Korean dramas at the libraryBefore the craze of Psy's "Gangnam Style", the Korean Wave had already overwhelmed the masses and continues to spread throughout the world today. The Wave does not only include famous, catchy Korean Pop songs but also great dramas and movies that rival any Spanish soap opera I've ever watched.

Here at Tompkins Square Branch Library aside from the usual collection of great American movies there is a small collection of DVDs filed under Chinese DVDs, which in reality includes mostly Korean dramas. My first concern is for the many fans of Korean dramas who may feel like the library does not have any at all. As a huge fan of the actor Jang Geun Suk (Mary Stayed Out All Night) (first DVD on the left, pictured above) I would be seriously depressed if I thought I could not find his Korean dramas in the library. Luckily, I have the privilege of browsing the collection as I shelve and know the difference between Chinese, Japanese and Korean characters.

Unfortunately, I have not seen many dramas added to the collection but I have faith that the Korean Wave has not reached its peak and droves of patrons will come in asking for them in the future.

For those of you who would not like to wait and have a hunger to experience different cultures, visit viki.com. The website provides free, legal access to content which includes dramas and movies from all over the world, and user-generated subtitles in many languages. Be it Japanese, Taiwanese, Chinese or Korean dramas just know that the library is only the beginning of the journey to free content and the experience of amazing cultures.