“The One with All the Obsession”
Why Do Filipinos Adore K-Drama?
by Juan Carlos Sibucao
It’s not just the COVID-19 virus that has been rapidly spreading in the country, as Filipinos catch another one while staying safe during the pandemic, and this one is far more rapid and up to now there is still no cure to it, the K-drama or Korean Drama fever. Back when it was used to be called Asian Telenovelas here in the Philippines, it has been over a decade since Endless Love: Winter Sonata (2004), Full House (2005), Stairway to heaven (2005), Coffee Prince (2008) and Boys Over Flowers (2009), just to name a few, captured the hearts of every Filipino and got us stuck up in front of our television screens watching the Tagalog dubbed version of these series in ABS-CBN or GMA 7. And now that we are in this life-changing pandemic, it’s not trivial that everyone’s been riding this addiction train and we are all guilty of spending the entire 11 months quarantine period in our homes while binge-watching these Asian Telenovelas which are now most commonly known as K-drama or Korean Drama with an extended online streaming platform thru Netflix, Viu, Viki, etc. As a matter of fact, I already watched over 15 K-Dramas over the course of this pandemic. And I’m quite sure that most of you have watched even more than I did. Living in this “new normal” or “new now” kind of life due to the strict quarantine protocols is definitely tough and each person from all walks of life is not exempted. We’ve all been trying to cope up with the stress and anxiety brought by this pandemic and so most of us started watching these South Korean Dramas as a coping mechanism and now we just can’t get enough! But aren’t you wondering why are these K-Dramas extremely addicting and binge-worthy? Well, here are some of the reasons why.
CHEMISTRY IS the KEY
Whenever a friend of mine suggests a Korean Drama to watch, the factors that I consider before diving into it is the genre and a little bit of what is the story about, but most importantly are the actors and actresses starring in the series. Yes, we can all agree that popularity of the actors and actresses is also a huge factor because who wouldn’t watch a K-Drama when the lead role is played by Park Seo Joon, Lee Min Ho, Park Shin Hye, just to name a few, who are definitely big stars in South Korea. But, the chemistry of these stars in the series itself also has a lot to say about it. It’s the connection and the so called sparks between them that makes the viewers want more. One thing which sets it apart from the other Filipino Drama series is that there is no long-lasting “love teams” when the South Koreans produce a telenovela which means that the leading man and leading lady are not inseparable. My point is, yes, KathNiel, JaDine, etc. are all household names and has the biggest fandoms in our country but also take a look at Song Hye Kyo and Song Joongki or the Song-Song couple. They became a big hit after Descendants of the Sun and also real-life husband and wife which unfortunately lasted shortly. But, this did not prevent them from pairing up with other actors like Song Hye Kyo partnering up with Park Bo Gum in another drama and the fans and viewers still loved it. The thing here is, in South Korea, they do not lock up their leading man into just one leading lady throughout his career. They are always open for changes and are willing to explore new love teams each drama which gives the us a new taste or set-up every single time. Again, this is because sometimes its not about “love teams” but the chemistry or connection of the actors and actresses in the drama which makes us even more connected to their characters and love them even more.
Something Fresh from the Oven
South Korean productions have always something new to offer. Their ideas when it comes to the plot of the story are always fresh and it’s because they’re not afraid to take risks and to explore. Most of the K-Dramas I’ve personally watched is absolutely unique and colorful. Just like for example, the idea of parallel universe, doppelganger and falling in love with a person from another world are all put under one package in “The King:Eternal Monarch”. I mean, could I be more thrilled? Of course! Another one that I like is the story of “Start-Up” which focuses on the struggles of small businesses who are just starting and are having a hard time finding investors and such mixed with a sweeping romance and character development. These are just two of the many K-Dramas with fresh and new stories that will surely keep you on your toes and wanting more.
Twists and Turns
Another reason why we just can’t get enough of this K-Drama obsession is the fact that they always have these unexpected plot twists which will really caught you off-guard and surprised. The killer that you’ve been curious about since the beginning of the series might be the one you least expected it to be. In the drama “While Your Were Sleeping”, the plot twist which revealed why the fates of Jung Jae Chan and Nam Hong Joo are intertwined shocked me and I can tell that it’s really a tear-jerker. With plot twists like this, I won’t be surprised if you tell me you finished 2 K-Dramas with 16 episodes each in just 2 or 3 days.
That Asian Beauty
Again one of the affecting factors is the popularity of the lead actors and actresses and this popularity is mainly because of their visuals or physical attributes aside from their talents and personalities which gained them millions or some even billions of fans and followers worldwide most especially in the Philippines. It’s their pan-Asian beauty which makes them fit for their role in every K-Dramas and which makes them loved and adored by many. It’s the type of beauty which puts emphasis on their face and an Asian white skin tone with characteristic blending of Asian and European facial features.
Could you imagine surviving 2020 without K-Dramas? To be honest with you, I certainly can’t because watching different series of these dramas have been keeping me sane for the past 11 months and it made this quarantine and “new normal” more bearable for me and perhaps for you also. I just hope that someday, maybe 10 or 20 years from now, our local telenovelas will have same quality production and script writing as these K-Dramas and the world will be the one watching our own craft.
