By: Sandra Vo, Staff Writer

Those familiar with the K-drama scene will know instantly what the phrase “Second Male Lead Syndrome” entails. But for those who aren’t K-drama connoisseurs, Second Male Lead Syndrome refers to when the female lead is stuck in a love triangle with two male leads, and the viewer ends up rooting for the second male lead (the guy does not get the girl).

It’s a painful and heartbreaking experience, for both the viewer and the second male lead. So why is it such a popular trope in so many K-dramas?