What is it about Korean telenovelas that Filipinos simply cannot resist?
Looking back, the importation of telenovelas started in the '90s when RPN-9 aired the original Marimar series that starred superstar Thalia. Then, Mexican telenovelas dominated local television ratings.
Asian telenovelas were completely unheard of.
Things started to change with the arrival of the Taiwanese drama Meteor Garden, which aired on ABS-CBN in 2003.
The success of the drama series featuring the F4 boys showed Filipino audiences that our very own region could produce shows that are at par or even better than its Spanish counterparts. At the height of their popularity, the members of F4 (composed of Jerry Yan, Vic Zhou, Vanness Wu and Ken Chu) as well as Sanchai (Barbie Hsu) came to the Philippines to conduct a series of concerts for their fans.
In 2003, GMA-7 aired the Korean show Successful Story of a Bright Girl. The Kapuso Network eventually acquired the rights to air popular dramas such as Stairway to Heaven, Jewel in the Palace, Jumong and Queen Seon Deok, which alldrew instant viewer following.
Fast forward. Korean dramas have now become a mainstay in local television programming. Their increasing popularity prompted TV networks to make their own adaptations. ABS-CBN has aired Pinoy versions of My Girl (starring Kim Chiu and Gerald Anderson), Only You (starring Angel Locsin, Sam Milby and Diether Ocampo), and Lovers in Paris (starring KC Concepcion, Piolo Pascual and Zanjoe Marudo).
This 2011, ABS-CBN will air its version of Green Rose (starring Anne Curtis, Jericho Rosales and Jake Cuenca).
GMA-7 also offered its own versions such as Ako si Kim Sam Soon (starring Regine Velasquez and Mark Anthony Fernandez), Stairway to Heaven (starring Dingdong Dantes and Rhian Ramos), Full House (starring Heart Evangelista and Richard Gutierrez), All About Eve (starring Iza Calzado and Sunshine Dizon) and Endless Love (starring Marian Rivera, Dingdong Dantes and Dennis Trillo).
Taiwanese and Korean soaps have always had an unspoken rivalry. While it was the Taiwanese who first became known for their TV drama series production, it was the Koreans who made it into an export industry.
Substantially, there is little difference between Taiwanese and Korean soaps in terms of story format. Koreans just seem to be more adept in promoting themselves. Just look at the K-Pop invasion around the world and you'll understand why Koreans are slowly making their presence felt around the world through their showbiz industry. This is called "soft power" in contrast to "super power," which means using politics and military might to dominate the world.
The phenomenon has become so prevalent that people have coined a term to describe it—the Hallyu fever. This refers to viewers' growing aspiration to know more about Korean culture.
So just why is Korean drama so popular with Filipinos? Let me cite a few reasons.
TEAR-JERK FEST. When was the last time you cried during a Filipino primetime TV series? I'm guessing it's never or it has been quite some time ago. Korean dramas, on the other hand, have been written to make you cry and, admit it, we love to cry. No matter how improbable the plot with its twists and turns, if it's sentimental enough, Filipinos will watch it.
COMEDY RELIEF. What is so great about Korean soaps is how it balances all the sadness with laughter. The characters in the stories are funny and the acting is very natural. I specially love the Filipino dubbing because the translation localizes the dialogue and adds to the TV program's humor.
STORY. You can't deny that Korean soaps are just better written and better planned. They are long but they never feel prolonged, unlike most of the Filipino soaps that we watch.
STORY VERSUS STARS. A sad fact in our local TV industry today is how the stars are chosen even before a story is written. Networks are oftentimes required to use artists that they have signed long-term contracts with. This means that stars are cast into a show not because he or she fits the role but because the network has to give the actor/actress a job. Stars are also chosen for their star power rather than character portrayal.
The unique and well-planned stories of Korean shows, heart-wrenching plot twists and funny dialogues are elements that local productions would be hard pressed to create. For this reason, expect Korean TV drama series to continue being part of our local TV schedule.