[Dramaland Catnip] Swooning for dramatic height differences
by Guest Beanie
Strong Woman Do Bong-soon
By @since2006
When I read the Dramaland Catnip prompt several things popped into my mind. First, how, just how, can a site understand me so well? In the past I always thought of drama catnip as that thing. You know, that thing, that extra sparkle that made a drama a crack drama, or in worse scenarios, that thing that made me stick around to watch a drama that just wasn’t good otherwise. But now I have a word for it.
Second, many ideas floated to the top of my drama-loving head: living-together hijinks; heroes who mask their pain behind glib personalities or a happy demeanor; when leads stare at each other and you blush or have the strange urge to cough to remind them that you’re there, but they won’t hear you because they aren’t real stupid so just watch; or compelling angst (so hard to do right); or, or, or… So many things to love in dramaland. But a lot of those things depend, still, on storytelling ability or acting abilities or a number of other things that take real talent. But I’m not here to do a postmodern deconstruction of the effectiveness of Korean mini-dramas to convey emotion. I’m here for catnip.
After taking a second, it came to me, readily, swinging in from the glittery, shallow part of my brain that just likes the pretty.
My catnip is height differences.
Strong Woman Do Bong-soon
Example A.
When I first started watching dramas (years and years ago), I tried to deny this about myself. As a raging feminist, I love equality in relationships. But yet. I like it when the guy, he’s just so big, and the girl, so tiny.
Example B:
Healer
This is serious catnip for me. I look up the heights first. It influences what I watch. I may have kind of switched from Japanese to Korean dramas for that reason at first (What? Don’t look at me like that. There are some very, very good, great, Japanese dramas I love to death, but the guys, so short, so small, the woman, so beautiful, so tall).
Sometimes I think about if someone popped into my head briefly, they would be slightly alarmed by just how many Korean actor and actress heights I know (probably also by other things, but that would definitely be one of them). It’s gotten to the point that I understand, visually, heights better in centimeters than I do in feet and inches anymore. I mean, if someone tells me they’re 5’7”, I’m like, kind of tall for a woman, kind of short for a man, then think on it no longer. But if something says the actor is 180 cm, my brain goes: That’s average height for a Korean actor, though they frequently lie and are shorter (I. Can. TELL), though in the last few years they just keep getting taller and taller, 185 is my favorite, after that they get a little gangly, if they are paired with an actress under 165, I’ll squee out loud.
So, yeah, my strangely obsessive catnip that I won’t generally admit influences my drama choices more than it should.
But what can I say? The shallow glittery part of my brain likes what pretty it likes.
Fight My Way
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51 Suraj tamang
June 13, 2017 at 4:33 AM
I.love it
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52 ladykrueger
June 13, 2017 at 4:44 AM
My spiritual sister!
I am absolutely OBSESSED with height difference. It's literally the first thing I check about the leads (along with the age gap), because I just need to know. And then... When the lead is towering over the actress, that alone sends me on a swoonfest.
That is why I love that there are more and more tall newbie actors (Nam Joo-hyuk, Ahn Hyo-seob, Lee Tae-hwan). When the guy is tall, possibilities are endless!
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53 Ally
June 13, 2017 at 5:12 AM
I agree, I have a thing for tall guys. Moonlight drawn by clouds takes the cake on this. The scene where she has to put on the cap on him and he stands on his tippy toes is adorable and totally swoon worthy.
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kurazo4
June 13, 2017 at 6:15 AM
I know, right? Totally swoon worthy for me :)
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54 kanchongspider
June 13, 2017 at 5:17 AM
I love this so much!!
As someone who is barely 5 feet, I love seeing imagining myself in tiny Park Bo Young with Park Hyung Sik.
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55 buckdawna
June 13, 2017 at 5:33 AM
I really love a good height difference, too. Especially when he has to bend a little to go in for a kiss (those abs are crunching and you know it). But an extreme height difference in real life unsettles me. For example, Hayden Panettiere and her giant boxer husband. He so, so huge, and she's so, so tiny. I try to remember that they are both adult human beings, not defined by their height, yet my brain still pipes in "How does that....work?"
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56 SojuSommelier
June 13, 2017 at 5:35 AM
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57 SojuSommelier
June 13, 2017 at 5:36 AM
As someone who stands at 181cm., this catnip makes me sad.
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Jessi Bear
June 14, 2017 at 6:08 PM
As someone who stands at 174cm...know your pain.
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58 Kyokik
June 13, 2017 at 5:41 AM
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59 mmmmm
June 13, 2017 at 5:59 AM
This is another nice post, thanks for sharing your catnip!
I've read through the beanies' comments here and agree with many things they said. For me if the chemistry is there it's there, I don't normally pay much attention to height difference. However, I too have a thing for tall men with broad shoulders. I think I feel the protection there. In reality, too, I am not drawn toward shorter or similar-height men. To me, they feel more like friends.
And I agree that a big difference in height does turn me off a bit since I'm considered a pretty tall woman in my country.. so I think I can't picture myself as a female lead in those dramas when the female leads look so small and fragile.
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60 silvermists
June 13, 2017 at 6:04 AM
Suspicious Partner and Healer!! Ji-Wook just has this way of enveloping people in this warm cuddly hugs and the way he rests his head on their shoulder? *swwwoooonnn* I still get butterflies in my stomach every time I watch that scene from Healer where she nurses him back to health and he is just dropped all around her like a puppy?? I would die for Wookie cuddles!! ???
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61 kurazo4
June 13, 2017 at 6:12 AM
This is seriously true! I just realized,a whole lot of the shows I have watched had this catnip (Moonlight Drawn by the Clouds, Goblin, Coffee Prince, Full House, etc.) They make me squee!
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62 sidnerella
June 13, 2017 at 6:22 AM
This is serious catnip right there haha. I kind of agree with you. Especially when the male actor is also super broad that when he hugs her he can envelope her in the hug. Makes for perfect back hug scenes. Park Seo Joon is the perfect example of this.
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63 HotCocoaGirl
June 13, 2017 at 7:34 AM
This is such catnip for me too ~ tall guys make me swoon ~~~ ?????
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64 Small Birdy
June 13, 2017 at 7:44 AM
I'm 4' 11" - 150cm...petite doesn't even begin to describe my trials and tribulations of being vertically challenged.
This catnip is really cute because I can understand...really understand how it feels...LOL!
I once met a client who was 6'7", about 2.0m tall! I was so amused and he was likewise so used to people commenting about his height.
Anyways, I love shows with height difference between the leads and am always pleasantly surprised to find out that these actors are all SO TALL....arrgh!
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65 growingbeautifully
June 13, 2017 at 8:18 AM
This is cute! I actually do believe that many (not all, for eg Shin Ha Kyun is not that tall) lead male actors are chosen for their height. And those who do not quite meet the height standard, do have some wardrobe help ... at least I once ran into a TV filming team and noticed that ALL the guys were tall. I looked down and saw that they were in platform boots. ?
I think, I look more at the difference in overall size rather than just height. I'm always taken with how big his hands are, compared to hers (when they hold hands) or compared to the size of her head (when he steadies her for a kiss).
Difference in head size too is enthralling! Yes he may be a head taller, but his head compared to hers is usually, surprisingly bigger. Then he has to maneuver for the kiss without blocking the camera... so intriguing to watch. ?
And those scenes where the guy tries to hide the girl by standing close and covering her with himself, gets me trying to see how much of her is visible. LOL.
Although I won't watch a show just because of height or size, I certainly look for the difference in them in any OTP. ? ?
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66 lenrasoon
June 13, 2017 at 8:37 AM
That's one of my favorite catnips too!
My favorite height difference couples was:
Lee Won-Geun (187 cm) and Jung Eun-Ji (163 cm) in "Sassy Go Go"
Kim Young-Kwang (187 cm) and Kyung Soo-Jin (164 cm) in "Plus nine Boys"
Kim Young-Kwang (187 cm) and Soo-Ae (168 cm) in "Man Living at My House"
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mushmush
June 13, 2017 at 3:04 PM
While I usually don't have that catnip, I like it in "Man Living at My House" - the juxtaposition of him being in love with her like a cute puppy all the while towering over her just got me.
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67 RM444
June 13, 2017 at 8:50 AM
I love how simple height differences are but when a drama really capitalizes on the cuteness of a short-tall couple, then I too melt (not to mention fantasize about my own 180 cm tall boyfriend to complement my 153 cm stature).
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68 jillian
June 13, 2017 at 9:06 AM
I also like the height difference on the leads. Aside from whats mentioned, Rain and Song Hye Kyo in full House comes to mind. Rain and his broad shoulders next to tiny HyeKyo is all kinds of swoony. SHK and JIS in That Winter The Wind Blows. Jang Nara and Jang Hyuk. ???
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69 Tsukiko
June 13, 2017 at 9:07 AM
As someone that stands at all of 5'3, I LOVE it when the actors are 180 cm or above. I just love tall men <3
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70 TrinPie
June 13, 2017 at 9:34 AM
When I first started watching dramas (years and years ago), I tried to deny this about myself. As a raging feminist, I love equality in relationships. But yet. I like it when the guy, he’s just so big, and the girl, so tiny.
So true. I am a huge feminist but I love when guys are taller. I don't know what it is. My sister loves short guys but I have always been attracted to men taller then me. And when you have this adorable short girl next to this handsome tall guy in a kdrama? Yes please!
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71 Mandi96
June 13, 2017 at 10:10 AM
I always squee when the tiny female heroine is enveloped in a hug from the tall male lead. I love Jang Na Ra and think she's a fantastic actress, but I also know that in any drama I watch with her in it it's guaranteed I'll have something to sigh contentedly over.
I especially loved this when she was with Daniel Choi in both Baby Faced Beauty, and School 2013.
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72 WishfulToki
June 13, 2017 at 12:42 PM
I had a feeling Fight My Way would be somewhere in the post... and lo and behold, right at the end. So, is Park Seo Joon really 1.86 as he says in the drama? I know he's *tall* but I couldn't for the life of me give the exact height.
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73 Klike234
June 13, 2017 at 1:11 PM
Lol! I think we all unconsciously dig that lol
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74 Playstore
June 13, 2017 at 1:55 PM
OH MY GOSH OH MY GOSH! My catniiiiippppp! being a petite girl myself
i just gush out when i see the couples like Min Hyuk and Bong Soon. It's just too cute not to gush about.
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75 Nessie
June 13, 2017 at 2:20 PM
This trope just gives me unrealistic hope, that I'll one day find a tall, handsome, muscular and fit Oppa that will embrace my shortness haha
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Sam
June 14, 2017 at 11:17 PM
love your username :)
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76 lunatic4kd
June 13, 2017 at 4:56 PM
Moonlight Drawn by Clouds!!!! Every time PBG stood looking down at her!!! And Mercy Me, I took myself to the Billboard Awards just to support BTS and was BLOWN away when they got out of the car at the Magenta Carpet and looked so tall compared to many American celebrities and MCs....and the boys are only all around 5'10" to 5'11" but it was like the first time realizing that they are NOT short. Yes, I'm hopelessly silly and now crazy for Fight My Way. Talk about Park Seo Joon being tall...can we please talk about his body and abs in the latest episode? When do we get a catnip article about shower scenes??? HELLOOOOOOOO.
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Ally
June 13, 2017 at 7:44 PM
Umm, I may have alluded to this in mine...hopefully, soon to be published, lol!
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77 kakakash
June 13, 2017 at 7:42 PM
LOLLL. I respect your honesty guest beanie. I know an enbarrassing amount of actor and actress heights as well ?...
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78 dramabird
June 13, 2017 at 7:57 PM
I pay a lot of attention to heights too! I often look up the heights of the actors and actresses. This is probably a spill-over from real life. My husband is 6'4" (~193cm), so he looms over me (I'm around 172cm). I love having to stand one stair up from him in the house to see over his shoulder (even then I'm still shorter).
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79 Kreyon
June 13, 2017 at 8:05 PM
Thank you so much for this! I didn't realize it was one of my "things" until now, but it totally is. Also, this is so well written - major props!
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80 Ruilala
June 13, 2017 at 9:28 PM
Omg the catnip I never knew I needed! Soo accurate haha
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81 newgirl
June 13, 2017 at 11:38 PM
Thank you! I never realized that how much I love this too! I am only 5' 1" (150 cm), and have always loved tall, really tall, men. My first boyfriend was 6' 7" (200 cm)! Okay, that was a bit ridiculous, but we liked each other, and it didn't matter to us at the time. Now that I'm older, it feels like I have been overlooked (pun intended) by most men, who prefer taller women. So at least I can still look to dramas for some vicarious "tall boyfriend" squeeing.
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82 Dongsaeng
June 14, 2017 at 8:33 AM
I thought Secret Garden and Boys over flowers would be in the list.....
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83 niKai
June 14, 2017 at 11:12 AM
The height difference... it's swoony to look at on tv. but in real life I find it a little overwhelming and jarring. I'm super short and it's kinda my inferiority complex. I always wish I was a bit taller. So I prefer my drama heroines tall and elegant. I do find significant height difference cute and adorable. I just prefer a tall heroine that can stand almost eye to eye, literally, with her leading man. they may need a few inches tall of high heels to achieve that tho.
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Lulu02
June 14, 2017 at 3:46 PM
yeah kissing is annoying, when you're a lot shorter than your partner. But there's a solution in coffee prince and SWDBS for that . LOL
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84 dukseonnoona
June 14, 2017 at 11:14 AM
One of my favorite catnips too! Because personally, tall guys are my weakness ? I get really distracted when the female lead is almost the same height as that of the male lead. That doesn't happen that much in dramaland though. Or maybe I've skipped the ones with same height leads ?
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85 Gil
June 14, 2017 at 2:50 PM
Especially when the tall guy cups her face with his giant hands. SWOON!
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86 Lulu02
June 14, 2017 at 3:44 PM
how cool this catnip! It is really hot when man lead is taller than the actress, I like that a lot about Strong woman DBS because she's a lot shorter that him but her strength is huge! That couple was so cute and sweet that it hurt.
Healer OMG. how many times I will say I loved everything about that drama.
And along with Healer is Cuty Hunter, LMH is really tall next to PMY but she was wearing high heels all the time BUT in those judo lessons scenes they're barefoot and you can see the height differences so much. And those scenes... rawr <3
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87 Jessi Bear
June 14, 2017 at 6:07 PM
There's definitely the dramatic height difference in Queen for Seven Days and Fight My Way right now and my heart is aflutterrrrr
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88 Sam
June 14, 2017 at 11:13 PM
yep, this became my catnip after healer too :) also one of the reasons why i'm in love with Park Hyung Sik after watching SWDBS :D
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89 dramaworldfan
June 15, 2017 at 3:08 AM
wow! same thought here
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90 drama wow
June 18, 2017 at 7:48 PM
how about Queen In Hyun Man, tip toe kissing scene is so addorable
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91 aami
June 27, 2017 at 12:51 AM
Plus nine boys. The height difference between the lead couple was everything. *swoon*
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92 L4E
August 2, 2017 at 2:14 PM
Kang ji hwan and Han ji min in Capital Scandal
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