We all at some point in time have had a crush on someone. I am sure I just reminded you of that special person you once had a crush on, or probably you still do. Is it wrong to have a crush on someone? NO. I strongly believe that having a crush on someone is perfectly normal. Others believe that crushing is just a cute word for lust. Let me put it this way, is there a difference between crushing, infatuation, and love? What if they all sum up to one thing?
I am sure you have heard of K-drama from somewhere or someone. This may as well be your first time hearing it. You may be asking yourself what K-drama is and what link it has to do with crushing, infatuation and love.
K-drama, according to definitions.net refers to “televised drama in Korean language, made in South Korea, mostly in mini-series formed with distinctive features that set it apart from regular Western television series or soap operas. Korean drama can be set in contemporary settings, the Korean word for the latter being Sageuk”.
K-drama comes in different genres. The ones common among Ghanaian students are the Romantic K-dramas. Students are literarily obsessed with Romantic K-drama to the extent that some even picture themselves together with male actors. Is that crushing, infatuation or love?
I mean watching a cute character in a movie or series and admiring their physical appearance is no harm, but to the extent of finding ways and means to learn the language, and way of life and calling the character a boyfriend, as well as watching their every movie to imitate them? I call that obsession.
A friend of mine always puts it across this way: “Crushes metamorphose into infatuation, then infatuation to affection, affection to love.” Does this mean that students crushing on K-drama characters will eventually fall in love with them? Well, I think they are already in love with them.
Collins Dictionary says: “If you have a crush on someone, you are in love with them but do not have a relationship with them”. I agree with this definition because sometimes when you see your crush pass by or a picture of them, your heart beats faster, some people even say they begin to feel butterflies in their stomachs. I do not know how that works but I call that love. Just as you are crushing on that individual, someone elsewhere is also secretly crushing on you. As a matter of fact, let us not limit crushing to only famous people.
Infatuation, according to Vocabularry.com, is “falling in love with or becoming extremely interested in someone or something for a short time”. Another interesting thing – love appears in this definition as well. Some people refer to infatuation as an unreasoning attachment.
Others say it is a feeling of foolish obsessively strong love. What do you think? Have you ever experienced infatuation? I think at this point, I would rather place K-drama mini-series under infatuation because of the unreasoning attachment some students have for some male characters. Can this infatuation end?
And now, love. What is love? I will say, love is peace. The feeling of completeness when it’s not complete. I don’t know if that makes sense but I think love is a beautiful thing and should not be taken for granted.
Love, according to Verywellmind.com, is “a set of emotions and behaviours characterised by intimacy, passion and commitment. It involves care, closeness, protectiveness and trust. Love can vary in intensity and can change over time. It is associated with a range of positive emotions including happiness, excitement, life satisfaction and euphoria, but it can also result in negative emotions such as jealousy and stress”. I hope love finds you today.
>>>the writer is a student of journalism at the Ghana Institute of Journalism (GIJ). Email [email protected]
