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![]() Song Hae Gyo and Lee Byung Hun, stars of the 2003 hit mini series All In. Courtesy of tv.sbs.co.kr So Much Drama, So Little Time!by Chau Nguyen Nobody wants drama in their life, but when it comes to Korean dramas, people just can’t seem to get their fill.
Among the selection ranging from the typical TVB Wu-Xia series of Hong Kong and ATV melodramas of Taiwan, it was difficult to decide what to rent, but amidst the mumbo jumbo of tapes, something caught my eye. It was a poster of a young couple embracing in the middle of a snowy field. Partly out of curiosity, and partly due to the allure of the handsome actor on the cover, I decided to rent the series. Little did I know that for the next 24 hours or so, I was going to be glued to the couch with eyes fixated on the television as I cried buckets of tears at the tragic love story that unraveled in front of my eyes. Winter Sonata initiated me into the world of Korean dramas and I haven’t stopped watching since, nor have millions of people across the globe as they discover the appeal of Korean dramas for themselves. Now alongside my usual Asian idols of Alex Su, Benny Chan, and Louis Koo, I was adding Bae Yong Yun, Won Bin, and Lee Byung Hun to the list, among others. For the past several years, Korean movies have exploded on the big screen, with such mega hits as Shiri, My Sassy Girl, JSA, and My Tutor Friend. However, long before Jang Dong Gun or Won Bin started wooing women in Taegugki, they were already capturing millions of female hearts on the small screen in All About Eve and Autumn in My Heart, respectively. So why the sudden interest in Korean dramas? Some people may cite sentimental storylines, good looking actors, or realistic acting, but no matter what the reason, there’s no denying that Korean dramas have taken East and Southeast Asia by storm. The interest in all things Korean, from movies to music and food, has also added to the dramas?popularity, contributing to the insurgence of the hanryu or Korean wave. Furthermore, the qualities of these dramas started picking up in the mid-1990s, making them a viable alternative to the suboptimal dramas offered by China or Taiwan or the expensive series offered by Japan. Even though the series may be dubbed in the language of the country in which it is shown, this hasn’t stopped legions of fans from signing up for Korean classes, nor has it stopped them from watching the original Korean version, even though they may not understand what the actors are saying (That was so romantic, but really, what was he saying?). But short of bribing that one Korean friend to help you translate the series, numerous forums have also popped up helping non-Korean speakers understand the dramas such as soompi.com and sodrama.com. There are also places such as yesasia.com that offer DVD sets with English subtitles. KBS, SBS, and MBC, three of the leading television networks in Korea have also set up websites where people can watch the dramas, simultaneously as it is shown in Korea, instead of going through long waiting periods that result from dubbing time and acquisition rights. KBS offers free online viewing with registration, whereas SBS and MBC, because they’re cable network channels, charge for viewing. The obsession with Korean dramas has brought fandom to a whole new level. Forget about buying the OSTs (official sound tracks) or posters, how about booking a flight to Korea to see the actual place where your hero and heroine embraced? When Autumn in My Heart aired in Taiwan in late 2001, it brought in so many viewers that travel agencies began offering tour packages themed around the series. Cheju Island, site where the 2003 hit All In was filmed, has also become a popular destination spot. Besides making a lot of money from tourists, these dramas have also boosted the actors and actresses to international fame. Numerous fans have set up websites paying tribute to their favorite Korean star, and many actors and actresses have even launched official fan sites to cater to their fan’s demands. I remember my cousin telling me that when Model was first shown in Vietnam, girls were rushing to get the Kim Nam Joo hairstyle the same way that their American counterparts rush to get Jennifer Aniston’s newest look. Bae Yong Jun’s popularity earned him the title of Yong-sama, a term usually reserved for royalty, when he visited Japan and there’s even a street named after him in Korea. Because of this, other countries are trying to cash in on the star power of Korean actors , resulting in collaborations on the big screen and the small screen. Cory Yuen’s So Close featured Song Seung Hun (from Autumn in My Heart) as Shu Qi’s boyfriend. Tsui Hark enlisted Jang Suh Hee, star of the super long 128 episode series Miss Mermaid, in his new series Seven Swords of Mount Tian alongside Andy Lau. Chae Rim, whom many may remember in All About Eve, has also appeared in a Taiwanese drama Romance at Aegean Sea with Alex Su and Peter Ho. Cha In-Pyo exchanged his business suit from Wish Upon A Star to don ancient gear in the China production of The Four Guard Detectives. As Korean dramas continue to rise in popularity, we can expect many more of these collaborations to come. In the future, it may not be as easy to classify a film or series as belonging to a particular country, since much of the cast has become so mixed.
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첫댓글 흐흐흐.... 한류라는 것을 인정하는 것인지, 아니면 배우들에게만 비중을 두는 것인지 아리송한 글 이군요...
그런데 위에 언급된 sodrama.com에 들어가 보니 판매하는 DVD드라마, 영화가 거의 100% 중국 해적판이군요. 이 짱개들이 앉아서 돈을 버네요.
사스 돼지들은 이래저래 도움이 안되네요......우리나라는 늘 당하기만 하고.......일본이 만약 이런 붐을 일으켰다면.. 어떻게든 이익 단단히 챙겼을거라는 생각이 듭니다. ㅡ_ㅡ; 중국놈들은 뭐냐 !! 아무튼 한국드라마는 한번 빠지면 중독돼죠...ㅎ
그 유명한 우클라-_-;;
문광부나 영화사 관계한 사이트에 신고하세요. sodrama라는 사이트.
신고하샙 그래야징 애국자 댑니당@!~ 우리 가 멍청이가 아니면 눈뜨고 당할순업졍 정부가 몬하면 국민이라두 발벗고 뛰는수 빡애@!~
확실히 한국드라마, 굉장하군요. 짱꼴라들이 하는 짓이 그렇죠 뭐,, 해적판으로 싸게 팔아서 돈벌어 먹고,,,
미국에서도 우리나라 드라마나 영화들이 인기끄니까 엄청나게 신경 쓰이나 보네요.. ㅉㅉ.. 이제 우리가 전 세계 연예, 엔터테인먼트 시장을 접수하겠노라 ㅋㅋㅋ
ㅎㅎㅎ 진짜 우크라 대학이네 ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ