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omonatheydidWill ‘Descendants’ spur film-style TV drama production?
Almost everyone is talking about “Descendants of the Sun,” the latest joint Korea-China television drama project.
Fans have fallen head over heels into the love story between an Army captain played by Song Joong-ki and a doctor played by Song Hye-kyo in a faraway, natural disaster-hit country. Critics, meanwhile, predict that this blockbuster will boost KBS, a network broadcaster that has been lagging behind MBC, SBS and even cable channels such as tvN in dramas.
A scene from “Descendants of the Sun” (KBS)
Besides its glitz and glam, with high ratings and heartthrob stars, what got the local TV industry talking about the drama series is its unique production style -- unique in Korea but not so in the U.S.
The entire 16-episode drama series was shot in advance last year before its official broadcast began in Korea and China last month.
It had gone through the pre-production, production and post-production stages, securing investment and distribution in an orderly and carefully planned fashion, industry sources said.
“This TV production, which is the way feature films are made, proved not only to be successful but also helped the crew and actors to feel less burdened because it gave them time to prepare and rehearse before production,” said an official of the Korea Creative Content Agency.
This film-style TV production is very uncommon in Korea, where shooting two episodes a week while a drama series is running does not raise eyebrows. Scripts are usually handed over to directors, cinematographers and actors on the day of the shoot, giving actors little time to get into character and prepare for a shot. Editing is completed just hours before an episode goes on-air. Assistant directors scout for locations not months but days before an on-location shooting. Actors and actresses, and even directors have complained about Korea’s so-called “live drama shooting” environment with some celebrities walking off the set.
“There is a saying in TV -- get some experience in TV then jump right over to films as early as possible,” said an industry source, who asked not to be named.
“It’s bit ironic though how China got the industry here to make TV dramas like films as the industry has wanted to for years.”
(KBS)
“Descendants of the Sun,” produced by Next World Entertainment, was shot and edited in advance for two reasons -- the drama needed to go through a rigorous and strict prescreening by China’s TV & film authority to determine if it could be broadcast in the country; and the producer and its Chinese partner wanted to simultaneously release the drama in Korea and China not only to prevent illegal duplication but also to gain a fair valuation of the content.
Hong Kong-based Huace Media Investment, an investment arm of Zhejiang Huace Film & TV owned by billionaire Fu Meicheng, has a 13 percent stake in Seoul-based NEW, which is known for a number of blockbusters, including “The Attorney” and “Miracle in Cell No. 7.”
Should Korean producers seek to show their content in China -- which has become the country’s largest export destination for Korean dramas accounting for more than 30 percent of the total drama exports -- and for which they need to complete the work in advance for approval for distribution in China?
Observers say it will be difficult for the local TV industry to immediately get all its productions to shoot like “Descendants,” which has garnered more than 600 million views on Chinese search portal Baidu’s video streaming platform iQiyi and is enjoying a 30 percent viewer share in Korea.
This is because Korea still does not have the financial infrastructure where producers can secure investments for their projects in time.
Song Hye-kyo rehearses her lines for a scene in “Descendants of the Sun.” (KBS)
“Producing content like ‘Descendants’ is ideal, but unless there is an improvement in financing, it will be difficult, especially for independent production houses, to shoot dramas like that,” said the KOCCA official.
By Park Hyong-ki (hkp@heraldcorp.com)
‘Descendants of the Sun’ hits 440m views in China
The popularity of KBS2 TV drama series “Descendants of the Sun” in China apparently has the nation’s government on edge.
On Saturday, China’s Ministry of Public Security posted a warning against watching “Descendants of the Sun” on its official Weibo site.
(KBS2)
“An enormous fandom of Korean drama ‘Descendants of the Sun’ starring Song Joong-ki has emerged as it began to air in Korea and China. It is easy to see that many have fallen in love with the male lead Song,” it said, warning that “watching Korean dramas could be dangerous, and even lead to legal troubles.”
“Descendants of the Sun,” a 16-episode KBS2 TV drama series set against the backdrop of military operations in a fictional country, starring actor Song Joong-ki and actress Song Hye-kyo, hit 440 million cumulative views on Chinese online video platform iQIYI.
The cumulative views of the TV drama outnumbered those of 2014 SBS hit drama “My Love from the Star,” Taiwanese newspaper China Times reported Sunday.
In its Weibo posting warning against the harmful effects of watching Korean dramas, the ministry offered several examples of extreme cases -- a couple who divorced due to Korean dramas and a man who went through extreme plastic surgery to reclaim his heart of his wife, who had become smitten by the male protagonist of a Korean drama -- to illustrate the “potential troubles” faced by those watching Korean dramas.
(KBS)
“Descendants of the Sun,” was released simultaneously in Korea and China, where iQIYI has purchased the online rights.
The TV drama series is also gaining popularity in Korea, recording 14.4 percent viewership with its first episode on Feb. 24 and hitting 28.5 percent for its sixth episode, which aired March 10, according to AGB Nielsen, a television ratings company.
By Jung Eun-jin (jej2403@heraldcorp.com)
'Descendants of the Sun' commands six-figure tag in Japan
Sensational South Korean television series "Descendants of the Sun" has been exported to Japan with a big price tag, industry sources said Sunday, reviving a foray into the market that the country had trouble reaching lately.
The sources said the KBS 2TV drama has been sold at US$100,000 per episode. It airs on Wednesdays and Thursdays, and the sixth episode of the 16-part series will be on air this Wednesday.
"Descendants of the Sun" is the first South Korean drama to command six figures per episode in nearly three years, according to the sources, indicating that Japan, which once seemed reluctant to import South Korean shows, is ready to bring in programs from its neighbor.
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Scene from "Descendants of the Sun" (KBS2)
An earlier KBS series, "Winter Sonata," took Japan by storm in 2002 and established a market presence for South Korean shows there. Over the ensuing decade, popular TV series commanded as much as $200,000 per episode, and then in 2012, "Love Rain," starring Hallyu icon Jang Keun-suk, went for $300,000 per episode.
"Love Rain," however, was a bust in the ratings war at home, and was also poorly received among critics. Other dramas that were sold to Japan in the similar price range also disappointed both critically and commercially, leading to a downward spiral for South Korean TV programs in Japan.
It coincided with the rise in anti-Korean sentiment in Japan, and the few dramas that were sold to Japan barely cracked $100,000 per episode.
Enter "Descendants of the Sun," whose most recent episode drew a 31.2 percent rating in the nation's capital last week.
A love story between an Army captain and a doctor who travel to a war-torn country called Uruk to save lives, it's the first Korean show to be aired in South Korea and China simultaneously. It's also been noted for being completely pre-produced. Traditionally, Korean shows are produced on an episode-by-episode basis to leave some wiggle room for tweaks.
"When 'Descendants of the Sun' got off to a phenomenal start in both Korea and China, Japanese buyers put it at the top of their list," one local industry source said. "The competition led to such a high price tag."
It's the first show by the male lead Song Joong-ki since the end of his mandatory military service. Song Hye-kyo, the female lead and a long-time Hallyu star, is in her first TV drama in three years.
Industry sources say Jang Keun-suk could get his redemption in the international market with much-anticipated SBS series "Jackpot," which will premiere on March 28. (Yonhap)
Stars in the front line of hallyu dramas
Behind the glory of hallyu dramas are the star-studded casts.
After garnering attention abroad in Korean dramas -- mainly other Asian countries including China and Japan -- stars quickly jump into dramas and variety shows there.
Overseas endorsements, and fan meetings follow, consolidating their positions, as well as the prominent status of hallyu.
Starting with the unexpected success of the KBS2 TV drama series “Winter Sonata” which aired on Japanese satellite channel BS2 in 2003, the drama’s protagonists Bae Yong-joon and Choi Ji-woo enjoyed a meteoric rise as the first hallyu drama stars.
Lee Young-ae, who starred in MBC TV drama “Jewel in the Palace” the following year, replicated the two stars’ success, keeping hallyu alive.
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Actor Kim Soo-hyun stars in 2014 SBS TV drama seris "My Love from the Star." (SBS)
The SBS hit drama “My Love from the Star” which recorded 2 billion views on Chinese video platform iQIYI in 2014, set a milestone for hallyu dramas.
Kim Soo-hyun, until then best known for KBS2 series “Dream High,” MBC fusion historical drama “Moon Embracing the Sun,” and webtoon-based film “Secretly, Greatly,” became active in China after the international success of “My Love from the Star,” where he played the male lead Do Min-joon.
Kim has appeared in local variety shows in China including Jiangsu TV’s “The Brain” and “Bring You To The Stars” in 2014 and Sohu TV’s “Stars From Korea.” In 2014, Kim was also reported to have set a new record by signing 35 endorsements deals, 16 of them in China.
Park Hae-jin, another male lead of “My Love from the Star,” has built up a career as a hallyu star in a slow and steady way, unlike his contemporaries. Even before the SBS drama became popular in China, Park had appeared in Chinese TV dramas starting in 2011 including Hunan TV’s “Another Kind of Splendid Life,” Xi An TV’s “Loves Relativity,” in “Secret Society of men -- Friends” which aired on four Chinese channels including Zhejiang TV and Dongfang TV last year, and Guangdong TV’s “Far Away Love” this year.
Park also played the male lead in the tvN drama series “Cheese in the Trap” this year, which will be released on Chinese websites Youku and Tudou this summer. He was reported to have signed endorsements with 15 advertisers this year, estimated to be worth 11 billion won in total.
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Actor Song Joong-ki stars in KBS2 TV drama series "Descendants of the Sun." (KBS)
Meanwhile, the hottest hallyu rookie Song Joong-ki is enjoying popularity in China as KBS2 TV drama series “Descendants of the Sun” is being broadcast simultaneously in China on iQIYI.
Song, who debuted in the film “A Frozen Flower” in 2008, shot to stardom in 2010 with KBS2 fusion historical drama “Sungkyunkwan Scandal.”
While carving out his position as an entertainer by appearing on SBS variety show “Running Man” from 2010 to 2011 and on KBS music program “Music Bank” as an MC from 2009 to 2010, Song continued to build up his acting career.
After serving in the military, from 2013-2015, Song made a strong comeback with “Descendants of the Sun,” which has made him the hottest star of the moment.
The KBS2 TV drama hit 400 million cumulative views on iQIYI, out-performing “My Love from the Star.” It will also begin airing on the Japanese cable channel Elsei Gekijou in June.
By Jung Eun-jin (jej2403@heraldcorp.com)
CJ E&M at vanguard of Korean culture boom
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CJ E&M's film hit ”Veteran” (2015, film) (tvN)
For investors looking to take a bet on Korea’s hot pop culture scene, CJ E&M deserves a close look.
The Seoul-based firm is arguably Korea’s most prominent provider of cultural content now, churning out one mega hit after another.
From “Grandpas Over Flowers (2013,) “Incomplete Life (2014),” to “Reply 1988” last year, many of its TV productions aired on cable channel tvN were cultural sensations.
“At least in the TV segment, it is safe to say that CJ E&M has proven its mettle,” said analyst Chung Yu-seok of Kyobo Securities in Seoul.
CJ E&M’s business interest spans across TV, film, music, live entertainment and animation, but TV is the mainstay of its revenue.
Operating profits from TV soared a whopping 2,039 percent in 2015, helping the company swing to a surplus of 53 billion won ($44.7 million).
The popularity of TV content is typically monetized through commercials and hit TV shows and dramas lead to spikes in ad rates, Chung explained.
“The average ad rates at tvN rose 54.7 percent last year, but that is still less than half the levels at territorial networks,” the analyst said, indicating that there is room for further growth. CJ E&M runs 15 other cable TV channels, including the music entertainment channel Mnet and the country’s top movie channel OCN.
As to the big screen, CJ E&M is at the top for five straight years now.
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“Grandpas Over Flowers” (2013, TV show) (tvN)
Its releases -- including both domestic and foreign productions -- took up 23 percent of the local box office in 2015.
The year’s biggest box-office hit was also a CJ E&M release. Directed by Ryoo Seung-wan, “Veteran” became the third most viewed film in Korea, drawing 13.4 million viewers since its release in August last year. It was CJ’s fifth production to breach the 10 million viewership mark in a country of 50 million.
Despite the seemingly strong performance, however, experts are paying more attention to the company’s overseas business plan, particularly in China, the movie world’s hottest market, as Korea’s domestic film market nears saturation.
“CJ E&M is increasing its network in China, with four releases scheduled in the country this year alone. That is a positive for the company’s growth outlook,” said Km Hyun-yong of eBest Securities. CJ E&M is the brokerage’s top pick for entertainment-media stocks.
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Reply 1998” (2015, TV drama) (tvN)
Shares in CJ E&M closed at 76,500 won per share on the secondary stock exchange KOSDAQ on Monday. Its market cap is slightly above 2.9 trillion won, the fifth largest on the bourse for smaller-cap stocks.
A unit of the retail-centered conglomerate CJ, CJ E&M is 42 percent controlled by the group’s holding firm CJ Corp. and its owner family. The second-largest stakeholder is the National Pension Fund, Korea’s largest investor. Foreigners hold a combined 18.55 percent stake.
In another positive development to the company’s profit outlook this year or next, the company’s game-publishing spin-off Net Marble is preparing for an initial public offering. CJ E&M holds a 31.5 percent stake in the mobile game developer which set a new record in annual revenue last year, raking in 1.1 trillion won.
By Lee Sun-young (milaya@heraldcorp.com)
TV dramas exert tourist pull
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A filming set and stage props from "My Love from the Star" located at DDP (SBS)
As worldwide interest in Korean entertainment and content continues its global thrust, the city of Seoul is starting to see an influx in “hallyu-based” tourism, leading to the establishment of Korean drama-inspired tourist guide to assist die-hard fans track down the filming locations from their favorite Korean dramas.
“Not long ago, something strange happened on a cold winter day in China -- fried chicken and beer starting selling like hotcakes,” reads VisitSeoul’s Hallyu Tourist Guide. “The merchants found this strange because the combination of beer and fried chicken was not common in China.”
“What triggered the occurrence? The airing of ‘My Love from the Star,’” it reads. “The Korean lifestyle is being introduced to the world through television series, starting trends and causing a stir outside of Korea. More people are traveling to Korea out of their love of Korean television shows.”
A handful of local dramas have enjoyed so much popularity around the world, especially Asia, that they have been credited with enticing viewers to travel to Korea to see the culture and filming locations firsthand.
The growing Korean drama fever has led to the establishment of “Hallyu Tours.” There are now several published guides that map out the filming locations of popular TV shows such as “My Love from the Star,” “We Got Married,” “The Heirs,” “Doctor Stranger,” and “Running Man.”
Much thanks to online video streaming sites such as DramaFever -- a video streaming website owned by Warner Bros that offers on-demand streaming of mostly movies and TV shows with subtitles -- and Netflix, which recently established its presence in Korea, both newer and older K-dramas are continuing to seep onto TV and computer screens throughout the world.
According to the Contents Power Index, which is measured by the number of searches on search engines and follower rankings of the TV shows that air on the major broadcasting networks, the country’s the three highest ranking shows of last year were KBS2’s “The Producers” -- no surprise considering it stars hallyu power king Kim Soo-hyun -- followed by SBS’ “The Girl Who Sees Smells” and “Pinocchio.”
Following the tremendous success of “My Love from the Star,” particularly in China, Kim’s follow-up drama “The Producers,” which was considered the country’s first ever “variety drama,” went on to sell its broadcasting rights in China for more than $2.4 million.
However, along with the rise of newer and more popular K-drama series, classic dramas from years ago are still proving to be some of the biggest driving forces behind the popularity of locally produced shows, especially among international fans.
(Yonhap)
Last year, the Korea Creative Content Agency released a poll announcing most popular Korean TV shows of all-time to be: “Jewel in the Palace,” “Winter Sonata,” “My Love from the Star,” “Autumn in My Heart” and reality TV show “Running Man” -- all of which had tremendous followings outside the peninsula.
For some international K-drama fans, their love affair with shows can be traced back years, with TV productions that are to this day widely considered to be some of the pillars of the local drama industry.
“I’ve watched ‘Boys over Flowers’ and ‘Coffee Prince’ because they were super popular and I wanted to see what all the hoopla was about,” said 28-year-old American Kayla Vilardi, whose interest in Korean culture started nearly 10 years ago.
“K-dramas are so dramatically different from anything you would see on American TV. K-dramas seem to be a cool insight into Korean pop culture,” she added, noting that her go-to move for learning about the latest in Korean TV is to surf around DramaFever.
Vilardi was first introduced to Korean pop culture after befriending a Korean via an online pen pal site ? a friendship that continues nearly a decade later. Vilardi was instantly hooked to all things Korean, from the music to TV, leading her to decide to come to Korea for the first time as a study abroad student at Korea University in 2009 ? her first time overseas.
Since then her love of Korean Entertainment only deepened and her fandom quickly trickled down to her younger sister, Meghan.
“When Kayla went to Seoul to study she really showed me how amazing it can be to be somewhere new,” said Meghan, who is currently preparing to work as an English teacher in Seoul. “I loved hearing about all the experiences she was having.”
After opening her eyes to a new world of entertainment, Meghan has since enjoyed watching a number of popular Korean dramas including “Boys Over Flowers,” “Secret Garden,” “Lie to Me” and “Protect the Boss.”
“U.S. dramas are annoying and I never watch them because they’re all raunchy and formulaic. K-dramas like to play around with reality,” Meghan said noting that she typically enjoys a drama if she finds the male lead to be a strong and attractive character. “Korean dramas will actually have guys who know when they want the girl and actually go for it.”
“U.S. shows are just about drama and being all up on each other, but Korean dramas get crazy and it’s fantastic,” she added.
By Julie Jackson (juliejackson@heraldcorp.com)
How Korean dramas hook global viewers
A longtime fan of Korean dramas, Yu Yijie, a 25-year-old Chinese graduate student at Kookmin University, instantly fell for Korean entertainment watching “Full House,” starring Rain and Song Hye-kyo, which aired in 2004.
Since then, she has watched every popular Korean drama and gradually developed an interest in drama production.
“I thought I would come to Korea (to study) when I was watching ‘My Girl’ in 2005, which was a huge hit in China, starring Lee Jun-ki and Lee Da-hae,” said Yu, in a phone interview.
She came to Korea in 2012 and majored in public administration for her undergraduate degree. During summer and winter breaks she returned to China to intern at broadcasting companies. Then she decided to pursue a graduate degree in film and television at the university, turning her love of drama into the pursuit of a professional career in drama and film.
“I wanted to learn advanced Korean drama and film production here,” said Yu.
From left: "Winter Sonata" (KBS), "The Heirs" (SBS), "Jewel in the Palace" (MBC), "Descendants of the Sun" (KBS), "My Love from the Star" (SBS) and "Jumong" (MBC)
Yu’s case is an illustration of the positive and productive influence that Korean dramas can have after more than a decade of popularity overseas.
Since the early 2000s, Korean dramas have grown enormously popular, spearheading the Korean culture wave, or hallyu, around the world.
The first drama to really get the Korean Wave going was “Winter Sonata” in 2002, which was exceptionally popular among middle-aged women in Japan.
The drama created an enormous fandom in Japan and catapulted the lead actor and actress -- Bae Yong-joon and Choi Ji-woo, who were called by honorific nicknames Yon-sama (Emperor Yon) and Jiwo Hime (Princess Jiwoo) -- into top stars in Asia.
Another great success came a year later when the period drama “Jewel in the Palace” aired in 2003 on MBC. The drama was the first to attract popularity from beyond East Asia. It was sold to more than 90 countries, from China and Japan to places as far away as Kazakhstan and Hungary.
In Tajikistan, “Jewel in the Palace” reached a 70 percent viewership when it first aired in 2007, and had five reruns. In Kazakhstan, the popularity of “Jewel in the Palace” was followed by a series of successes of other Korean period dramas such as “Jumong” (2006), “Queen Seodeok” (2009), and “Dong Yi” (2010), according to “Global Hallyu 2015,” a report on trends in the Korean pop culture boom overseas.
Korean period dramas have had people of diverse nationalities take an interest in Korean traditional culture, costume, food and landscape, eventually attracting a growing number of tourists to Korea.
Korean dramas are very popular in East Asia and Southeast Asia, where Asians viewers easily relate to the Asian traditional values and features of an hierarchical society that are depicted in Korean dramas.
“Myanmar’s culture shares a great similarity with Korean culture as it values family, respect for elders and hospitality toward guests. The similar culture and customs, thoughts and languages between two countries made Burmese people receive Korean dramas easily,” said “Global Hallyu 2015.”
Oh In-gyu, director general of the World Association for Hallyu Studies and a professor at Korea University, argues that there is another factor that allows Korean dramas to transcend borders and ethnicities.
“Korean dramas best represent feelings women of all nationalities can share. That is the feeling of melancholia,” said Oh.
“The state of melancholia can translate into the distinct state of Korean mind ‘han,’” he said.
Han may be a complicated psychological concept, but it refers to accumulated depression that hasn’t been unleashed. It was used to describe the psychological state of older Korean women who grew up and lived in the patriarchal and hierarchical society.
According to Oh, the Korean drama fever is driven by female viewers worldwide who share the sentiment.
“Whether it’s historical dramas, romantic melodramas, or dramas with violence, the primary viewers of Korean dramas are women,” said Oh.
In Korean dramas, the female protagonists overcome a series of obstacles before they find their true love and achieve career success. In “Jewel in the Palace,” the protagonist Jang-geum, who comes from a disgraced family, enters the palace to become an assistant for kings and queens. She works her way up from being an assistant cook to a court doctor.
“Women feel a sense of catharsis watching the female character grow.”
From 2010 to 2013, Oh conducted an interesting test in Israel, France and the United Kingdom to check different reactions of male and female viewers watching Korean dramas. Oh screened five different dramas and observed the viewers’ responses.
“Men showed little interest in drama stories, while women quickly became attached to the characters.”
Another factor that attracted global female audiences to Korean dramas is the ideal male figures portrayed in Korean dramas, Oh explained.
“Korean men are sensitive, kind and fashionable in dramas. They are the ideal type for most of women,” said Oh.
The most popular Korean drama airing in Argentina is “Stairway to Heaven,” which came out in 2003 in Korea. A news article published on March 9, in the Argentinian newspaper Clarin picked the drama as one of the most-watched television programs, with a 10 percent viewership rating, and wrote about its popularity among Argentinian households. The drama features a male protagonist played by Kwon Sang-woo, who is devoted to his ailing childhood sweetheart and protects her until her death with the promise of everlasting love.
By Lee Woo-young (wylee@heraldcorp.com)
‘Makjang’: Escape into the absurd
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In a scene from “Everybody, Kimchi,” Lim Dong-joon (Won Ki-joon) is slapped in the face with kimchi. (MBC)
A vindictive mother-in-law slaps the male lead with a thick wedge of kimchi. Neon green laser beams shoot out of a businessman’s eyes. A woman fakes her own death, gets plastic surgery and remarries her ex-husband to take revenge.
These are scenarios that have actually aired on prime-time Korean television series, and moreover been met with favorable ratings.
Locally, these types of shows are referred to as “makjang” -- vernacular for situations that seem too outrageous to be true. The genre is characterized by melodrama, violent emotional outbursts and absurd coincidence, alongside adultery, incest and sudden memory loss.
According to culture critic Jung Deok-hyeon, dysfunctional family relationships are at the center of makjang Korean drama series.
“The family story is a format that is familiar to everyone,” said Jung. “(The shows) tend to blow up the negative aspects of Korea’s traditional family structure, with oppressive father figures, conflicts between wives and mothers-in-law and discrimination among family members.
“Add violence and revenge and drama to that, and it makes for a sensational plot and characters that really push your buttons. It provokes a strong emotional reaction.”
While viewers generally denounce this genre as lacking any kind of logic or sophistication, many of Korea’s most notorious makjang series have achieved decent ratings and all have made headlines. The 2014 series “Jang Bo-ri is Here!” centering on the fierce competition between two daughters-in-law, for example, peaked at a strong 37.3 percent viewership, according to Nielsen Korea.
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Jo Nathan, played by actor Kim Min-soo, suddenly dies of a concussion after being pushed into a wall in “Apgujeong Midnight Sun.” (MBC)
Series like “Princess Aurora,” which killed off 12 supporting characters and “Apgujeong Midnight Sun,” which received a warning from the Korea Communications Standards Commission for excessive violence, were the buzz of the day.
Avid television viewer Choi Han-yool, 27, says she enjoys the mindless escapism that the absurd yet easy-to-follow plotlines offer.
“You can just turn it on and immediately understand what’s happening,” she said. “There’s no need for any context. It’s simple who the villain is.”
Black-and-white morality is another main ingredient in makjang series.
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A scene from “Jang Bo-ri is Here!” shows villainess Yeon Min-jeong (Lee Yoo-ri) wailing with anger. Amplified emotional outbursts are staples of Korean “makjang” series. (MBC)
“Jang Bo-ri is Here!” features villainess Yeon Min-jeong, played by actress Lee Yoo-ri, who abandons her daughter, manipulates people and screams in corridors to get what she wants, eventually dumping her husband after he loses his wealth, among other outrageous acts.
“It’s fun to talk about what crazy things these characters will do next,” said Choi. “It’s like gossiping about someone without having to feel guilty.”
In the series, main character Jang Bo-ri is a girl who has struggled in life but has a heart of gold, a clear foil to Min-jeong.
Park Myeong-jin, professor of Korean literature at Chung-Ang University, says this clean-cut morality offers respite in a society ridden with uncertainty, which is why makjang series still score big with audiences.
“In the late 1990s, Korea was hit with IMF,” said Park, referring to the 1997 Asian financial crisis in which Korea was bailed out by the International Monetary Fund. “People lost jobs. The future became unclear for many, for no clear reason and through no fault of their own.”
And when things don’t unfurl according to a comprehensible, cause-and-effect sequence, people take refuge in the irrational and the violent, Park said.
“Reasonable plotlines cannot appeal to people living in a world that doesn’t follow reason,” he said.
Park additionally argues that in makjang series, no matter how unhinged the character or plot may become, the denouement always returns to traditional values. In “Bo-ri,” for example, the heroine, who represents utter goodness, lives happily ever after in the end, while the thoroughly evil Min-jeong is rightfully punished for her crimes. The family is salvaged; balance and peace are restored.
“People feel that things aren’t rightly compensated in their real lives, which is why they like seeing a simple version of justice win in TV shows.”
By Rumy Doo (doo@heraldcorp.com)
Chinese Remake Confirmed for Drama “She Was Pretty”
MBC‘s drama “She Was Pretty” has been confirmed to be having a Chinese remake after its popularity throughout Asia.
According to local Chinese sources, the remake will be a Korean-Chinese joint production between Jaywalk Studio, the Chinese production company for top star Yang Mi, and Bon Factory, the Korean production company for the original “She Was Pretty.” The original writer Jo Seong Hee will be in charge of the script for the remake while young and rising star Dilraba (aka Di Li Re Ba) is being considered as a strong candidate for the female protagonist role.
Chinese Hallyu fans have reacted positively to the news of the Chinese version of “She Was Pretty.” This is because the drama was one that was highly popular despite the fact that it could not be aired in Korea and China simultaneously, due to online foreign broadcast issues within China. In addition to Dilraba, fans are wondering which Chinese actors/actresses will be cast for the other roles.
“She Was Pretty,” which finished airing last November, is a romantic comedy about the relationships between freckle-faced, curly-haired “nope-girl” Kim Hye Jin (Hwang Jung Eum), “it guy” Ji Sung Joon (Park Seo Joon), seemingly perfect yet “not-so-perfect sexy girl” Min Ha Ri (Go Jun Hee), and the mysterious, audacious and pleasantly surprising Kim Shin Hyuk (Choi Siwon).
“Coffee Prince” To Be Remade in China
The drama that made household names out of Gong Yoo and Yoon Eun Hye, “Coffee Prince” will soon be remade into a Chinese version.
For the remake, the name will be changed to “Prince Coffee” and is currently getting ready to film, according to a representative on March 16.
The male protagonist will be played by Yang Le and the female protagonist by Xu Lu, both incredibly popular stars in their homeland. The directing will be done by Kang Shin Hyo, who directed the hit drama “Heirs.”
The drama will start filming in mid-April and the script will be adjusted to fit with the Chinese viewers.
source: kpopherald 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8, soompi 1 2, naver 1 2
i compiled some articles on kdramas i read recently, found it pointless to submit separate posts. some are more interesting than others. hope you enjoy!
Almost everyone is talking about “Descendants of the Sun,” the latest joint Korea-China television drama project.
Fans have fallen head over heels into the love story between an Army captain played by Song Joong-ki and a doctor played by Song Hye-kyo in a faraway, natural disaster-hit country. Critics, meanwhile, predict that this blockbuster will boost KBS, a network broadcaster that has been lagging behind MBC, SBS and even cable channels such as tvN in dramas.
A scene from “Descendants of the Sun” (KBS)
Besides its glitz and glam, with high ratings and heartthrob stars, what got the local TV industry talking about the drama series is its unique production style -- unique in Korea but not so in the U.S.
The entire 16-episode drama series was shot in advance last year before its official broadcast began in Korea and China last month.
It had gone through the pre-production, production and post-production stages, securing investment and distribution in an orderly and carefully planned fashion, industry sources said.
“This TV production, which is the way feature films are made, proved not only to be successful but also helped the crew and actors to feel less burdened because it gave them time to prepare and rehearse before production,” said an official of the Korea Creative Content Agency.
This film-style TV production is very uncommon in Korea, where shooting two episodes a week while a drama series is running does not raise eyebrows. Scripts are usually handed over to directors, cinematographers and actors on the day of the shoot, giving actors little time to get into character and prepare for a shot. Editing is completed just hours before an episode goes on-air. Assistant directors scout for locations not months but days before an on-location shooting. Actors and actresses, and even directors have complained about Korea’s so-called “live drama shooting” environment with some celebrities walking off the set.
“There is a saying in TV -- get some experience in TV then jump right over to films as early as possible,” said an industry source, who asked not to be named.
“It’s bit ironic though how China got the industry here to make TV dramas like films as the industry has wanted to for years.”
(KBS)
“Descendants of the Sun,” produced by Next World Entertainment, was shot and edited in advance for two reasons -- the drama needed to go through a rigorous and strict prescreening by China’s TV & film authority to determine if it could be broadcast in the country; and the producer and its Chinese partner wanted to simultaneously release the drama in Korea and China not only to prevent illegal duplication but also to gain a fair valuation of the content.
Hong Kong-based Huace Media Investment, an investment arm of Zhejiang Huace Film & TV owned by billionaire Fu Meicheng, has a 13 percent stake in Seoul-based NEW, which is known for a number of blockbusters, including “The Attorney” and “Miracle in Cell No. 7.”
Should Korean producers seek to show their content in China -- which has become the country’s largest export destination for Korean dramas accounting for more than 30 percent of the total drama exports -- and for which they need to complete the work in advance for approval for distribution in China?
Observers say it will be difficult for the local TV industry to immediately get all its productions to shoot like “Descendants,” which has garnered more than 600 million views on Chinese search portal Baidu’s video streaming platform iQiyi and is enjoying a 30 percent viewer share in Korea.
This is because Korea still does not have the financial infrastructure where producers can secure investments for their projects in time.
Song Hye-kyo rehearses her lines for a scene in “Descendants of the Sun.” (KBS)
“Producing content like ‘Descendants’ is ideal, but unless there is an improvement in financing, it will be difficult, especially for independent production houses, to shoot dramas like that,” said the KOCCA official.
By Park Hyong-ki (hkp@heraldcorp.com)
‘Descendants of the Sun’ hits 440m views in China
The popularity of KBS2 TV drama series “Descendants of the Sun” in China apparently has the nation’s government on edge.
On Saturday, China’s Ministry of Public Security posted a warning against watching “Descendants of the Sun” on its official Weibo site.
(KBS2)
“An enormous fandom of Korean drama ‘Descendants of the Sun’ starring Song Joong-ki has emerged as it began to air in Korea and China. It is easy to see that many have fallen in love with the male lead Song,” it said, warning that “watching Korean dramas could be dangerous, and even lead to legal troubles.”
“Descendants of the Sun,” a 16-episode KBS2 TV drama series set against the backdrop of military operations in a fictional country, starring actor Song Joong-ki and actress Song Hye-kyo, hit 440 million cumulative views on Chinese online video platform iQIYI.
The cumulative views of the TV drama outnumbered those of 2014 SBS hit drama “My Love from the Star,” Taiwanese newspaper China Times reported Sunday.
In its Weibo posting warning against the harmful effects of watching Korean dramas, the ministry offered several examples of extreme cases -- a couple who divorced due to Korean dramas and a man who went through extreme plastic surgery to reclaim his heart of his wife, who had become smitten by the male protagonist of a Korean drama -- to illustrate the “potential troubles” faced by those watching Korean dramas.
(KBS)
“Descendants of the Sun,” was released simultaneously in Korea and China, where iQIYI has purchased the online rights.
The TV drama series is also gaining popularity in Korea, recording 14.4 percent viewership with its first episode on Feb. 24 and hitting 28.5 percent for its sixth episode, which aired March 10, according to AGB Nielsen, a television ratings company.
By Jung Eun-jin (jej2403@heraldcorp.com)
'Descendants of the Sun' commands six-figure tag in Japan
Sensational South Korean television series "Descendants of the Sun" has been exported to Japan with a big price tag, industry sources said Sunday, reviving a foray into the market that the country had trouble reaching lately.
The sources said the KBS 2TV drama has been sold at US$100,000 per episode. It airs on Wednesdays and Thursdays, and the sixth episode of the 16-part series will be on air this Wednesday.
"Descendants of the Sun" is the first South Korean drama to command six figures per episode in nearly three years, according to the sources, indicating that Japan, which once seemed reluctant to import South Korean shows, is ready to bring in programs from its neighbor.
Scene from "Descendants of the Sun" (KBS2)
An earlier KBS series, "Winter Sonata," took Japan by storm in 2002 and established a market presence for South Korean shows there. Over the ensuing decade, popular TV series commanded as much as $200,000 per episode, and then in 2012, "Love Rain," starring Hallyu icon Jang Keun-suk, went for $300,000 per episode.
"Love Rain," however, was a bust in the ratings war at home, and was also poorly received among critics. Other dramas that were sold to Japan in the similar price range also disappointed both critically and commercially, leading to a downward spiral for South Korean TV programs in Japan.
It coincided with the rise in anti-Korean sentiment in Japan, and the few dramas that were sold to Japan barely cracked $100,000 per episode.
Enter "Descendants of the Sun," whose most recent episode drew a 31.2 percent rating in the nation's capital last week.
A love story between an Army captain and a doctor who travel to a war-torn country called Uruk to save lives, it's the first Korean show to be aired in South Korea and China simultaneously. It's also been noted for being completely pre-produced. Traditionally, Korean shows are produced on an episode-by-episode basis to leave some wiggle room for tweaks.
"When 'Descendants of the Sun' got off to a phenomenal start in both Korea and China, Japanese buyers put it at the top of their list," one local industry source said. "The competition led to such a high price tag."
It's the first show by the male lead Song Joong-ki since the end of his mandatory military service. Song Hye-kyo, the female lead and a long-time Hallyu star, is in her first TV drama in three years.
Industry sources say Jang Keun-suk could get his redemption in the international market with much-anticipated SBS series "Jackpot," which will premiere on March 28. (Yonhap)
Stars in the front line of hallyu dramas
Behind the glory of hallyu dramas are the star-studded casts.
After garnering attention abroad in Korean dramas -- mainly other Asian countries including China and Japan -- stars quickly jump into dramas and variety shows there.
Overseas endorsements, and fan meetings follow, consolidating their positions, as well as the prominent status of hallyu.
Starting with the unexpected success of the KBS2 TV drama series “Winter Sonata” which aired on Japanese satellite channel BS2 in 2003, the drama’s protagonists Bae Yong-joon and Choi Ji-woo enjoyed a meteoric rise as the first hallyu drama stars.
Lee Young-ae, who starred in MBC TV drama “Jewel in the Palace” the following year, replicated the two stars’ success, keeping hallyu alive.
Actor Kim Soo-hyun stars in 2014 SBS TV drama seris "My Love from the Star." (SBS)
The SBS hit drama “My Love from the Star” which recorded 2 billion views on Chinese video platform iQIYI in 2014, set a milestone for hallyu dramas.
Kim Soo-hyun, until then best known for KBS2 series “Dream High,” MBC fusion historical drama “Moon Embracing the Sun,” and webtoon-based film “Secretly, Greatly,” became active in China after the international success of “My Love from the Star,” where he played the male lead Do Min-joon.
Kim has appeared in local variety shows in China including Jiangsu TV’s “The Brain” and “Bring You To The Stars” in 2014 and Sohu TV’s “Stars From Korea.” In 2014, Kim was also reported to have set a new record by signing 35 endorsements deals, 16 of them in China.
Park Hae-jin, another male lead of “My Love from the Star,” has built up a career as a hallyu star in a slow and steady way, unlike his contemporaries. Even before the SBS drama became popular in China, Park had appeared in Chinese TV dramas starting in 2011 including Hunan TV’s “Another Kind of Splendid Life,” Xi An TV’s “Loves Relativity,” in “Secret Society of men -- Friends” which aired on four Chinese channels including Zhejiang TV and Dongfang TV last year, and Guangdong TV’s “Far Away Love” this year.
Park also played the male lead in the tvN drama series “Cheese in the Trap” this year, which will be released on Chinese websites Youku and Tudou this summer. He was reported to have signed endorsements with 15 advertisers this year, estimated to be worth 11 billion won in total.
Actor Song Joong-ki stars in KBS2 TV drama series "Descendants of the Sun." (KBS)
Meanwhile, the hottest hallyu rookie Song Joong-ki is enjoying popularity in China as KBS2 TV drama series “Descendants of the Sun” is being broadcast simultaneously in China on iQIYI.
Song, who debuted in the film “A Frozen Flower” in 2008, shot to stardom in 2010 with KBS2 fusion historical drama “Sungkyunkwan Scandal.”
While carving out his position as an entertainer by appearing on SBS variety show “Running Man” from 2010 to 2011 and on KBS music program “Music Bank” as an MC from 2009 to 2010, Song continued to build up his acting career.
After serving in the military, from 2013-2015, Song made a strong comeback with “Descendants of the Sun,” which has made him the hottest star of the moment.
The KBS2 TV drama hit 400 million cumulative views on iQIYI, out-performing “My Love from the Star.” It will also begin airing on the Japanese cable channel Elsei Gekijou in June.
By Jung Eun-jin (jej2403@heraldcorp.com)
CJ E&M at vanguard of Korean culture boom
CJ E&M's film hit ”Veteran” (2015, film) (tvN)
For investors looking to take a bet on Korea’s hot pop culture scene, CJ E&M deserves a close look.
The Seoul-based firm is arguably Korea’s most prominent provider of cultural content now, churning out one mega hit after another.
From “Grandpas Over Flowers (2013,) “Incomplete Life (2014),” to “Reply 1988” last year, many of its TV productions aired on cable channel tvN were cultural sensations.
“At least in the TV segment, it is safe to say that CJ E&M has proven its mettle,” said analyst Chung Yu-seok of Kyobo Securities in Seoul.
CJ E&M’s business interest spans across TV, film, music, live entertainment and animation, but TV is the mainstay of its revenue.
Operating profits from TV soared a whopping 2,039 percent in 2015, helping the company swing to a surplus of 53 billion won ($44.7 million).
The popularity of TV content is typically monetized through commercials and hit TV shows and dramas lead to spikes in ad rates, Chung explained.
“The average ad rates at tvN rose 54.7 percent last year, but that is still less than half the levels at territorial networks,” the analyst said, indicating that there is room for further growth. CJ E&M runs 15 other cable TV channels, including the music entertainment channel Mnet and the country’s top movie channel OCN.
As to the big screen, CJ E&M is at the top for five straight years now.
“Grandpas Over Flowers” (2013, TV show) (tvN)
Its releases -- including both domestic and foreign productions -- took up 23 percent of the local box office in 2015.
The year’s biggest box-office hit was also a CJ E&M release. Directed by Ryoo Seung-wan, “Veteran” became the third most viewed film in Korea, drawing 13.4 million viewers since its release in August last year. It was CJ’s fifth production to breach the 10 million viewership mark in a country of 50 million.
Despite the seemingly strong performance, however, experts are paying more attention to the company’s overseas business plan, particularly in China, the movie world’s hottest market, as Korea’s domestic film market nears saturation.
“CJ E&M is increasing its network in China, with four releases scheduled in the country this year alone. That is a positive for the company’s growth outlook,” said Km Hyun-yong of eBest Securities. CJ E&M is the brokerage’s top pick for entertainment-media stocks.
Reply 1998” (2015, TV drama) (tvN)
Shares in CJ E&M closed at 76,500 won per share on the secondary stock exchange KOSDAQ on Monday. Its market cap is slightly above 2.9 trillion won, the fifth largest on the bourse for smaller-cap stocks.
A unit of the retail-centered conglomerate CJ, CJ E&M is 42 percent controlled by the group’s holding firm CJ Corp. and its owner family. The second-largest stakeholder is the National Pension Fund, Korea’s largest investor. Foreigners hold a combined 18.55 percent stake.
In another positive development to the company’s profit outlook this year or next, the company’s game-publishing spin-off Net Marble is preparing for an initial public offering. CJ E&M holds a 31.5 percent stake in the mobile game developer which set a new record in annual revenue last year, raking in 1.1 trillion won.
By Lee Sun-young (milaya@heraldcorp.com)
TV dramas exert tourist pull
A filming set and stage props from "My Love from the Star" located at DDP (SBS)
As worldwide interest in Korean entertainment and content continues its global thrust, the city of Seoul is starting to see an influx in “hallyu-based” tourism, leading to the establishment of Korean drama-inspired tourist guide to assist die-hard fans track down the filming locations from their favorite Korean dramas.
“Not long ago, something strange happened on a cold winter day in China -- fried chicken and beer starting selling like hotcakes,” reads VisitSeoul’s Hallyu Tourist Guide. “The merchants found this strange because the combination of beer and fried chicken was not common in China.”
“What triggered the occurrence? The airing of ‘My Love from the Star,’” it reads. “The Korean lifestyle is being introduced to the world through television series, starting trends and causing a stir outside of Korea. More people are traveling to Korea out of their love of Korean television shows.”
A handful of local dramas have enjoyed so much popularity around the world, especially Asia, that they have been credited with enticing viewers to travel to Korea to see the culture and filming locations firsthand.
The growing Korean drama fever has led to the establishment of “Hallyu Tours.” There are now several published guides that map out the filming locations of popular TV shows such as “My Love from the Star,” “We Got Married,” “The Heirs,” “Doctor Stranger,” and “Running Man.”
Much thanks to online video streaming sites such as DramaFever -- a video streaming website owned by Warner Bros that offers on-demand streaming of mostly movies and TV shows with subtitles -- and Netflix, which recently established its presence in Korea, both newer and older K-dramas are continuing to seep onto TV and computer screens throughout the world.
According to the Contents Power Index, which is measured by the number of searches on search engines and follower rankings of the TV shows that air on the major broadcasting networks, the country’s the three highest ranking shows of last year were KBS2’s “The Producers” -- no surprise considering it stars hallyu power king Kim Soo-hyun -- followed by SBS’ “The Girl Who Sees Smells” and “Pinocchio.”
Following the tremendous success of “My Love from the Star,” particularly in China, Kim’s follow-up drama “The Producers,” which was considered the country’s first ever “variety drama,” went on to sell its broadcasting rights in China for more than $2.4 million.
However, along with the rise of newer and more popular K-drama series, classic dramas from years ago are still proving to be some of the biggest driving forces behind the popularity of locally produced shows, especially among international fans.
(Yonhap)
Last year, the Korea Creative Content Agency released a poll announcing most popular Korean TV shows of all-time to be: “Jewel in the Palace,” “Winter Sonata,” “My Love from the Star,” “Autumn in My Heart” and reality TV show “Running Man” -- all of which had tremendous followings outside the peninsula.
For some international K-drama fans, their love affair with shows can be traced back years, with TV productions that are to this day widely considered to be some of the pillars of the local drama industry.
“I’ve watched ‘Boys over Flowers’ and ‘Coffee Prince’ because they were super popular and I wanted to see what all the hoopla was about,” said 28-year-old American Kayla Vilardi, whose interest in Korean culture started nearly 10 years ago.
“K-dramas are so dramatically different from anything you would see on American TV. K-dramas seem to be a cool insight into Korean pop culture,” she added, noting that her go-to move for learning about the latest in Korean TV is to surf around DramaFever.
Vilardi was first introduced to Korean pop culture after befriending a Korean via an online pen pal site ? a friendship that continues nearly a decade later. Vilardi was instantly hooked to all things Korean, from the music to TV, leading her to decide to come to Korea for the first time as a study abroad student at Korea University in 2009 ? her first time overseas.
Since then her love of Korean Entertainment only deepened and her fandom quickly trickled down to her younger sister, Meghan.
“When Kayla went to Seoul to study she really showed me how amazing it can be to be somewhere new,” said Meghan, who is currently preparing to work as an English teacher in Seoul. “I loved hearing about all the experiences she was having.”
After opening her eyes to a new world of entertainment, Meghan has since enjoyed watching a number of popular Korean dramas including “Boys Over Flowers,” “Secret Garden,” “Lie to Me” and “Protect the Boss.”
“U.S. dramas are annoying and I never watch them because they’re all raunchy and formulaic. K-dramas like to play around with reality,” Meghan said noting that she typically enjoys a drama if she finds the male lead to be a strong and attractive character. “Korean dramas will actually have guys who know when they want the girl and actually go for it.”
“U.S. shows are just about drama and being all up on each other, but Korean dramas get crazy and it’s fantastic,” she added.
By Julie Jackson (juliejackson@heraldcorp.com)
How Korean dramas hook global viewers
A longtime fan of Korean dramas, Yu Yijie, a 25-year-old Chinese graduate student at Kookmin University, instantly fell for Korean entertainment watching “Full House,” starring Rain and Song Hye-kyo, which aired in 2004.
Since then, she has watched every popular Korean drama and gradually developed an interest in drama production.
“I thought I would come to Korea (to study) when I was watching ‘My Girl’ in 2005, which was a huge hit in China, starring Lee Jun-ki and Lee Da-hae,” said Yu, in a phone interview.
She came to Korea in 2012 and majored in public administration for her undergraduate degree. During summer and winter breaks she returned to China to intern at broadcasting companies. Then she decided to pursue a graduate degree in film and television at the university, turning her love of drama into the pursuit of a professional career in drama and film.
“I wanted to learn advanced Korean drama and film production here,” said Yu.
From left: "Winter Sonata" (KBS), "The Heirs" (SBS), "Jewel in the Palace" (MBC), "Descendants of the Sun" (KBS), "My Love from the Star" (SBS) and "Jumong" (MBC)
Yu’s case is an illustration of the positive and productive influence that Korean dramas can have after more than a decade of popularity overseas.
Since the early 2000s, Korean dramas have grown enormously popular, spearheading the Korean culture wave, or hallyu, around the world.
The first drama to really get the Korean Wave going was “Winter Sonata” in 2002, which was exceptionally popular among middle-aged women in Japan.
The drama created an enormous fandom in Japan and catapulted the lead actor and actress -- Bae Yong-joon and Choi Ji-woo, who were called by honorific nicknames Yon-sama (Emperor Yon) and Jiwo Hime (Princess Jiwoo) -- into top stars in Asia.
Another great success came a year later when the period drama “Jewel in the Palace” aired in 2003 on MBC. The drama was the first to attract popularity from beyond East Asia. It was sold to more than 90 countries, from China and Japan to places as far away as Kazakhstan and Hungary.
In Tajikistan, “Jewel in the Palace” reached a 70 percent viewership when it first aired in 2007, and had five reruns. In Kazakhstan, the popularity of “Jewel in the Palace” was followed by a series of successes of other Korean period dramas such as “Jumong” (2006), “Queen Seodeok” (2009), and “Dong Yi” (2010), according to “Global Hallyu 2015,” a report on trends in the Korean pop culture boom overseas.
Korean period dramas have had people of diverse nationalities take an interest in Korean traditional culture, costume, food and landscape, eventually attracting a growing number of tourists to Korea.
Korean dramas are very popular in East Asia and Southeast Asia, where Asians viewers easily relate to the Asian traditional values and features of an hierarchical society that are depicted in Korean dramas.
“Myanmar’s culture shares a great similarity with Korean culture as it values family, respect for elders and hospitality toward guests. The similar culture and customs, thoughts and languages between two countries made Burmese people receive Korean dramas easily,” said “Global Hallyu 2015.”
Oh In-gyu, director general of the World Association for Hallyu Studies and a professor at Korea University, argues that there is another factor that allows Korean dramas to transcend borders and ethnicities.
“Korean dramas best represent feelings women of all nationalities can share. That is the feeling of melancholia,” said Oh.
“The state of melancholia can translate into the distinct state of Korean mind ‘han,’” he said.
Han may be a complicated psychological concept, but it refers to accumulated depression that hasn’t been unleashed. It was used to describe the psychological state of older Korean women who grew up and lived in the patriarchal and hierarchical society.
According to Oh, the Korean drama fever is driven by female viewers worldwide who share the sentiment.
“Whether it’s historical dramas, romantic melodramas, or dramas with violence, the primary viewers of Korean dramas are women,” said Oh.
In Korean dramas, the female protagonists overcome a series of obstacles before they find their true love and achieve career success. In “Jewel in the Palace,” the protagonist Jang-geum, who comes from a disgraced family, enters the palace to become an assistant for kings and queens. She works her way up from being an assistant cook to a court doctor.
“Women feel a sense of catharsis watching the female character grow.”
From 2010 to 2013, Oh conducted an interesting test in Israel, France and the United Kingdom to check different reactions of male and female viewers watching Korean dramas. Oh screened five different dramas and observed the viewers’ responses.
“Men showed little interest in drama stories, while women quickly became attached to the characters.”
Another factor that attracted global female audiences to Korean dramas is the ideal male figures portrayed in Korean dramas, Oh explained.
“Korean men are sensitive, kind and fashionable in dramas. They are the ideal type for most of women,” said Oh.
The most popular Korean drama airing in Argentina is “Stairway to Heaven,” which came out in 2003 in Korea. A news article published on March 9, in the Argentinian newspaper Clarin picked the drama as one of the most-watched television programs, with a 10 percent viewership rating, and wrote about its popularity among Argentinian households. The drama features a male protagonist played by Kwon Sang-woo, who is devoted to his ailing childhood sweetheart and protects her until her death with the promise of everlasting love.
By Lee Woo-young (wylee@heraldcorp.com)
‘Makjang’: Escape into the absurd
In a scene from “Everybody, Kimchi,” Lim Dong-joon (Won Ki-joon) is slapped in the face with kimchi. (MBC)
A vindictive mother-in-law slaps the male lead with a thick wedge of kimchi. Neon green laser beams shoot out of a businessman’s eyes. A woman fakes her own death, gets plastic surgery and remarries her ex-husband to take revenge.
These are scenarios that have actually aired on prime-time Korean television series, and moreover been met with favorable ratings.
Locally, these types of shows are referred to as “makjang” -- vernacular for situations that seem too outrageous to be true. The genre is characterized by melodrama, violent emotional outbursts and absurd coincidence, alongside adultery, incest and sudden memory loss.
According to culture critic Jung Deok-hyeon, dysfunctional family relationships are at the center of makjang Korean drama series.
“The family story is a format that is familiar to everyone,” said Jung. “(The shows) tend to blow up the negative aspects of Korea’s traditional family structure, with oppressive father figures, conflicts between wives and mothers-in-law and discrimination among family members.
“Add violence and revenge and drama to that, and it makes for a sensational plot and characters that really push your buttons. It provokes a strong emotional reaction.”
While viewers generally denounce this genre as lacking any kind of logic or sophistication, many of Korea’s most notorious makjang series have achieved decent ratings and all have made headlines. The 2014 series “Jang Bo-ri is Here!” centering on the fierce competition between two daughters-in-law, for example, peaked at a strong 37.3 percent viewership, according to Nielsen Korea.
Jo Nathan, played by actor Kim Min-soo, suddenly dies of a concussion after being pushed into a wall in “Apgujeong Midnight Sun.” (MBC)
Series like “Princess Aurora,” which killed off 12 supporting characters and “Apgujeong Midnight Sun,” which received a warning from the Korea Communications Standards Commission for excessive violence, were the buzz of the day.
Avid television viewer Choi Han-yool, 27, says she enjoys the mindless escapism that the absurd yet easy-to-follow plotlines offer.
“You can just turn it on and immediately understand what’s happening,” she said. “There’s no need for any context. It’s simple who the villain is.”
Black-and-white morality is another main ingredient in makjang series.
A scene from “Jang Bo-ri is Here!” shows villainess Yeon Min-jeong (Lee Yoo-ri) wailing with anger. Amplified emotional outbursts are staples of Korean “makjang” series. (MBC)
“Jang Bo-ri is Here!” features villainess Yeon Min-jeong, played by actress Lee Yoo-ri, who abandons her daughter, manipulates people and screams in corridors to get what she wants, eventually dumping her husband after he loses his wealth, among other outrageous acts.
“It’s fun to talk about what crazy things these characters will do next,” said Choi. “It’s like gossiping about someone without having to feel guilty.”
In the series, main character Jang Bo-ri is a girl who has struggled in life but has a heart of gold, a clear foil to Min-jeong.
Park Myeong-jin, professor of Korean literature at Chung-Ang University, says this clean-cut morality offers respite in a society ridden with uncertainty, which is why makjang series still score big with audiences.
“In the late 1990s, Korea was hit with IMF,” said Park, referring to the 1997 Asian financial crisis in which Korea was bailed out by the International Monetary Fund. “People lost jobs. The future became unclear for many, for no clear reason and through no fault of their own.”
And when things don’t unfurl according to a comprehensible, cause-and-effect sequence, people take refuge in the irrational and the violent, Park said.
“Reasonable plotlines cannot appeal to people living in a world that doesn’t follow reason,” he said.
Park additionally argues that in makjang series, no matter how unhinged the character or plot may become, the denouement always returns to traditional values. In “Bo-ri,” for example, the heroine, who represents utter goodness, lives happily ever after in the end, while the thoroughly evil Min-jeong is rightfully punished for her crimes. The family is salvaged; balance and peace are restored.
“People feel that things aren’t rightly compensated in their real lives, which is why they like seeing a simple version of justice win in TV shows.”
By Rumy Doo (doo@heraldcorp.com)
Chinese Remake Confirmed for Drama “She Was Pretty”
MBC‘s drama “She Was Pretty” has been confirmed to be having a Chinese remake after its popularity throughout Asia.
According to local Chinese sources, the remake will be a Korean-Chinese joint production between Jaywalk Studio, the Chinese production company for top star Yang Mi, and Bon Factory, the Korean production company for the original “She Was Pretty.” The original writer Jo Seong Hee will be in charge of the script for the remake while young and rising star Dilraba (aka Di Li Re Ba) is being considered as a strong candidate for the female protagonist role.
Chinese Hallyu fans have reacted positively to the news of the Chinese version of “She Was Pretty.” This is because the drama was one that was highly popular despite the fact that it could not be aired in Korea and China simultaneously, due to online foreign broadcast issues within China. In addition to Dilraba, fans are wondering which Chinese actors/actresses will be cast for the other roles.
“She Was Pretty,” which finished airing last November, is a romantic comedy about the relationships between freckle-faced, curly-haired “nope-girl” Kim Hye Jin (Hwang Jung Eum), “it guy” Ji Sung Joon (Park Seo Joon), seemingly perfect yet “not-so-perfect sexy girl” Min Ha Ri (Go Jun Hee), and the mysterious, audacious and pleasantly surprising Kim Shin Hyuk (Choi Siwon).
“Coffee Prince” To Be Remade in China
The drama that made household names out of Gong Yoo and Yoon Eun Hye, “Coffee Prince” will soon be remade into a Chinese version.
For the remake, the name will be changed to “Prince Coffee” and is currently getting ready to film, according to a representative on March 16.
The male protagonist will be played by Yang Le and the female protagonist by Xu Lu, both incredibly popular stars in their homeland. The directing will be done by Kang Shin Hyo, who directed the hit drama “Heirs.”
The drama will start filming in mid-April and the script will be adjusted to fit with the Chinese viewers.
source: kpopherald 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8, soompi 1 2, naver 1 2
i compiled some articles on kdramas i read recently, found it pointless to submit separate posts. some are more interesting than others. hope you enjoy!
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Date: 2016-03-19 01:44 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-03-19 02:12 am (UTC)I dont get why it seems like it's all because of Song Joong Ki that DoTS can be this popular while no articles ive read so far mentions about Song Hye Gyo
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Date: 2016-03-19 02:16 am (UTC)no subject
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Date: 2016-03-19 03:22 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-03-19 02:43 am (UTC)altho I still think that the public broadcast are still limited to what they can really innovate (let's talk about all the lost potential with "producers". I will never get over it cause it could be SO AMAZING), it's really good to see cable tv getting high ratings. at least they try new things here and there and with the high ratings, they'll keep doing it.
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Date: 2016-03-19 03:11 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-03-19 04:39 am (UTC)And of course, stay very far away from popular dramas like Boys Over Flower or The Heirs -- its the worst kind of kdramas lol. Dramas like this make me embarrassed to say I enjoy Kdramas to my friends/colleagues. :X
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Date: 2016-03-19 04:41 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-03-20 12:07 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-03-20 03:24 am (UTC)Ah Tree With Deep Roots! that's the one I watched. You're right. It's much better, altho a bit boring sometimes lol.
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Date: 2016-03-20 12:17 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-03-19 10:59 am (UTC)i still watch them regularly, and thank you for your subbing work, as it's great for memorizing the basics of korean, and it's just a lot of eye candy-filled princess stories.
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Date: 2016-03-19 12:38 pm (UTC)err just to be clear. i work in an actual subbing company for cable channels, not a fansubber sites. So my job is much easier than them bc i actually get the script lol.
for me, i find watching variety shows help to understand some things more.
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Date: 2016-03-19 05:11 pm (UTC)fansub vs paid sub... then we must be around 2 handshakes away.
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Date: 2016-03-19 12:01 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-03-19 12:37 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-03-19 03:23 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-03-19 04:32 am (UTC)Reading how DotS are fully preproduced, checked and going though various of reviews but still come out with that much flaws in the storyline really had me scratching my head. Arent they supposed to have technical/professional people to guide the writers when she wrote the script? My sister and I had a really hard time watching it lol. She likes Song Joongki a looooooooot but this is the second time that she abandoned his dramas.
Princess Aurora was kind of epic. Didnt watch it but the writer killed off so many characters. One of the character come to Happy Together and talk about it, it was hilarious on how he said the director/writer ask him to make face like he will go leave forever and true enough, he never come back (to the set) after that scene. For Jang Bori, I'm happy that the husband never accepted her back at the end although she seemed to have repented -- my God she was so evil in that role but that role win her the Daesang so I guess all that screaming and evil faces payed off in the end.
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Date: 2016-03-19 11:06 am (UTC)i thought of two potential reasons:
- normally writers can use ratings for help, to find out what the audience likes. maybe they had test audiences now, but nothing can replace the real ratings. they surely have minute by minute data normally, so on kdramas normally they know which scenes worked the best. they didn't have this help now.
- other scenario i can think of is that they might've had a good storyline, good script and all, but they had to scrap tons of stuff due to censorship
or might be just a bad script idk
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Date: 2016-03-19 05:16 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-03-19 05:45 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-03-19 06:23 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-03-19 07:08 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-03-19 11:53 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-03-19 11:56 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-03-20 11:40 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-03-20 07:30 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-03-19 04:52 am (UTC)China should have forked up the more yuan and gotten Gong Yoo for the CP remake. I know he would never want to do it (because he's in a different place now), but I choose to believe one day a drama will offer him sooo much money that he'll HAVE to comeback to dramaland.
lol @ that pic with the dead patient. I pretty sure the doc should be more focused on the back of his head instead of his pupils lol
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Date: 2016-03-19 11:57 am (UTC)I didn't know Dramafever is owned by WarnerBros...some more interesting facts about Dramafever:
- co-produced Gangnam Blues, Heirs, Nodame Cantabile
- was responsible for scouting the American locations on Heirs
- scored a sponsor for Nodame Cantabile in form of the Almond Board of California...SK seems to be a major importer of Californian almonds (was there almonds PPL?)
- had a hand in closing down many fansub-sites, as well as threatened dramabeans over some screencaps
- has redistribution deals with hulu and netflix
Viki
- is owned by Japanese company Rakuten now
- will launch their first original drama series Dramaworld in April
- bought Soompi in 2015
- teamed up with “The Walking Dead”-producers to produce five seasons of a pre-apocalyptic Korean drama
- has syndication deals with hulu and netflix