Every Korean drama needs a good backstory, especially about the protagonist's early upbringing, which can make people see the reasons behind the situation. An important factor affecting a protagonist's sense of belonging, self-esteem, and personality is their family dynamics, and most of the time, it is their mother who has the greatest impact. We are familiar with "fierce mothers" in Korean dramas, and those mothers often look terrible and inaccessible at first. No matter how domineering they are, you can believe that they are only for the protection of their children, for their sake. Here are the most memorable, strong and cute mothers in Korean dramas.
The camellia in [When the camellia blossoms] are in bloom
Camellia (played by Gong Xiaozhen) is the definition of inner strength. In this play, in order to provide a normal life for her son, she endured all the gossip and the bullying of the villagers. In order to get rid of the shadow of the past, she moved from different cities and single-handedly opened a "Camellia" tavern with little help. When she started over, she ran into obstacles and tried to overcome them by being patient and conforming to society's standards. But in the process, she learned to speak out and fight for her beliefs, especially when it came to protecting her son.
The tiger mothers in [Please answer 1988].
The first thing that must be pointed out is that in the early 80s and 90s, women in South Korea were just beginning to find their voice in the family and work. The three mothers played by Li Yihua, Kim Sun-young and Luo Meilan are the backbone of the family. In order for their husbands and children to reach their full potential in their daily lives, they are in the background. Whether it's cooking, cleaning, washing clothes, or making housework decisions, they are people of every detail and often don't get much appreciation. But because of them, children have good values from an early age, independence, and even strong willpower!
Cui Yuande in [Started].
Kim Hae-sook has been debuting for decades and has been featured as a loving mother in many Korean dramas, and is widely known as "Korean mother". In "StartEd Up", she is the grandmother of Xu Damei (Bae So-chi), but no matter how difficult their lives are, she assumes the role of mother and grandmother at the same time. She didn't give up the opportunity to work day and night for them because of her age and physical condition. She is also the definition of generosity and tolerance, as she took in a young stranger, Han Zhiping (played by Kim Seon-ho), and had a great influence in his life. Xu Damei's mother abandoned them to enjoy her rich and comfortable life, and she was able to tolerate Xu Damei's biological mother to come to her house again. Under her education, Han Zhiping grew into a "good child", and Xu Damei also became a kind, intelligent and heartfelt woman!
"Hello goodbye, Mom! Che Yuli and Wu Minjing
What does it mean to be a mom? Is it a simple blood relative, or a person who has raised children for many years? This is the problem that the show is trying to solve, Cha Youli (played by Kim Tae-hee) died before he could take care of his child Ruiyu, and Wu Minjing (played by Gao Fujie) took over the position of stepmother. It is difficult to choose between the two, Che Yuli in order to take care of the child, is simply to go to the soup fire, become a living wandering soul, while Wu Minjing has to endure the challenge, the husband's sense of loss, and finally give up his career and accompany the child to grow.
The dedication and unconditional love of the two mothers to Rain are equally admirable. It's also "Hello Goodbye, Mom! The reason why it is a tear-jerking and worthwhile work is because it explores the different meanings of being a mother!
Kim Hyun-ci in "This Life is the First Time"
On the day of her fake marriage, Yoon Ji-ho (played by Jung So-min) said something harsh to her mother, implying that her family did not benefit anything and blaming her for having experienced so much suffering since she was a child. But she didn't know that it was her mother who had sacrificed a lot for their family. On the big day, Kim Hyun-chi (kim Sun-young) tells her daughter-to-be husband-to-be some touching and realistic advice. She stressed: Yin Zhihao is an independent woman, she has the ability to have her own happiness, as a husband, all he has to do is to support her all the time. This scene is poignant and reminds us that most of the time, we take our mothers for granted, that they are always there for us, but what they really want is that we are happy.
Lu Chenghui and Li Xiulin in "Castle in the Sky"
Lu Chenghui (played by Yin Shiya) is married to a domineering, controlling and difficult husband, and he has forced the child into a desperate situation in the child's learning. Out of fear, she endured him for so many years. But when she finally plucked up the courage, for the sake of the children, she did what she had to do: leave him and teach her children that a person's true worth is not measured by high scores and titles. She encourages children to pave their own paths and not to be afraid of judgment.
Meanwhile, Lee So-lin (Lee Tae-ran) has always carried her son in an upright manner, even if they are surrounded by fiercely competitive mothers and children. This is also the reason why he is mature in thinking at this age and never hits others in order to get ahead.
Jiang Xiuzhen in [Mother].
Sometimes, our teacher or mentor can be our mom. They guide and teach us in the classroom, but also prepare us for entering the real world. Sometimes, their care for us extends beyond the school. Such is the case with temporary teacher Jiang Xiuzhen (played by Li Baoying), who treats an abused child as her own, healing her emotional and physical wounds.
Zhao Qiangzi in "Angry Mother"
Cho Jong-ko (kim hee-sun) is a typical mother who encounters the problem of a rebellious teenager who refuses to open up to her. She takes everything into her own hands, pretending to be a high school student and exposing the school's inequities. She is the kind of mother who protects at all costs, not only her daughter, but also every teenager who does not dare to speak up about the wrong behavior of adults.
Jiang Shunde in "Although it is mentally ill, it doesn't matter"
There is nothing more comforting than a mother's warm home-cooked meal and wise words. This is the embodiment of Kang Soon-duk (played by Kim Mi-kyung), the mother of Yoo Joong-jae (played by Park Jin-joo), who works as a chef in a mental hospital. She welcomes the brothers, Moon Kang-tae (Kim so-hyun) and Moon Sang-tae (Oh Jeong-seok), to her home and treats them as if they were her own sons. Vincom-tai and Vincent often consulted her, and in the end, despite the challenges they faced, she made them feel genuine love and care.
Hong Hyun-sook in "Goddess Advent"
Jang Hye-jin is also another high-profile actress who has played many memorable mothers in Korean dramas. In "Goddess Descending", she played the strong, hard-working mother of Lin Zhoujing (played by Wen Jiaxuan), who became the financial pillar of the family after her husband was deceived. She often nags her family, which is quite difficult, but from her point of view, it is also understandable, because she only wants to run a beauty salon by herself, although it is very hard, but she only wants to keep her family together and support her family. At first, she was resistant to Lin Zhoujing's dreams and knew nothing about her daughter's past of being bullied, but once she knew, she would fight for her at all costs. Although she was very tough on Lin Zhoujing at the beginning, she was also one of the people who saw Lin Zhoujing's "Goddess Descending". She is also the most memorable line in the play!
There are also many unforgettable Korean drama picture books, but unfortunately we can't list them all! Who is your favorite? Let me know in the comments below!