If you haven't watched any K-dramas yet, you should definitely catch up! Here's why:
Korean dramas have been a fixture of daily television in Asia for decades, and for a few years now they have even been gaining popularity worldwide. They owe this, on the one hand, to the breakthrough of K-pop, which has turned the attention of the whole world to South Korea. But the streaming service Netflix has played a part too. Ever since Netflix started adding K-dramas to its catalogue a few years ago and even producing its own, they have become much easier to access for many viewers. With hits like “Squid Game” or “Kingdom”, Netflix has celebrated great successes!
It's not hard to explain why the dramas are so popular:
- Countless series in every possible genre offer enormous variety.
- Especially for Western viewers, many of the themes are new and refreshing.
- There is far less intimacy in K-dramas than in American series. That's why most of them are suitable for all age groups.
- In general, it's over after 16 episodes. It's easier to get into a new series when it doesn't consist of several seasons and the story comes to a closed ending within a foreseeable time.
For K-pop fans, there are even more reasons to watch K-dramas!
They teach us an enormous amount in an entertaining way:
Viewers gain insights into Korean culture and learn, among other things, which behaviour is welcome there and which is not so much. Perfect for those of us who are planning to spend a holiday there someday! They also help us better understand other Korean shows, for example the ones K-pop idols appear on. There are certainly quite a few K-pop fans who have learned from K-dramas what it means to be addressed as “Hyung” or “Noona” and that respect for elders is very important in South Korea.
Historical dramas set in the "Joseon" or "Goryeo" period also teach us a lot about Korean history. Although the plot and many characters are often fictional, there are some figures and events that are based on true stories.
One of the biggest advantages of foreign series is of course also that they help us learn the language! So if you want to be able to hold a conversation in Korean one day, watching Korean series is helpful to complement your studies!
Many dramas also star K-pop idols.
Chances are that one of your favourite stars has already acted in a series. There are quite a few idols who, alongside their music careers, can also point to an acting career. Well-known examples are D.O. of EXO, Suzy or Eunwoo of Astro!
The soundtracks
K-dramas have beautiful soundtracks, which are sung, among others, by idol singers or even by entire idol groups. In most cases, physical soundtrack albums are sold too. Like our beloved K-pop albums, they usually also consist of a photobook. Nowadays they even include extras such as photocards, bookmarks and postcards! So if you like collecting K-pop albums, you should definitely take a look at O.S.T albums! Maybe photocards of your favourite actors will soon be part of your collection too?
