Ever since Dish Network added the Korean channel KBS to its packages, Americans have had the chance to experience something that is popular not just in Korea but all over Asia— the Korean television drama. The following is a guide to new viewers of this programming as to how best to enjoy it.
The first thing to get used to is subtitles. At first, watching a subtitled drama may give you eyestrain, since you have to keep your eyes on the screen for the whole program just to understand it. Also, the subtitles seem to be produced by people who only know English as a second language, so some strange errors can crop up.
Another thing is that the Korean broadcasters are not strict about scheduling like American broadcasters are. On a daily basis a program might begin a few minutes late or a few minutes early. Sometimes a show may be moved to another time altogether to accomodate other programming. This is something you have to get used to.
The Korean dramas are written for people who understand the Korean culture. An American may be confused at times, particularly by the common situation in a drama where a grown man allows his mother to torment his wife, or in some cases obeys his mother’s demand that he seek a divorce from a wife that he loves. Respect for one’s elders is a strong part of Korean culture.
KBS demands strict standards in its dramas. Partial nudity and intense kissing scenes are not allowed. And in spite of these restrictions, most Korean dramas are rated for those 15 years old and up. On the other hand, crude bathroom humor is common on some shows.
There are many different types of Korean drama to enjoy. On the weekends, there are often lavish historical dramas, such as Seoul 1945, which explores Korean history from World War 2 through the Korean War through the fates of four characters whose lives intertwined. Another historical drama followed the life of ancient Korean warrior and king Dae Joyeong. More recently there was one based on the life of King Sejong, who invented the Korean alphabet.
On the weekday evenings there are a variety of more contemporary dramas which often are shorter, running to 20 or so episodes in contrast to the weekend dramas which can last most of the year. These are often love stories, such as Summer Scent, which told the story of a young man whose fiancee had died, and who fell in love with the young woman who had received a heart transplant of his fiancee’s heart.
During daytime weekdays, there is a series of programs under the title ‘TV Drama’, which are nostagic stories set in the recent past, such as 1970 or so, aimed at an audience of older women. These series, with names such as A Place Called Home, My Pitiful Sister, and Sunok, run around 200 episodes, and often center around the love troubles of a young woman with two rivals for her affections.
Perhaps the most important thing about the Korean drama in its many forms is they are not high art productions that only an educated elite could enjoy, but are excellent examples of the storytelling art that can find an audience in spite of differences of language and of culture.
Reference:
KBS America http://kbs-america.com/eng/index.php
