Cliches: Drama Leads: The Hero and the Second Male Lead

In every k-drama, there's the hero, the one who you're supposed to root for and the one who will win the heart of the girl. He's usually the first male you meet (besides ancillary characters) and it's typically either right before or right after you meet the heroine. These are the typical cliches:

1. The hero (the one who will end up with the girl) is a jerk when you first meet him. Maybe he's just socially awkward, grouchy, but more likely it's just that he's arrogant and entitled. And is probably rich.
   
     
     
     
   
2. The hero will usually come up with some insulting nickname for the heroine which will evolve into a term of endearment. Examples include: chicken, commoner, space rock, pig rabbit.
3. The hero will not know how to interact with the woman he is attracted to. He will be insulting, critical, defensive and will yell at the girl that he likes. She will never, ever dump him for treating her like this. She may or may not call him on his behavior. She will definitely mutter under her breath about his behavior and, even when he’s demanding something unreasonable, the heroine will comply with his request.
   
       
4. The love of the heroine will make the hero change from a jerk to a (mostly) nice guy. His inner nobility will come out.
5. The hero will be able to sing and/or play the piano. The heroine may or may not be able to do so.
6. The hero will be able to cook. The heroine probably won’t be any good at it.
   
     
7. Even if the hero has a girl who calls him 'Oppa' and is in love with him, he will not tell her to stop using that name nor will he discourage or break off the relationship. This is true even after she has proven to lie to him in an attempt to manipulate him, get him to like her and/or get him to stop liking the heroine.
8. The hero will contemplate things, often female-related, while in the shower or in front of a mirror. It may be at the same time.
     
     
9. The hero will be tough and can beat up anyone who threatens him, even if all he’s ever done is hold an office job. He will typically know at least one type of marital art.
10. It is normal for the hero to become violent when frustrated. He may destroy things or beat up people. But, even if the hero has a violent nature, he will never be physically abusive in his relationship with the heroine.
11. When the couple has officially decided to date, the man will go to her house and have a drinking competition with her father.
      
12. When something happens to the hero causing him to be late or not to come to meet the heroine, he will not call or text the heroine to communicate the reason for his absence.
13. If there is another man in the picture, he is nice, considerate, and self-sacrificing and WILL NOT get the heroine, even if he's a much better match for her than the hero. He might end up with someone else, but it will not be the heroine.
    
      
      
14. If a man is friends with or related to another man, they will both have the same taste in women and will probably want the same one.
15. The hero and his rival will usually compete for the heroine, and often she will be completely unaware of the competition. If the rival declares his love, it will already be *after* she’s fallen in love the hero, even if it’s *before* she realizes that she is in love.
    
      
      
    
16. At some point, the hero (and possibly the second lead) will break down in tears, either over his painful past or the loss of a loved one.