Deema Abu Naser is a Palestinian-Canadian content creator behind one of the largest K-drama communities online, ‘DeemaLovesDrama’. With nearly 445,000 followers on Instagram, 395,000 on TikTok and over 17,000 on YouTube, she has established herself as a leading voice in the K-drama fandom. Deema has completed six years of running @deemalovesdrama and is the recipient of the Entertainment Creator of the Year award at the TikTok Awards in 2023. She has also interviewed prominent K-stars and runs her own merchandise store, Dreemie Shop. In this interview, she shares insights into her journey, favourite dramas, and plans for the future, including her new venture, @deemasdreamlife
Q: You started your journey six years ago and have achieved significant milestones since. Looking back, is there a moment that made you realise you had truly made it?
Deema: I had a very up-and-down career. I had a lot of moments that have been amazing, and a lot of them have been horrific. One of the best moments that I had, or the moment where I felt like I made it, was when I went to Korea for the first time. It was the biggest excitement I have ever experienced in my journey. It was a great opportunity for me to see the dramas that I have been watching my whole life come to life in front of me. The second I stepped into South Korea and started touring K-drama locations, I felt like, “This is the moment for me.”
Q: As a Palestinian Arab in the entertainment space, you inspire many from your community who are still underrepresented. Do you see this as a personal responsibility?
Deema: I’m Palestinian. I was born and raised in Dubai. I am also Canadian. There are a lot of ethnicities and cultures, and I feel like I am a mixing bowl. But, I do feel a deep responsibility to be able to reflect Arab culture and values properly and never showcase anything that would be untoward towards the community. I’m proud to be an Arab, and I want to show the great side of Arabs online. So that when others create a space, online or offline, they feel proud to be an Arab and their culture. Our culture is amazing, and there are so many incredibly smart people. I do hope that I’m a source of encouragement for them, and I never let anyone down.
Q: Authenticity is central to your content creation. How do you separate your creator persona from your personal self, and maintain that balance?
Deema: I’m not an advocate for putting your personal life on social media because then you won’t know the difference between your authentic self and what you’re trying to push online. I appreciate that my social media is clearly separated. ‘Deema Loves Drama’ is an Asian dramas, travel and entertainment community. I’m not going to tell you what I’m having for breakfast. I have also started a new account for travel ‘Deemas Dream Life’. In that, I’ll be showing you my trips that I plan to show online and not me having dinner with my dad. I believe your authentic self shines through if you love your content. I love dramas, and have ‘Deema Loves Drama’, where I can be very authentic. So it’s very easy for me to be my authentic self once I’m in my own area of topic that I chose.
Q: What is one thing K-dramas do best compared to other industries?
Deema: Something very special about K-dramas is that they always get the storytelling right. Not only K-dramas, but also Japanese and Chinese dramas. Something they all have in common is that they know how to tell a good story from multiple perspectives. The cinematography, the storytelling, the pacing. They all just drive you to watch the drama. There’s also a stronger sense of belonging in Asian dramas than in other TV shows. There’s a strong support system behind that, with community, fandom and everyone online being very enthusiastic about watching it. It makes the experience very different compared to other TV shows.
Q: Concerns around representation come up frequently in K-dramas. How do you view these discussions?
Deema: I think there is always going to be issues with TV shows if they’re trying to portray something that they really don’t know about or if they don’t consult anyone about it. So my biggest wish is that if any drama wants to portray a culture, a country, or any community, they do enough research and always have consultants on site to tell them, “Hey, this is how it goes. These are our traditions.” I just hope they do more research. So I think consultants and research will really go a long way for this.
Q: Looking back at the year 2025, what were your top three K-dramas and standout performer of the year?
Deema: If I had to choose my top three K-dramas from last year, number one would be When Life Gives You Tangerines. It was an incredible drama. The second would be Bon Appétit, Your Majesty. I really loved that show. My third pick is Resident Playbook. As for the biggest standout performer, the first person who popped into my head is Bai Jingting from The First Frost. It’s a Chinese drama in which he played the character Sang Yan. As for a female performer, it has to be IU from When Life Gives You Tangerines. She was absolutely brilliant in the drama.
Q: Is there a K-drama cliché you wish would continue and one you think should be dropped?
Deema: I love the cliché enemies-to-lovers trope. It’s my favourite trope of all time. The angst, the romance and everything about it is amazing. I would say if there’s a cliché that I loathe with my heart and soul, it is time skips. When it says, “Four years later,” I ask, “Was there a reason for the jump?” If it makes sense, I’m fine with it, but most of the time it doesn’t. As a viewer, I did not see that year, and I’m not happy. I also do not like amnesia plots. They are just terrible. Get that out of here.
Q: How do you build and maintain such a positive community online?
Deema: For the first three years of having ‘Deema Loves Drama’, I didn’t have much of a social media following. The community was quite small. But I did exactly what I do now, which is, I post every day. I make stories every day. What builds a good, strong community is just loving the same thing and knowing that no one is judging you. A lot of drama watchers faced stigma in the past because many people find it strange. But when you come on my channel, I’m not judging you, I am you. A lot of people see that through my videos, and that’s why they feel more comfortable. Honestly, K-drama and K-pop fans are the nicest people on Earth. They just want to have a good time. The community itself is very beautiful and nice. I just try to be honest, and people see that and appreciate it. I do have a very supportive community, and I love them so much.
Q: What has been the biggest challenge for you since becoming a full-time content creator?
Deema: The biggest challenge for me is that Asian entertainment does not exist as a vertical. Unlike beauty, fashion or tech, there is no clearly defined space for it. So it has been extremely hard for me to break through places that others find so easy to get to. To date, I find it extremely difficult to go to award shows, do interviews, and participate in those kinds of opportunities. It’s very hard to convince people that ‘Deema Loves Drama’ is a serious platform. The community is strong, and they would love to see more exclusive things. But how do you get somebody to trust you if a vertical is not there? So, I’m hoping that brands and industry professionals see the potential in social media for international viewers when it comes to dramas, K-pop, and all of these things. Because the audience is there. It’s not limited only to Southeast Asia markets. We’re everywhere.
Q: Looking ahead, how do you see both Dreemie Shop and Deema Loves Drama evolving over the year, and what can your audience expect next from you?
Deema: Currently, Dreamie Shop is a two-person job — my dad and I. This year, we will have global shipping. Right now, it’s available in Pinocchio World in the Dubai Mall, so people can purchase it physically there. I hope we’ll be putting in more stores and have new products for you all. ‘Deema Loves Drama’ will always be the drama space for everyone. I also want to grow ‘Deemas Dream Life’ and show places that are beautiful and worth it. As much as I’ve shared about Korea on ‘Deema Loves Drama’, I’ve mainly shared it from the K-drama perspective. But for ‘Deemas Dream Life’, I’m going to share stories and beautiful places that maybe don’t have ties to dramas, but will evoke a sense of emotion when you see them. My goal for this year is not only to grow ‘Deema Loves Drama’, but also to grow ‘Deema’s Dream Life’.
Read more articles related to K-dramas at The World Times
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