Kim Se-jeong plays Shin Ha-ri, and Ahn Hyo-seop plays Kang Tae-moo in ‘Business Proposal.’ Photo courtesy of SBS.
Heartfelt love scenes with a couple huddled under a yellow umbrella are a common feature in K-dramas. Ever considered why? According to popular belief, people find true love under the yellow umbrella, which is resilient enough to endure the test of time and space, keeping them together forever.
One of the five Obangsaek colors in Korean culture, which also includes white, black, blue, and red, is yellow. With yellow being the brightest and most vivid color that can be perceived by the human eye, these five colors—which stand for the five cardinal directions—may be found in Korean popular culture.
Due to its vibrancy and underlying implications, which make it a symbol of positivity and happiness, yellow is a fantastic shade for celebrating love. The color of mental capacity is what encourages innovation and thoughtfulness. It not only promotes pleasure but also hope and assurance.
A similar sentiment is expressed when two people share an umbrella. The traditional connotation of the act additionally evokes a sense of oneness with the other person, acting as a metaphor for the couple’s continued relationship. The gesture expresses your undying love for the person you are sharing your umbrella with, even if there isn’t enough room under the umbrella on a rainy day and you end up getting wet.
Considering this, sharing a yellow umbrella is analogous to sharing a life with the one you love—a life where the two of you support one another as friends, as lovers, and as pillars to lean on when going gets tough. The yellow umbrella signifies the joy of a new beginning, commitment, sharing, compassion, and most importantly, unconditional love. It alludes to the excitement you might go through at the inception of a relationship. In a safe environment, symbolized by the umbrella, yellow could speak about eagerness and optimism for a brighter future.
It reflects the union of Song Ma-rin (Shin Min-a) and Yoo So-joon (Lee Je-hoon) in Tomorrow with You, as well as the state of joy in the romantic moment between Do Min-ik (Kim Young-kwang) and Jung Gal-hee (Jin Ki-Joo) in The Secret Life of My Secretary. Kim Hye-iin (Hwang Jung-eum) in She Was Pretty offers Ji Sung-joon (Park Seo-joon) her yellow umbrella for comfort and release from his tensions, like how Shin Ha-ri (Kim Se-jeong) in Business Proposal and CEO Kang Tae-mu (Ahn Hyo-seop) share a moment of bliss beneath the yellow umbrella.
These kinds of situations are common in K-dramas, conveying that love can happen under the yellow umbrella, and when it does, it happens for all eternity, for that kind of love is steadfast and secure, and it never gives up.
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