I recently started dating a Korean guy. If you have read my awful museum date, I assure you this is not the guy. Actually, my boyfriend is very sweet and thatโs one of the reasons I am writing this.
A Korean Boyfriend is Ultimately a Person
Iโve had my bad experiences with Korean men. You can Click Here to read about my horrible museum date. Or, Click Here to read about the events that led me to write an article about Plan B and STD testing.
Despite those difficult experiences, I finally found a Korean boyfriend who is a good person. So, I want to let you know that if you start dating in Korea, avoid stereotyping. You can meet a Korean boyfriend who is a great person, or he could end up being someone you regret meeting. Be careful, but also donโt get too jaded. Ultimately, weโre all people.
How I Met My Korean Boyfriend
As you may already know, I have been going on Tinder dates for a while. It was not my idea to find a boyfriend, but I wanted to experience the dating culture and also make friends. Despite our intentions, my boyfriend and I actually met on this app.
I was swiping through profiles and he didnโt even have a picture of his face. And his description was โI like coffee, and I am looking for friends to go to a nice cafรฉ withโ. It sounded just like the kind of thing I myself was looking for, so I swiped right. A friend, a nice coffee, and a good chat sounded like a great combination.
We started messaging and getting to know each other. Then, one day I realized I was comfortable enough for a call. It was only our voices and him typing โ it was right in the middle of the midterm period, so we both were pretty busy.
Then, we promised each other we would meet after our midterms finished, so we could finally hang out. I have to say, I was looking forward to it because it felt like we clicked right from the first hello. So I wanted to get to know him better as a friend.
I Friendzoned My Korean Boyfriend
Finally, the day we arranged to meet came. Our plan was to meet at a subway station near a movie theater and go watch the latest Doctor Strange movie.
Turns out, we both liked to arrive early and we had a lot of time to spare, so we walked to a nearby coffee shop.ย I have to be honest, he was not my type. I usually go for guys that look different than him, but I didnโt think he was ugly. Not that it mattered, because I was only looking for a friend.
That day we had a lot of fun. After coffee, we went to the movies, and then we went to a game cafรฉ where I totally destroyed him at UNO. Afterward, we got snacks and walked along the stream at night, which looked magical and beautiful. Still, I only considered him a friend.
We ended up hanging out more often after that, and our friendship kind of evolved into friends with benefits. But I was always reminding him that we were friends and he kept saying it was okay.ย
Until it wasnโt.
He told me he liked me one day when we were cuddling as friends. I replied, โI wish I could like you tooโ. And then the conversation ended and he changed topics.
I Was in Denial
In the end, I ended up catching feelings. My tummy had butterflies whenever he came to my place to hang out, and I smiled like a goof when reading his texts. Still, I didnโt want to admit that I had started to like him romantically.
I wasnโt ready for a commitment that big, and I had had my heart broken a couple of times. In all truth, I wasnโt ready to get my heart broken again, this far away from the comfort of my momโs arms. So I ignored those feelings.
I ignored the butterflies, the comfort he brought me, and the way we just complimented each other very nicely. Until he said he couldnโt do it anymore. He was going away from Seoul for the summer for an internship, and he said it hurt him too much. He had feelings for me but knew I would probably get to know other people and meet someone else that I liked.
He wanted to stop talking, to just end our relationship โbecause, letโs be real, it wasnโt only a friendship anymore. I was just too afraid of my feelings toward him. So I broke down my walls and asked him to be my boyfriend. I told him that I didnโt want to stop talking, that I didnโt want it to end, but to evolve. And he said he wanted to, too.
Finally, He Became My Korean Boyfriend
And ever since, he has been the nicest. I had never had a boyfriend so caring before. He brought medicine when I got a cold, is always nice to my roommates, and tries his best to make me smile. He has spoiled me rotten, paying for every single meal โwhich now has changed because I wanna spoil him too.
He has the cutest habit to send a โgood morningโ text every day and holding me while I sleep because I have nightmares. He would stay awake only to soothe me whenever I flinched, and would wake me up with a cute smile. He brings me so much comfort.
All I can say now is that I am happy I gave myself a chance, because I am not regretting becoming his girlfriend. And I canโt wait for what the future will bring me, because I am sure it will be nice.
