Collin J. Earl & JC Anderson

I Fell Into a Korean Drama

Added 2025-08-22 00:47:39 +0000 UTC

Hey everyone!

So, I’ve been chipping away at this book concept for a while now, and I wanted to throw it out here to see what you all think. The working title is I Fell Into a Korean Drama — basically, it’s about an ordinary person who suddenly finds themselves trapped in the heightened, swoony, over-the-top world of a K-drama. Cue all the tropes: accidental falls, slow-motion stares, rain-soaked confessions… you know the drill.

I’ve actually got about 20 chapters written. It’s been such a fun project to work on. But… there’s something I want your opinion on.

In my current draft, the main character has a little crush on a real-life Korean actress. Nothing disrespectful — it’s more like the kind of harmless fan crush most of us have had. Still, I keep wondering if that choice comes across as fun/meta or if it feels a little tacky.

I see a few ways I could handle this going forward:

Keep the real-life references. It leans into the meta/fandom flavor, and might be fun for readers who like that wink-and-nod energy.
Rewrite the crush as a fictional actress. I could create a K-drama star inspired by real ones but fully original. That gives me more creative freedom, avoids any “creepy” vibes, and makes the story cleaner if I ever publish it formally.
Do a mix of both. Keep casual references to real actresses (posters, magazine covers, the MC’s random daydreams), but have the actual crush/love-interest character be fictional.

I’m open to rewriting those 20 chapters if it makes the story stronger long-term — but I’d love to know what you think before I commit.

So, question for you:
Would you prefer the meta fun of real names, the polish of a fictional actress, or a middle ground that blends both?

Drop your thoughts in the comments (or the poll if I set one up). Your input will help me decide how to shape this project before I keep pushing forward. Thanks for being part of the process — it means a lot to me!