Posted on: Sunday, May 15, 2005
As the Korean world turns ... always a new soap opera
| • | K-dramas: Slackers and strangers in the night |
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Who can make Jung-hwa happier? This week's K-drama question is from "Emperor of the Sea": Who can make Jung-hwa happier, Yum Moon or Jang Bogo? |
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K-drama message board Got a question or comment? Post it on our K-drama message board. |
By Jeff Chung
We said goodbye to "A Sad Love Story" and "Spring Day" with final episodes last week.
They have a beginning, strong storylines and a definite ending. Unlike their American counterparts, most — not all — South Korean soaps have a 16- to 24-episode run.
This is one of the most appealing aspects of K-drama. As soon as one ends, another — or in this case, two — will start, with new characters and new storylines.
So, if you're looking to get in on the ground floor on a few K-dramas, we're introducing two that have proved very popular in South Korea: "Wonderful Life" on Monday and Tuesday, and "Super Rookie" on Wednesday and Thursday.
If you're one of the many wondering how we pick the soaps we air, the answer lies in a rating system for South Korea's TV shows. We've found that programs popular in Korea tend to be popular in Hawai'i as well.
We try our best to get the programs in the top-10 category. One interesting rating fact before I close: In South Korea, "Autumn Story" was more popular than "Winter Ballad," but overseas the popularity was reversed.
Jeff Chung is the general manager of KBFD, which televises all of the K-dramas here. If you have a K-drama question or comment, call KBFD at 521-8066.
If you're just tuning in to the K-drama culture, this is something that separates South Korean soaps from the American versions.
"Super Rookie," about a slacker and his corporate love life, airs on Wednesdays and Thursdays, at 7:50 p.m.
