Finding Joy in Simple Things: Why I Stopped Feeling Guilty About Watching K-Dramas

Finding Joy in Simple Things: Why I Stopped Feeling Guilty About Watching K-Dramas

When I first moved to the United States, I thought I’d find endless adventure. I’d left Korea, where my life was full of friends, events, gatherings, singing nights, and constant activity. But here in Boston, something shifted. The long winters, the humid summers, the expense of everything—it all felt different. And suddenly, I had something I’d never had before: time alone.

At first, I didn’t know what to do with it.

The Pressure to Be Productive

Everyone had suggestions. Go to church, my friends said. Join a hiking group on Facebook. Take a class—learn guitar, learn an instrument, do something useful. My clients recommended dancing classes, knitting classes, book clubs. Even the YouTubers I watched were telling me the same thing: if you want to be rich and successful, don’t waste time on entertainment. Use every hour to earn money or learn something that will make you money.

The message was clear: leisure time is wasteful. Entertainment is laziness. If you’re not improving yourself or making money, you’re falling behind.

So I tried. I tried reading books, but I’d fall asleep after a few pages. I tried going to church, but it didn’t feel authentic to me. I attempted cooking new recipes from different countries, but I ended up wasting food and feeling frustrated. I considered dancing classes, but the price made me anxious. I looked into gym memberships, but the smell of sweat and rubber made me uncomfortable. I even thought about hiking again—my favorite hobby from California—but Boston winters and sticky summers, along with worries about Lyme disease, made the trails unappealing.”

Everything felt like it was supposed to make me happy, but nothing actually did.

The Guilt of Doing Nothing

And then I discovered K-dramas and C-dramas. And I felt guilty.

I’d watch an episode or two, and immediately, a voice in my head would start criticizing me. You’re wasting time. You should be earning money. You should be learning something. Successful people don’t spend hours watching TV. You’ll be poor forever if you keep doing this.

I’d seen YouTubers and self-help influencers say exactly that: if you waste time on entertainment instead of building wealth, you’ll never be rich. The implication was clear—I was being lazy. I was choosing comfort over success. I was failing.

But here’s what those YouTubers didn’t understand: I was working every day. I was already trying to earn money. What I needed wasn’t another hustle or another self-improvement project. What I needed was peace.

How I Found My Answer

One day, I realized something. I’d tried forcing myself to enjoy “productive” hobbies, and none of them brought me joy. But when I watched a K-drama or C-drama, something shifted inside me. The beautiful music, the romantic storylines, the stories of success and perseverance, the peaceful narratives about working moms finding balance—these things made me feel alive. They made me feel less alone in my struggle.

So I stopped apologizing for it.

I discovered that I don’t actually like watching movies because they’re too short and require too much active attention. But TV series? Those are different. I can watch the first two episodes actively, and from the third episode onward, I listen like it’s a radio show. I know the main characters’ voices. I remember their stories. The beautiful music becomes the soundtrack to my daily life. When I’m cooking, when I’m doing dishes, when I’m lying in bed unable to sleep—that music and those voices are there with me, filling the silence.

And the stories I choose matter. I love romance, startup success stories, time-traveling narratives, stories about working moms balancing everything. I don’t watch horror, I don’t watch gratuitous violence or cold-blooded killing, I don’t watch action movies with constant chaos. When I’m stressed, I choose a peaceful, happy-ending Korean drama or Chinese drama that soothes my nerves and reminds me that life can be beautiful.

The Real Truth About Money and Happiness

Here’s what I’ve learned living in a capitalist country: yes, money is important. I love money. Who doesn’t? Money gives you options. Money gives you freedom. Money keeps you safe.

But money alone doesn’t keep you sane.

When I’m stressed about finances, when I’m thinking constantly about earning more money, my brain starts to shrivel. Life becomes mechanical. I wake up, I work, I stress about money, I sleep. There’s no beauty in it. There’s no joy.

But when I allow myself to watch a drama, when I let myself have this simple pleasure without guilt, something changes. My mental health improves. My confidence at work improves. I feel like I’m living a human life, not just existing as a money-making machine.

What I Want to Tell You

If you’re reading this and you feel guilty about your hobbies—whatever they are—I want you to know something: your mental health comes before your productivity.

This doesn’t mean don’t work hard. It doesn’t mean don’t try to earn money or improve yourself. It means that taking care of your mind and your spirit is not selfish. It’s essential.

In a capitalist world, money is always positioned as number one. But as a human being, your mental confidence, your peace of mind, your joy—these are number one. Without them, the money doesn’t matter anyway. You’ll be rich and miserable, which is just another kind of poverty.

So if you love watching TV shows, watch them. If you love painting, painting. If you love sitting in silence doing absolutely nothing—do that. The YouTubers who say you’ll be poor forever if you don’t maximize every moment? They’re trying to sell you something. Usually anxiety.

Find something that genuinely brings you peace. Not something that’s supposed to bring you peace according to Instagram or YouTube. Something that actually does. And then protect that thing. Don’t let anyone make you feel guilty for it.

For me, it’s K-dramas and C-dramas. For you, it might be something completely different. That’s okay.

My Life Now

These days, I’m not ashamed of my hobby. I work hard during the day. I cook healthy food. I take care of myself. And in the evenings, I watch my dramas without guilt. Sometimes I’m actively watching, and sometimes I’m just listening to the beautiful music and the familiar voices of characters I’ve come to love.

It’s not the most exciting life, maybe. It’s not what the self-help influencers would recommend. But it’s a life where I feel mentally stable. Where I feel like myself. Where the world doesn’t feel so cold and lonely and expensive.

And honestly? That’s enough. That’s everything.

What brings you genuine joy? Not what you think should bring you joy, but what actually does? Have you felt guilty about your hobbies or interests? I’d love to hear your story in the comments. Let’s stop judging ourselves for the things that keep us sane.


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