In 2020, Dr. Van Ta Park PhD, MD co-published Promising Results from the Use of a Korean Drama to Address Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behaviors on School Bullying and Mental Health among Asian American College-Aged Students in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, validating K-Drama as a medium for improving behavior and mental health. “It definitely has the potential to be therapeutic, even in just a short time period. It’s not meant to replace cognitive behavioral therapy or antidepressants, or seeing your doctor,” Park revealed in a Forbes interview.

Similarly, Korean-American professional, Jeanie Y. Chang, LMFT, CMHIMP, CCTP, refers to K-Dramas in her work as a marriage and family therapist. In her YouTube channel, Noona’s Noonchi, Chang takes a “deep dive” into K-Dramas from a mental health perspective. She attributes their feel-good success to the hope that is portrayed in them. “[K-Dramas give] us hope. Hope is something I share in therapy a lot. Nobody can take away hope, no matter how bleak of a life you have, you can always hope that your life gets better. I think Koreans do a good job of showing that resiliency and overcoming the odds, even if it's not realistic. I think most adults will know it’s not realistic, but we can still buy into it because we love seeing that hopefulness and resilience in overcoming hardship,” she says.

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Not only are the storylines compelling in K-Dramas. It is safe to say that all of them are supported by amazing scenic and production design that enhance the stories. It can even be argued that these dramas’ feel-good factor is no accident. Their scenic design teams have intended all the details, down to the color story of each frame, contributing to the therapeutic, hopeful and happy vibe audiences get from these dramas.

Should you be inspired to decorate your space a la K-Drama, Metro.Style selected stills and posters from 10 happy K-Dramas for color inspiration:

Crash Landing On You, Netflix, 2019

Crash Landing On You, Netflix, 2019

Crash Landing On You, Netflix, 2019

Fight For My Way, KBS2, 2017

Fight For My Way, KBS2, 2017

Hometown Cha Cha Cha, Netflix, 2021

Hometown Cha Cha Cha, Netflix, 2021

Hospital Playlist, Netflix, 2020

Hospital Playlist, Netflix, 2020

Oh My Venus, KBS2, 2015

Oh My Venus, KBS2, 2015

Oh My Venus, KBS2, 2015

Our Beloved Summer, Netflix, 2021

Our Beloved Summer, Netflix, 2021

She Was Pretty, MBC, 2015

She Was Pretty, MBC, 2015

Touch Your Heart, TvN, 2019

Touch Your Heart, TvN, 2019

Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo, MBC, 2016

Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo, MBC, 2016

When The Camilla Blooms, Netflix, 2019

When The Camilla Blooms, Netflix, 2019

Color And Your Mood

Truth: colors affect our mood. Just like music, colors have the power to influence how we feel. See how your favorite hues may affect your frame of mind, and remember to use these colors depending on your room's function:

Yellow- creates optimism and lightness in a room

Green- inspires concentration

Blue- improves your mood by making you feel fresh and re-invigorated

Pink- gives a feeling of peacefulness and tranquility

Orange- offers a welcoming vibe

Red- makes you feel hungry and builds your appetite

White- makes a space feel fresh and clean

So the next time you watch a happy K-Drama for your mental health therapy, pay attention to the use of color and we guarantee, you’ll feel great already!