A guide to the terminology that is frequently used. I’ll try to keep this list up to date.
The explanations may get adjusted and more refined as my studies help me understand the origin of these terms more.
Makjang
- Over the top drama. This is the soap opera level Korean drama that believes more is more. These are the dramas about the wealthy elites, they've secret identities, amnesia, cheating, revenge, manipulation, gaslighting, and always to the max levels. While other dramas may have a few of these elements, makjangs are here to one up the average Korean drama.
Wuxia
- Means “Martial Heroes”. These are the stories about martial arts masters. Probably one of the most well known in America is the movie “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon”. Popular Chinese dramas in this genre include “The Legend of the Condor Heroes” (based on the novels by Jin Yong. They’re translated in english and the first is titled a "A Hero Born"), “And the Winner Is Love”, and “Under the Power” as a few examples.
Xianxia
- Meaning “Immortal Heroes”. This is a genre of fantasy inspired by mythology, philosophy, martial arts, and may include supernatural elements as well. A more popular example for this in America is actually the video game "Black Myth: Wukong", based on the legends of Sun Wukong. Popular Chinese Dramas in this genre include "The Untamed", "Till the End of the Moon", and "Love and Redemption" as a few examples.
Cultivator
- This is a term you will find in Xianxia dramas and fiction. Cultivator stories will often have lots of references to various philosophies like Daoism, Buddhism, and Confuscism. It's an area I'm still learning about, but in the books and shows I've watched their cultivation helps them get stronger, have special abilities, and sometimes reach immortality.
ML
- Male lead, the primary male character in the plot. Not every drama has a male lead.
SML
- Second Male Lead, this is the second primary male character. They can be a secondary love interest for the female lead, part of a secondary couple, a love interest for the male lead, or secondary main no romance required like in Beyond Evil or Under the Skin.
FL
- Female Lead, the primary female character in the plot. Not every drama has a female lead.
SFL
- Second Female Lead, the second primary female character. They can be a secondary love interest for the male lead, part of a secondary couple, a love interest for the female lead, or a secondary main character no romance required like in Good Partner.
Second Lead Syndrome
- Second lead syndrome is when you’re rooting for the secondary character more than the ML. Thankfully I have very rarely had second lead syndrome. I’m more likely to just be upset that they don’t add in a character for the SML, and give them their own love line if they’re that good.
Second Couple Syndrome
- When the secondary couple is just so good you love them more than the main couple. I am guilty of this one frequently. secondary couples are either I love them or I skip them. There have been a few dramas that I dragged myself through to see the secondary couple happily ever after.
Ship
- When you ship a couple you want them to be together. There are canon ships who are story official and ghost ships non story official couples. Examples using Avatar the Last Airbender (SPOILER) canon ships: Katara + Aang, Sokka + Suki non-canon ships: Katara + Zuko, Sokka + Toph.
BL
- Boys Love, like it sounds its a romance between two male characters.
GL
-Girls Love, a romance between two female characters.
Bromance
- There are two kinds of bromance dramas. First kind is 100% platonic, this is the original definition of bromance two guys who are buddies. Examples: 'Ghost Doctor', 'Weak Hero Class'. Second kind is a censored adaptation of a same-sex work. That’s the tag you’ll see listed a lot of time. These are shows that because of censorship have removed the romantic element and turned them into bosom pals, there for each other to the end of time "platonically". Examples: 'The Untamed', 'Guardian'.
