How TV Dramas Have Accompanied and Influenced Me

I love TV dramas—and I've probably spent over ten thousand hours watching them. In this article, I want to share how TV dramas have accompanied me throughout my life and what they've given me.

Early Inspiration

My earliest TV memory is from when I was about five or six. I loved the cartoon Big-Headed Kid and Small-Headed Father, a lighthearted show depicting the warm and humorous daily life of a typical father and son. Looking back, I realize this was when I first discovered my love for family comedies—a passion that has stayed with me ever since. Even now, I still enjoy dramas that are warm, funny, and centered around family.

Heroism and Justice

Between 2002 and 2007, during my primary school years, I was fascinated by martial arts dramas—especially adaptations of Jin Yong's novels like The Smiling, Proud Wanderer and Ode to Gallantry. These stories filled me with dreams of becoming a heroic swordswoman, roaming the world, and fighting for justice.

They had a lasting impact on my values. I still admire virtues like standing up to authority, protecting the weak, and fighting for what’s right.

History and Family Bonds

I used to watch historical dramas with my grandfather. Shows like Kangxi Dynasty and The Eloquent Ji Xiaolan became our nightly ritual. They usually ended before 9:30 p.m.—two episodes, then off to bed.

These shows sparked my early interest in Chinese history, but more importantly, the time spent with my grandfather became a cherished memory. He passed away when I was in high school, yet I can still picture those quiet evenings like they were yesterday.

Mythology and Time Travel

During summer vacations, my siblings and I would binge-watch fantasy and time-travel dramas. Many of them were rooted in mythology and Chinese classics, laced with wild imagination. One that stood out was Magic Mobile Phone, a bizarre fusion of sci-fi, mythology, and Journey to the West.

Years later, during the COVID lockdown, I rewatched it out of nostalgia. To my surprise, one scene was filmed right next to my current office building. It felt surreal to recognize a childhood screen memory in my adult life.

It was a strange and beautiful experience—almost like time travel had taken shape in my own life, connecting past and present in the most unexpected way.

Love Themes and Emotional Growth

In my teenage years, I was deeply influenced by romantic dramas from Taiwan, South Korea, and mainland China. These shows were immensely popular, often following a predictable formula: a wealthy, domineering man who is initially cold or hostile toward an ordinary girl, only to fall hopelessly in love with her through a series of dramatic and romantic twists.

These dramas had a significant impact on me. Before watching them, I dreamed of becoming a heroic swordswoman—independent, brave, and unshakable. But after being immersed in those stories, I found myself fantasizing about being loved by a handsome, generous man. I became absorbed in the desire to be loved, gradually reshaping myself into a softer, more passive version of a girl longing for affection. At the time, I didn’t fully grasp what my truest self was—I was enveloped in romantic illusions that clouded my sense of identity.

To be honest, many of these shows were not well made. The characters were often shallow, the plots exaggerated, and both male and female leads were portrayed as emotionally volatile and intellectually hollow. Sure, love doesn’t always follow logic—but the way these dramas glorify emotional instability and mass-market it to viewers feels like a form of cultural dumbing-down. Still, I watched them while simultaneously criticizing them. Isn’t that the reality? If a show doesn’t hit your emotional nerves, if it doesn’t tap into your softest spots, how else would it keep you watching?

I have to admit: love is a deeply human desire. It’s sweet, bitter, intoxicating. Even now, when I hear the theme song from Autumn in My Heart, I can’t help tearing up. That kind of vulnerability is part of what makes us human. In love, reason often steps aside. We crave that pain—beautiful and cruel—a paradox that seduces and consumes.

But stepping back and looking at it calmly, I believe a healthy view of love should be rooted in mutual care, support, and the shared journey of becoming better, more complete individuals. In an intimate relationship, we are not extensions of each other—we are two whole people choosing connection through respect, equality, and understanding. That kind of love holds real power.

I had intended to deliver a harsher critique of these idol dramas. But then I remembered how deeply I once enjoyed and indulged in them—and how, even while immersed in infatuation, the core of my ideals and sense of self remained, if sometimes obscured. So, I’ll leave it at that.