Understanding Korean Dramas

Coming from a Western background, it can somethings be confusing to witness Korean customs when watching Korean Dramas. Because we are not familiar with Korean culture, certain actions and uses of language can distract non-Koreans from the dramas' storylines. Learning about Korean culture can make watching Korean Dramas even more enjoyable.

NAMES


Koreans write their family name (surname) first, followed by their given name. No comma is used to separate the surname from the given name.

Most Korean surnames consist of just one syllable, but a few contain two syllables. The top ten Korean surnames are: Kim, Lee, Park, Choi, Jung, Kang, Jo, Yoon, Jang, and Im.

Korean given names usually consist of two syllables, which may be hyphenated when romanized.

Korean women retain their maiden surname after they get married. They do not use their husband's surname and children usually use the surname of their father.

ETIQUETTE

In Korean culture, respect must be shown to elders. Younger people do not address older people by their given names. For example, a girl addresses her older brother as "oppa" and older sister as "onni," but may address her younger brother or sister by their given names. A boy addresses his older brother as "hyong" and his older sister as "nuna."

An example of this cultural rule can be seen in the Korean drama “Mothers and Sisters”. In one episode the fourth born child in the family was scolded by his mother for calling his older sister by her given name.

Mothers and Sisters

The next time you watch a subtitled drama listen for when a younger sibling calls an older sibling. The subtitles will show the given name of the older sibling but you will hear “oppa", "onni", "hyong" or "nuna” being said instead.

Girls sometimes call their boyfriends "oppa”. This can be seen in the drama Boys over Flowers where the character Jan Di calls the members of F4 “oppa”.

Boys Over Flowers

Showing disrespect for elders on TV is considered bad for Korean society. In August 2005, KBS was punished by the Korean Broadcasting Commission for airing a scene in a drama in which a daughter-in-law slapped her mother-in-law in the face.

Direct eye-to-eye contact when talking is considered rude and impolite. An example of this can be seen in the drama “Pretty Lady”. When the character Joon-hwi talked with his father in episode 2, he avoided looking his father in the eye even when he disagreed with what his father was saying.

Pretty Lady

Sources: http://www.koreanwiz.org/
http://www.hancinema.net/korean_drama_Mothers_and_Sisters.php
http://s4.hubimg.com/u/1332287_f520.jpg
http://www.dramafever.com/drama/504/1/Pretty_Lady/

Meet K-Drama fan...Jihye

Name: Jihye Do

Age: 20

Birthplace: Seoul, Korea

What made you come to the United States?

To study abroad. Or to be specific, First, I was here with my family because Dad, who studied sociology at OSU 20years ago, had decided to come visit Ohio State for a year as a visiting scholar. After the first year, I decided to stay and pursue further study.

What were/are your impressions on the U.S. before and after coming here?

I had had no chance to meet foreigners and build relationship with them. It was really interesting and someitmes shocking to experience the new culture.

Do you believe the “American Dream” is still possible?

I do, but it takes a lot of effort. It may come true to only those who really work hard.

Are you happy to be in the U.S.? Do you plan on returning to Korea?

I certainly think it truly is a great opportunity. I am really thankful for it becuase not everyone who wishes to come gets to come. Since I have my family and friends in Korea, I probably will return to Korea at some point, but I do not know when it will be.

What do you wish Americans knew about Korea?

I wish that more Americans not only knew about Korea but also understood our culture. We speak different languages, eat different food, and think in different ways. However, we are just all people after all. I understand that some part of Asian culture is really simply hard for Americans to understand. Even though, sometimes it may look weird and unacceptable to them, it would be good if they accept the differences as part of our culture.

Do you feel like Americans are well informed about Korea?

I think they are not so well informed as they are about other Asian countries like China and Japan. But these days they are being informed about Korea in many different ways.

What is your favorite currently airing Korean Drama?

I did not have time to catch up with currently airing Korean drama during the winter quarter. But during the spring break, I got to watch the few episodes of the drama "Pasta" which aired about a month ago and found it good.

Favorite of all time?

It is a tough call. There are lots of drama that I enjoyed watching, but there hasn't been any "favorite" that I can think of right now.

Do you have a favorite actor and actress?

Won Bin

Do you have a favorite k-pop group/artist?

Brown Eyed Soul

Currently Airing on SBS: Oh! My Lady

Oh! My Lady is about a spunky 35-year-old housewife, Yoon Gae Hwa, who takes on the job of manager to superstar Sung Min Woo in order to earn enough money to regain custody of her child from her ex-husband. Romance and hilarious situations ensue when the two find themselves in an awkward living situation. The show is a romantic comedy written by Goo Sun Young and directed by Park Young Soo. It runs from March 22- May 11 and airs at 8:55 pm on Monday and Tuesday.

Cast:

Chae Rim as Yoon Gae Hwa:

Choi Si Won as Sung Min Woo:

Lee Hyun Woo as Yoo Shi Joon:

Park Han Byul as Yoo Ra:

Trailer:

Image Sources:

http://www.koreandrama.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/lady3.jpg

http://www.koreandrama.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/lady5.jpg
http://www.koreandrama.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/lady9.jpg
http://www.koreandrama.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/lady6.jpg
http://www.koreandrama.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/lady14.jpg

Currently Airing on KBS2: The Slave Hunters

The Slave Hunters follows the story of Lee Dae Gil, a man of high birth whose family was ruined when Won Ki Yoon, a slave, burnt down his house and escaped with his sister, Un Nyun, who was in love with Dae Gil. Driven by his desire for revenge, he survived his harsh years on the street and made his name as a slave hunter, dedicated in his pursuit to find Un Nyun, his first love.

The show also follows Song Tae Ha, a General of the Army who became a slave after being falsely accused of a crime he did not commit. Dae Gil, as slave hunter, pursues Tae Ha across the Korean Empire. Both men become entangled in a love triangle with Un Nyun.

Cast:

Jang Hyuk as Lee Dae Gil:

Oh Ji Ho as Song Tae Ha:

Lee Da Hae as Un Nyun / Kim Hye Won:

Trailer:


Image sources:
http://img3.ak.crunchyroll.com/i/spire1/1da83f5324c1e9bfe6db576f0b351a571257386576_full.jpg

http://media.photobucket.com/image/Oh%20Ji%20Ho%20as%20Song%20Tae%20Ha/javabeans122/drama/2010/chuno/chuno71.jpg 
http://www.koreandrama.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/chuno7.jpg
http://cphoto.asiae.co.kr/listimglink/6/201001080801492593997A_2.jpg

Currently Airing on MBC: The Woman Who Still Wants To Marry

The Woman Who Still Wants to Marry is currently airing on Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation (MBC). MBC is one of the three major South Korean television stations.

This drama depicts the lives of three women who are closing one chapter of their lives and entering another. Lee Shin Young, Jung Da Jung , and Kim Boo Ki are three women in their 30s. Their romantic relationships have failed in the past due to their career ambitions. During the series they are all given a change to make a fresh start. It is the sequel of The Woman Who Wants to Marry and female version of The Man Who Can’t Get Married which aired on KBS2. It is also known as City Lovers, falls under the genre of Romance, and has sixteen episodes.


Cast:

Park Jin Hee as Lee Shin Young:

Uhm Ji Won as Jung Da Jung:

Wang Bit Na as Kim Boo Ki:

Kim Bum as Ha Min Jae:

 

Choi Chul Ho as Na Ban Suk:

 

Lee Pil Mo as Yoon Sang Woo:

 

Trailer:

Image sources:

http://media.photobucket.com/image/Park%20Jin%20Hee/openpic/k-c/park_jin_hie/mix-1/dc17f94a.jpg

http://www.koreandrama.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/wantmarry6.jpg
http://www.koreandrama.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/wantmarry10.jp
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MzXsaMMfzk

Seeing Similarities: Goong and Boys Over Flowers

I watched the first episode of Goong yesterday. It is a really popular series from 2006 that I've wanted to watch for a long time. Although it seems like a really interesting show, the only thing I could think about was how similar the first episode is to the first episode of Boys Over Flowers.

(1) The main characters from Goong and Boys Over Flowers are both high school aged girls who come from families that are struggling financially.

Boys Over Flowers

Goong

(2) They both have younger brothers, strict mothers, and silly fathers.

Boys Over Flowers
Goong

(3) In both shows, there are rich and popular boys at the school who the main character does not like due to their arrogance. In Boys Over Flowers there is the F4, rich and popular boys who come from powerful families. In Goong there is a prince who must be followed by body guards and thinks he is better than everyone else.

Boys Over Flowers

Goong

(4) In Boys Over Flowers, the main character stands up to the F4 where as in Goong the main character only daydreams about telling off the Prince. However, in both shows the girls run into the arrogant boys through embarrassing situations. They are both attracted to the boys while still hating the way they act.

Boys Over Flowers

Goong

I am excited to keep watching and noticing more similarities and differences between the two shows. Are these situations used in any other recent Korean Dramas?

Image Sources:
http://www.velverse.com/img/2007/february/goong_img03.jpg
http://www.gofigures.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/boys-over-flowers-album.jpg
http://img520.imageshack.us/i/36083901vl6.jpg/
http://www.velverse.com/img/2007/february/goong_img13.jpg
http://a0.vox.com/6a0109d06f577a000e0110161e6e30860b-500pi
http://allkoreandrama.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/goong-s1.jpg
http://sookyeong.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/200902021012261001_1.jpg
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXLHlf8RoaajfIaKvK_fXWGHrNUu3LK95A6uXJl4Zi40Qz0e5k824OXFQ_QhkMEGhVN6CE5Cuizf22jNv8ngNYxZ7TEarEd0RG3Oa3eg4Y-V3zsRxzn1yD-xwFZJPSCAB8HSdgfyabj9eP/s400/Goong_05.jpghttp://dancingredheels.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/jan_di__jun_pyo_kiss-200906120106212.jpg

The Korean Wave

The Korean wave or Hallyu refers to the increased popularity of South Korean Culture around the world since the 21st century, especially among younger generations. The term Korean Wave was coined by journalists from Beijing in 1999 who were surprised by the growing popularity of South Korean goods in China (Faiola).

South Korea is among the world's top ten cultural exporters and the Korean wave began with the export of Korean television dramas and then incorporated Korean movies, music, food, and language (Kim Sue-young).

Some speculate that the Wave was caused by a financial crisis in South Korea in 1997. At this time South Korea changed its business structure from being a manufacturer of hardware to a creator of software. The crisis caused Korea to start creating intellectual capital, and thus the Korean Wave was born through Korea’s high literacy levels and the strong ability to manufacture sophisticated telecommunications & information technology products (Ramesh).

However the wave started one thing is for sure: it has been very good for South Korea. In recent years, the wave has moved on from exports of television dramas, movies and music to drive sales of anything Korean. Washington Post journalist Anthony Faiola said the Wave helps sell everything “…from cars to kimchi” (Jakarta).

The Wave has also been a blessing for South Korean tourism. Of the six million foreigners who visited the country in 2006, many were fans of the Korean Wave and stayed in the country for more than a few months at a time, either to learn the language or to scour for any Korean Pop culture merchandise they could get their hands on (Jakarta).

In America we have the Korean Wave to thank for our beloved Korean Dramas, hilarious reality/variety shows, and fun and catchy K-pop music. I, for one, hope this is one Wave that never reaches the shore.

References:

“A Hallyu Story: Behind the origins and success of the Korean Wave in China
& the future of content in a broadband world” by Bharadwaj Ramesh, National Tactical Planning Director, GroupM Chinahttp://www.wpp.com/NR/rdonlyres/7E5C1958-653E-481C-AED1-E356EF0E8DD2/0/Insidewpp_Atticus2005_BharadwajRameshGroupM_Atticus2005_Jul06.pdf
“Riding the Korean Wave” The Jakarta Post, May 23, 2008http://research.flagler.edu:9026/us/lnacademic/results/docview/docview.do?docLinkInd=true&risb=21_T8654740115&format=GNBFI&sort=RELEVANCE&startDocNo=1&resultsUrlKey=29_T8654740118&cisb=22_T8654740117&treeMax=true&treeWidth=0&csi=227171&docNo=5
“Japanese Women Catch the 'Korean Wave': Male Celebrities Just Latest Twist in Asia-Wide Craze” by Anthony Faiola, Washington Post Foreign Servicehttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/30/AR2006083002985.html
“Korean Wave ‘Hallyu” Abroad” by Kim Sue-young, Korean Times Reporterhttp://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/special/2008/05/180_23641.html