A guide to dating and mating, according to doramas

Now, as women, we all know how hard it is to navigate the dating field and find Mr. Right. Any guidance we get is greatly appreciated, right? Luckily for us, doramas are full of such wonderful guidance. After all, the heroines clearly find love in those, so they must be doing something right. Right? Right? So here are some dating guidelines I gathered from watching doramas.

1. Remember that boy you thought was super cute when you were eight? Well, you'd better, as you are soon going to spend the rest of your life with him. Childhood love is forever.

2. If a guy is super-nova hot but quiet, chances are all the girls leave him alone. Go ahead, get a head start before they wake up.

3. That annoying jerk that keeps pestering you? Just an angsty, poorly socialized woobie who will actually literally be willing to die for you. Go get him!

Corollary: unless he is not tall dark and handsome, or if you already have a taller, darker, handsomer boyfriend. In which case the annoying jerk is an evil villain and you better stay far away from him.

4. Take a good look at this stranger you just randomly kissed while drunk or at a party or even by falling on him in the street. Better hope he uses lysterine because that's your future one and only. Trust me. In fact, if you are paranoid of such occurences, better ductape your mouth shut.

5. Your boyfriend is prettier than you are. Love it. Live it. Chances are if one of you will have male stalkers, it will be him.

Corollary: he also cries prettier than you and cooks better than you. Screw it, I am moving to dorama land.

6. A fashion design school is a great place to pick up guys. They are hot, design conscious, and very very straight.

7. If you and your honey are enjoying a happy five minutes, brace for the craaaaaaaash.

8. That hunky student in your class? It's OK if you are a teacher, if your love is true.

Corollary: but if you want to avoid jail, wait until his majority, please.

9. If your boyfriend is adorable, flatly refuse if ever invited to meet his family. They are invariably going to be awful, sadistic or screwed up nuts. In fact, your bf is clearly some God-given genetic mutation because have you seen his family gene pool? If you want kids, you should definitely adopt.

10. If a guy tries to rape/molest/kidnap you but is OK looking, you should make friends with him. He will eventually help you and your OTP.

11. Arranged marriages? YAY. If you do it, you'll fall in love.

12. Exes are the devil. They are usually psycho, clingy, or bitchy, or all three at once. Oh, if only you weren't a good girl. A bit of arsenic would have fixed everything.

13. Hitting or mistreating a guy is a sure way to his heart.

14. When faced with a choice between a good-looking, wealthy and kind man on one hand, and on the other a guy who is a. hot-tempered and/or b. messed-up and/or c. messed-up and a gigolo, any sane woman will go for the latter. As long as he is played by Rain.

15. If you don't succeed at first, with that cute adorable boy out of your league, try try again. Eventually he will give in if out of nothing else than sheer exhaustion.

Corollary: unless he already has a cute, long-haired gf who is either fragile of spunky. In which case your best bet is just to settle for the secondary lead and keep your mouth shut.

16. Illnesses are always fatal. And you can never tell if someone is deathly ill just by looking at him as in fact the prettier he is, the closer to death he might be. Before getting involved, always ask for a full physical check-up.

17. If push comes to shove, and you are feeling lonely, have you thought of checking out the guy who is your brother? Or at least the guy you thought was your brother or one you grew up sibling-like with?

18. OK, not for girls, but if you are the devoted best friend who have loved her quietly for years? Forget it. Should have spoken up earlier. Have you SEEN the kind of beefcake she has on her arm now? You'd have to blind her to make the switch.