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How is it that Korean dramas, which are often slow to the point of showing actors chomp their way through entire meals in real time, are attracting such popularity in China?
China's state-run news agency Xinhua provided an analysis Monday of why Korean dramas such as "Double Take" and "Mermaid" were experiencing soaring levels of popularity among Chinese audiences, regardless of the time slot.
Xinhua, borrowing the words of "Double Take" ("Bogo ddo bogo") director Jang Du-hee, said that Korean dramas were so widely viewed in China because they represent a common sentimentality that both nationalities share and the actors express their emotions with greater candor, as well as the fact that Chinese culture is also deeply rooted in Confucianist thought.
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A poster advertising MBC's new soap opera "The Sad Sonata." The much-anticipated miniseries was produced with W3.5 billion in financial support from Japan, China and Taiwan, as local producers capitalized on the respective frenzies for Korean pop culture in those countries.
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The news agency said that Korean dramas were saturated in East Asia's traditional culture -- such as how characters show a clear respect for those above them and how several generations lived under the same roof.
Xinhua pointed out, however, that many dramas in China are already dealing with family issues, and Chinese dramas tend to be somewhat faster paced and give viewers a feel for China's traditional culture.
The reason they can't catch up with Korean dramas, the news agency explained, lies at a more esoteric level.
Korean dramas make viewers reflect on themselves, and by focusing attention on such matters as the relationship between mother-in-laws and daughter-in-laws, or by naturally introducing subjects like traditional Korean cooking, it gives viewers a reference in their real lives.
Xinhua said the key to the success of Korean dramas with Chinese viewers was that, unlike Chinese soaps with their highly charged plot lines, the characters in Korean dramas were often normal people living normal lives, which naturally reduces the distance between them and the audience.
In addition, Xinhua cited the absence of lewd scenes in Korean dramas as another factor behind their success, as it allows for family viewing without creating feelings of awkwardness.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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