The other day I was complaining about how difficult it was to get along with some female colleagues when my Korean colleague suddenly replied in Chinese, "To rise, you need to know the Emperor's mind. To survive, you need to guess the other women's mind." I looked at her like she was a time traveler. "Where did you learn Chinese?" I asked.



"From Life of Zhenhuan!" she replied. "That is my Chinese textbook."



The Legend of Zhen Huan is a 2011 Chinese soap opera about the life of a woman named Zhenhuan who learned how to survive as an imperial concubine during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). When the 76-episode Life of Zhenhuan aired in South Korea, its stunning headdresses and accessories stunned many Koreans, including my colleague.



Such Chinese historical dramas showcase a lot of Chinese culture. "China has a rich culture and long history, I think that's why they can make so many gorgeous and well-made outfits in the historical dramas," she said. "Of course, the Chinese actors and actresses are eye-catching too!"



My colleague watches Chinese historical dramas religiously. Her favorite ones include Scarlet Heart, a story about a woman who travels back in time to the Qing dynasty and falls in love with the emperor's son. She said she finds the love stories heart-wrenching.



"But you can't learn Chinese from historical dramas," I said. "Nobody talks in that way."



So, recently, she shifted her interest to modern drama, mostly love stories such as A Love so Beautiful, which is about childhood sweethearts. Now her pronunciation of "my boyfriend" in Chinese sounds perfect. Earlier this month, I was watching a Korean drama at home and caught my Korean roommate watching the Chinese family drama The First Half of My Life, a 42-episode show about women's understanding of marriage and career. It is 2017's most talked-about show in China and has won the hearts of many female viewers. It surprised me how popular it is in South Korea. My roommate said it's because many Korean women can relate to the storyline, as they often ask themselves the same questions.



"It is a family drama that talks about real problems, she said. "Many scenarios actually happened to my friends."



This article was published on the Global Times Metropolitan section Two Cents page, a space for reader submissions, including opinion, humor and satire. The ideas expressed are those of the author alone, and do not represent the position of the Global Times.