To say that Korean dramas have become a phenomenon only with the rise of on-demand streaming is reductive. As early as the 2000s when K-dramas were imported and shown on free television, Filipino viewers became hooked. Remember “Full House” (2004), “Endless Love” (2000s) or “Boys Over Flowers” (2009)?
What changed, however, is our willingness to watch them with the original Korean audio minus the Filipino voice over. What has not changed, on the other hand, even with the deluge of new titles and genres, is our love for them.
[READ: The PH film industry isn’t doing as well as South Korea’s. What gives?]
But why? What makes Korean’s period dramas, romantic comedies, sci-fi and other offerings appealing to Filipino audiences?
This is the question that a free webinar this weekend will try to answer. “The Role of K-Dramas in Sharing & Shaping Culture Beyond Borders,” hosted by BGC Arts Center, the Embassy of the Republic of Korea, Korean Cultural Center and The Mind Museum’s multimedia show Mind S-Cool, will decode that X-factor in K-drama script writing and production that sets it apart from other foreign television series, including our own.
The two-day webinar on Nov. 6 and 7, will feature the directors and screenwriters behind some of the most acclaimed series from Korea (“Endless Love: Winter Sonata” (2002), “Fight for My Way” (2017) and “Record of Youth” (2020)), alongside veteran Filipino directors Laurice Guillen and Jose Javier Reyes.
Both webinars will stream on the BGC Arts Center’s Facebook page and the Korean Cultural Center YouTube channel from 9:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Check out the program for Nov. 6 and 7 below:
The webinar is free. No need to register.
Header photo courtesy of Netflix
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