Zenyalore Kisses

A Drama Diary on Finding Comfort in K-Dramas and Blogging During Hard Times

🌧️ Feeling Lonely and Overwhelmed? Why K-Dramas Are My Gentle Escape

Life has a way of testing us when we feel like we’re not ready for another pop quiz. Today the sparkle isn’t as bright, and the shine has dimmed to a soft glow. I just wanted to share a little bit of my heart.

Lately, the world has felt really loud and heavy. Loneliness is creeping in. The house feels especially empty today as my family is out working or doing activities I can’t join. Friends are fading. And the quiet feels extra palpable.

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💜 How K-Dramas Became My Safe Haven Through 13 Years of Real Life Struggles

Dramas aren’t just entertainment for me, they’re my safe place for when the world feels too loud, too sad, or too lonely.

I first discovered dramas while I was on leave from work due to an injury. I’d already binged through a mountain of Western TV and was feeling burned out. Someone recommended Boys Over Flowers, and I gave it a shot. That particular drama? A rollercoaster without a seatbelt, but it got me curious about the genre. By the time my three-month leave was up, I’d devoured over a dozen K-dramas.

Today marks thirteen years of drama love. These stories have carried me through some of the most difficult seasons of my life. When I felt like giving up, they gave me comfort. They gave me swoons and smiles.

This past month has been especially hard. Loss and grief are heavy companions. But even as I felt like I was losing someone who’d been a rock in my life, I found myself drawn back to the drama world, and back to blogging. And I’m so glad I did.

Blogging during my Drama Noona era gave me a community of like-minded, like-hearted friends. Even though Zenyalore Kisses is still an itty bitty baby in the blogging space, I already feel that familiar warmth again. Knowing the people who visit this blog love dramas as deeply as I do? That’s a gift. One I’m really glad I didn’t give up.  

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🎬 Escaping Into K-Dramas: The Joy, the Healing, and the Friends I Needed Most

Dramas are a little piece of happiness that glitter brightly and help me feel better, mentally and emotionally.

Getting lost in a story gives me a break from the aches in my body and the ache in my heart. It lights up the serotonin in my brain and helps me forget the sadness I’m carrying in my friendships.

I recently finished King the Land, and the friendship between Sa Rang and her girlfriends was precious to me. I could live vicariously through their fierce, loyal bonds, and in those moments, I didn’t feel so alone.

There’s been more struggle in the last eight years than I want to dive into. Life has been raw. Painful. And so often it feels like the wounds don’t get time to heal before they’re salted again.

But stories help me see the good in people. Romance dramas show me love in ways that feel extravagant and magical. Seeing those stories unfold gives me something to believe in again.

Because of my health, I can’t join my family in the things I once loved. I’m home most days with my precious cat. Seeing kisses and love on screen helps make the loneliest moments feel just a little more bearable.  

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⌨️ Reclaiming Joy Through Drama Blogging: How Fangirling Helped Me Heal

Drama has always been my constant. It’s one of the few loves that hasn’t left me, through all the high highs and crushing lows.

This month felt like a breaking point. Like I might finally be burned up by sadness. But instead, I turned to dramas. I watched more in one month than I had in the last three. I remembered how much I loved squealing over ridiculous proposals and outrageously swoony leads.

I even returned to my old blog and read some of my past posts. I felt a flicker of something blooming again. I realized the sparkle never disappeared, it was just quieted by pain.

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🌙 Grief, Growth, and Gratitude: How K-Dramas Help Me Keep Going

Things are still dark. Still sad. But I don’t want that sadness to win.

I’ve worked too hard to come this far. And so, I’ve taken up my sword and shield again (dramas and blogging) and I’m finding my way back to happiness.

I’m proud of myself for turning toward something I love instead of shutting down. I’m thankful for the dramas that have gently lifted me up. I’m thankful for the people who’ve found their way to this tiny blog.

And I’m hopeful.
Hopeful that I can build a new community, one where we fall in love with chaebols and curse evil parents together.

For now, I’m just grateful for stories that remind me it’s okay to feel everything… and for kisses that arrive right when I need them most. 💜