Korean Drama 101

Korean dramas ("K dramas") hold a special place among Asian entertainment aficionados - they often have high production values, engaging (if somewhat conventional) plots, and a wide demographic appeal.  Playing a major part in the hallyu wave from Korea, K-dramas have become popular throughout Asia, the United States, and even South America.

Korean dramas typically run 16 episodes, but can run much longer if a series becomes popular enough (such as PRINCESS HOURS) or shorter if the series is a bomb. There are seldom second seasons (with the exception of some of the historical dramas), but that seems to be changing lately; talks are in the works for a second season of 2004's romantic comedy hit FULL HOUSE, for example. The longer mini-series format of most Korean dramas allows for more complex plot and character development than usually present on most American television.

Korean dramas can be roughly classified into four distinct thematic categories:

Romantic Comedy:  Lighthearted and playful, Korean romantic comedies offer viewers a golden opportunity to leave their brains at the door. There is almost always a comic love triangle, an oddball character or two, and a happy ending. The target for these dramas is usually teenagers and young adults, although older viewers might also get a kick out of the goofy hijinks of the characters. Popular examples of this genre are: FULL HOUSE, MY GIRL, and YOU'RE BEAUTIFUL.

Comedy Drama: Perhaps the most popular drama genre from the new wave of Korean exports is the comedy drama format. Comedy dramas are more serious in tone than romantic comedies (albeit, not by much), although they still include some of the plot devices present in romantic comedies. Korean comedy dramas are typically geared towards older teens and adults, as some of the themes may be a bit inappropriate (by Korean standards, anyway) for younger watchers. Several of the more popular comedy dramas have a definite edge to them, and deal with themes such as infidelity, difficult family circumstances, unexpected pregnancies, and lately, homosexuality. Popular titles include: COFFEE PRINCE, PALACE/PRINCESS HOURS, MY LOVELY SAMSOON, and BOYS BEFORE FLOWERS.

Melodrama: Although not as popular as they once were, certain Korean melodramas offer viewers something often lacking in modern American television - catharsis. In fact, some Korean melodramas offer enough tragedy and mischance for several Greek plays.  Some popular themes are star-crossed lovers, broken family relationships, illness, and just plain bad luck. The melodrama format appears to be fading out a bit lately internationally, but there have been a few Korean melodramas that have become popular due to strong writing and strong acting. Popular titles include: WINTER SONATA, SAD LOVE STORY, and EAST OF EDEN.

Historical Drama: Although not as popular internationally as the other genres, historical dramas have a wide following among older audiences in both Korea and Asia. In fact, a local San Francisco Bay Area channel offers Korean historical dramas dubbed and subtitled in Chinese. Many Koreans have "lost" their history due to various foreign invasions in the 20th century, so historical dramas are quite popular in certain circles. Of late, there has been more of a focus on the end of the Joseon Era (i.e. when Korea lost its monarchy to the Japanese) in dramas, although earlier periods are still explored. Popular titles include: THE JEWEL IN THE PALACE, JEJOONGWON, and CHUNO (THE SLAVE HUNTERS).