22. cheaters, buicks, and dramaland

Since most of my offline life revoles around dramas (more so lately as the weather has gotten chilly, leaving me wanting to spend my evenings wrapped up in a Sofia cashmere blanket with a large mug of hot chocolate), I've been caught up with the idea of cheating boyfriends courtesy of "In Need of Romance 1" (로맨스가 필요해 1). Pegged as Korea's answer to "Sex and the City," the show revolves around the lives of three 33-year-old best friends navigating through the murky waters of relationships, marriage, and work. While most of the sex scenes are absolutely cringeworthy with their awkwardness, the plot does raise a number of valid points about cheating spouses.

In a complicated web of feelings and memories, the main character In-young is torn between wanting to forgive her director boyfriend of 10 years for cheating with a young and beautiful actress. The majority of the show asks both In-young and the viewers to waver between her choosing the cheater who's eaten up most of her youth or the younger, good looking heir of a major hotel chain. To me, this is no contest.

And not just because he's taller, more athletic, better looking, and a bag of cash. (Although all of those points do help - let's face it, drama land.) He treats her better. He treats her like a princess. He's the conglomeration of all the good guy characters that Korean dramas push into our faces. The white knight in a black Buick SUV. (For some reason, Koreans leave to feature rich people driving cars that most people in America would think as middle class. Import taxes rendered these cars as luxury vehicles in Korea, pre-FTA. I think things are much different now.)

Granted I've never been in a situation like this, so I don't understand people who would choose to stay with the cheater boyfriend, complete with the paranoia that he might commit the same crime again. Am I the only one who would go for the new model? Even if he is in a Buick? Please, tell me I'm not the only one.

Also, I would tell my friend who is the president/owner of a successful e-commerce site that rakes in a revenue in the millions to give up her hatchback Ford Focus/Smart Car for something that would better fit her nearly 6'0 frame.



HM leather peplum top (similar here)
Alexander Wang silk tiered skirt (FW08)
long pearl necklace (similar here)
Gucci vintage doctor bag (similar here)
HM scarf
Thakoon knotted harness boots (similar here)