K-Dramas at the Dentist 2

my favorite dental assistant ever

personal stories, self-care, reflection, and healing refreshers for the soul.

I’m a freak who loves the dentist. In the middle of a filling my dentist said, “You’re, like, the most relaxed patient ever.” Despite metallic sounds coming out of my mouth akin to industrial techno, I was close to napping.

If I were someone who dreaded dental visits, I still would’ve loved this one because my fave dental assistant and I got to talk K-Dramas.

bonus: the dentist glasses fit over my cheekbones!

It was this time last year that I first met her so this year felt like a marker of my “increasing Korean-ness.”

This time I was talking about streaming on Viki (not Netflix). My entrypoint was to drool over Gong Yoo watch Guardian; she likes it since they subtitle in her language (Tagalog). This time when she said hello (annyeong haseyo) I replied, "haseyo” because I’ve watched hundreds more hours of K-dramas. I’m in the family now 🫰

We discussed When the Phone Rings which I finished and she’s still watching. “I’m so mad at the girl!” I laughed and assured her it’s worth watching. I opened my phone to MyDramaList (IMDb for K-Dramas).

Similar to last time when we talked about the married leads of Crash Landing on You, she told me the leads were a real couple (it turns out to be a longstanding rumor that Yoo Yeon Seok and Chae Soo Bin were together). We moved onto King the Land which I admitted I hadn’t quite finished, but since she told me she loves it I’ll 100% finish it.

Patients overhearing us must’ve been wondering, Wow, what the hell?!

For 5-10 minutes, it was a lot of Oh my god, no way, soo cute! and I love him! or What’s it called? I’ll look it up or He makes me SO mad! I know!! and I’ve watched that 8 times!

The dentist came in apologizing for the wait. I said, “We’re catching up on K-Dramas, don’t worry!”

He asked if we’d heard of pov_husband on Instagram and explained a video where the Korean chef husband cuts up a giant tuna for his wife. “Oh, you gotta see it. He’s a chef and she used to own a restaurant. Now he makes videos full-time.”

While waiting again I looked it up and showed the dental assistant just how BIG the tuna was and how many meals it made. My mouth watered and my stomach felt empty. “Ohh, it makes me so hungry!” she said.

The tuna made 17 meals. It was his gesture to his wife, as her first post-birth sushi meal. HOLY SHIT. There are men like this? Interested, very.

In the waiting room after my filling, the assistant poked her head around the corner and caught my eye. “I watched the whole tuna video. I’m starving now!” We laughed as the rest of the waiting room and dental admins watched our exchange in wonderment. I went home with a clean smile and put on King the Land.