Preview of the Korean series:
Korean series, also known as Korean dramas or K-dramas, are Korean-language television series based in South Korea. K-dramas became popular around the world in the early 2000s due to their Korean pop culture, also known as Hallyu/Korean Wave, and unexpected plot twists. However, the Korean entertainment industry began to grow when PSY’s “Gangnam Style” hit YouTube like a tsunami. In addition, Oscar-winning Korean movies like “Parasite” have fueled the growth of K-dramas around the world. Korean dramas can go from extremely emotional to incredibly heartbreaking to “OMG what was that?” in an instant. This is exactly what keeps viewers coming back for more. Like any other TV series, K-dramas also have many different genres such as romantic comedies, historical dramas that promote Korean culture, office politics, family dramas, school life, and even horror comedies.
Korean series: A mental break during the pandemic:
Fans all over the world go crazy for K-dramas as they help them get into the “la-la land” of romance. While K-dramas are fictional and may never happen in real life, they are still something you can believe has a chance to happen. In other words, it’s a fantasy escape for K-fans of all ages. During the ongoing pandemic, K-dramas seem to have made their biggest strides in India as more people found extra time and an inclination to explore content that helps them escape the anxiety of what’s going on around them. For many young people, it is not only a favorite time during this pandemic, but it is also something that motivates them to learn the language.
The widespread craze for K-dramas led to their availability through streaming services along with multi-language subtitles across the globe. Rakuten Viki, a US-based streaming platform dominated by Korean dramas, has witnessed an escalation in the number of viewers for K-dramas. OTT platforms like Netflix have also adapted this Hallyu trend and have picked up dramas like “It’s okay to not be okay”, “Start-up”, “Vincenzo”, “Crash Landing On You”, etc. Gone are the days when K-dramas were criticized for commonly used themes of love triangles/affairs or a working-class woman and a wealthy man being romantic. The industry is ready to take the unusual to the next level, blending traditional values with Western individualism and materialism. Today’s Korean dramas mainly illustrate a meaningful message to address problems in Korean society, such as bullying, mental illness, corruption, classism, racism, etc.
Soundtrack and cinematography:
The best part about K-dramas is that they emphasize visuals and aesthetics. Also, the background soundtrack acts as a cherry on top. Being an outsider, it’s hard to understand the language, but the melody surely strikes the right chord. Even if the character doesn’t say a word in a scene, the location, soundtrack, and background make such a beautiful sense of the scene that the viewer anticipates being there.
The influence of K-dramas:
The K-drama craze has also played a pivotal role in promoting the Korean language, culture, and food. The influence of Korean culture has gone beyond the entertainment industry. Today, a shift from Western-style makeup trends to Korean beauty led to the growth of Korean-based trademarks such as “Innisfree.” Interestingly, there has also been an increase in the number of active students of the Korean language – “hanguk”.