropes, including a heart-warming display of "aegyo". In this drama, Lee Su-ho (Cha Eun-woo) is not known for being cute, so he attempts to dance after watching his friend.
At this time, he was unaware that he was being recorded, and the footage is being sent to his girlfriend Im Ju Gyeong (Moon Ga-young). In the video, it also captures him singing about how much he actually likes her, and as a result, this light-hearted but very cringy moment has captured the hearts of K-drama fans!
Do you have a cringe-worthy K-drama moment or scene you would like to share? Comment below!
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