Korean dramas

Korean dramas or K- Dramas are a small type of soap operas, and an

important part of the popular culture of that country. These television series
had their beginning in South Korean, being issued from the 1960. And
becoming popular in the mind 1990 and beginning of the year 2000
globally. They usually consist of 16, 20 and 50 episodes, except for short
Korean dramas that have many fewer episodes.
Japan was one of the first countries where Korean dramas became
popular, because it is geographic and cultural proximity. Several analysts
say that Korean dramas have improved relations between South Korea and
Southeast Asia countries, especially in tourism.
Many of these productions have become considerably attractive worldwide
and have contributed to the expansion of the so called Korean wave,
because they often have millionaire budgets in addition to being starring
Korean actors and World Famous K-pop singers in a consolidated
entertainment industry. Although their main route of diffusion is through
television both in their home country and elsewhere, over the years have
gained notoriety through physical or online video clubs through streaming.
Korean dramas are very personalize based on some kind of story or script,
but as they always need a scriptwriter, they adapt them to the chain that
produces them.
the most common scripts for their stories are:
 Original script: Are dramas are written especially for the television
by writers, these are not very unusual but there are several that if
they are original, for example “You´re beautiful”, it musical romantic
comedy focuses in the special life of a k-pop group called A.N. JELL.
Park Shin plays two orphaned twins, Go Min Nam (boy) and Mi Nyu
(girl); when Go Min Nam is presented with the opportunity to join this
musical group, he suffers an accident during a plastics surgery so his
sister Go Min Nyu is forced to take his place. The situation becomes
complicated when she begins to relate to the members of the group,
especially with Tae Kyung, who learns a lot about himself and the
music business when he begins to fall in love with this new member.
This series has 17 episodes and a great success in Korea and the
rest of the world.
 Script based on Japanese cartoons or Korean books: Since
Koreans have comic books or books called Manhwas, these come in
different volumes or copies that tell a story and are elaborated with
texts and images, the dramas are based on these to be able to create
them in a real form and reproduced it on television.

An example of this is “Playful kiss” it is about the chaotic relationship

between the students Ha Ni and Seung Jo, the two protagonists are
completely opposite, but when an earthquake unites their families in
the same house, they learn to work together and to overcome their
small differences. This series connects with all types of public by its
plot. It is an interesting drama.

In the same way when they are based on a Japanese Manhwa called
“The boys are better than flowers or Boys over flowers”, consist in 25
episodes produced by Group Eight, this is a successful Korean
drama, gained recognition throughout Asia in 2009 and 2010. It was
based on famous Japanese manga with the same name, addresses
complex issues such as social rejection, inequality socio-economic,
family, love and friendship. Jan Di is a normal girl who after saving a
boy who was going to jump off the roof of a prestigious high school
is admitted for a swimming scholarship. In the school she tries to
avoid confrontations with the four richest boys called F4, but when
her friend accidentally pours ice cream on the shoe of the F4´s
leader, Jan Di is forced to declare war on him. She doesn’t surrender
and finds love in one of members of F4, but this love has many
obstacles.

 Dramas made with amines: Animes are books based on drawings

with mangas, they are based on scripts to these anime, made real
with human people and transmitted on television.
For example, the drama called “Dragon Zakura”, made up of 11
episodes by Enda Kouichi, “God of study” is based on the story of a
lawyer who doesn’t practice the profession and who starts teaching
at a law income underprivileged school, with very bad students, but
his intention is to make them enter the best university in Tokyo.
Some genres of dramas are:
 Dramatic Korean dramas: In this genre the characters often suffer
a lot, they got through many bad circumstances, such as the drama
called “Stairway to heaven” is about the story of two boys with
parents who have a lot of money and who have grown together since
childhood, but when the father of she marries another woman after
the death of her mother, so begin to change things for lovers, they
find it difficult their relationship where they live many problems.

 Romantic comedy´s Korean dramas: In these stories there is often

a lot of laughter on the part of the viewers because the characters
are usually a little awkward, as for example the Korean drama called
“Personal taste”, it is about Jeon Jin Ho a straight guy who is
mistaken as gay when he applies to become Park Kae In's
roommate. His hobbies include organization and ironing, and he's
known for his stoic poker face. He's a stickler for cleanliness, but he
also has a talent for figuring out a women's feelings. Kae In is very
trusting even though she has a habit of being betrayed. However,
that doesn't stop her from giving people the benefit of doubt and Jin
Ho is no different.

 Historical genre´s Korean dramas: These K-Dramas are based on

the Korean culture and everything related to what they used or own,
such as the Korean drama called “Faith” consists of 24 episodes, this
drama is about a 21st-century plastic surgeon Eun Soo who gets
kidnapped and brought 700 years in the past for her healing powers
for royal bodyguard Choing Young who is smart but a little naive, he
almost never smiles. And he faces conflicts whit the female doctor,
soon feels attracted to her.
 Musical dramas: They are dramatic series where the plot takes
place within some musical group or in a school that imparts this
discipline. Because Korean actors and actresses are very
multifaceted, many are used in this type of series. “You’re beautiful
or You´re handsome” is an example of this genre.
  Fantastic Dramas: While it is true, they possess fantasy, it is never
the center of the plot. Romance is the main line, in this case, being
possible or impossible for esoteric matters. “The secret garden” is a
fantastic drama, for 20 episodes this drama captivated the public whit
its love story and its peculiar plot. Ra Im, a young woman who work
in action movies is involved whit Joo Won, the president of a luxury
and important store. He mistakes her for a famous actress, the
problems beginning when they exchange bodies. This series
analyzes the private life of different sectors of Korean people.

Other recent sample of this cultural phenomenon is:

 Kill me, help me: It series about multiple personality disorder (MPD)
or dissociative identity disorder (DID) with Ji Sung playing seven
different personalities of Cha Do Hyun while developing a
relationship whit his psychiatrist Oh Jin Ri, it isn´t a conventional
romantic story but it studies the psychology of the characters,
allowing us see how the human mind works. Also tells the story of
the twin brother of Oh Jin Ri, this series knows how tell a story in an
interesting way. And won the prize for best drama in MBC Drama
Awards in 2015.