“Reading” K-dramas
“Every cloud has a silver lining” is an adage that seems to be in many people’s minds in recent days. With COVID-19 spread worldwide, we are searching for ways to spend days pleasantly despite the orders of physical distancing measures. Dalgona coffee, cooking recipes, TikTok videos, online courses, and webinars will remain in our memories as “activities to kill lockdown letdown” for a lifetime. Although endless scrolling of memes is fun, many people would agree that the star of content during lockdown is K-drama.
During the lockdown, K-drama lovers watch ongoing dramas and binge-watch released K-dramas. K-drama first-timers also emerge thanks to VOD platforms such as Netflix, Viki, and other local media providing subtitled K-drama streams, making the content easily accessible and widely enjoyable. While watching K-dramas might serve as an escape from “daily pandemic life,” it can also be seen as a “text” to be read.
Many people associate “texts” with textbooks, novels, news articles, or short stories on the Internet. Indeed, that is correct. Nonetheless, the concept of “text” goes beyond a written form of communication. “Texts,” according to Tony Purvis, a cultural and media studies professor at the University of Newcastle, are arrangements of signs that are also systems for making
meaning. Thus, films, paintings, newspapers, sitcoms, advertisements, music, and photographs can all be described as “texts.”
“Text” is ubiquitous daily, yet we “read” less than we watch them. Because “reading” such “text” could be a little challenging, sometimes you need to read other materials. To “read” K-dramas and K-movies, you might need to refer to Korea’s social and cultural issues in textbooks, media, or experts’ opinions about the “text.” Research Center of the Faculty of the Humanities University of Indonesia released a video series called “Drakorlogi,” talking about issues and phenomena captured in K-drama and K-movies in Indonesian.
In the series, Korean literature and drama professor Eva Latifah, Ph.D, unravels matters around themes found in K-dramas. Human behavior during the pandemic, economic and social inequality, marriage in Korea, and inter-Korean relations are some topics brought on by the “Drakorlogi” episodes. During an episode covering the pandemic in Korean cinemas, Eva explains the effort spent by K-drama producers to research the virus’s spread and its impacts on society. Cinemas about the pandemic, including “My Secret, Terrius” and “The Flu,” contain, if not accurate, resemble medical perspectives of potential virus outbreaks. The dramas and movies were released in 2018 and 2013, respectively, and both of the pictures received public acclaim during the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020 for portraying realistic images during the pandemic.
Not only do the viewers get an expert view on K-dramas and K-movies as “text,” but also enlightenment on how to appreciate the “text” sensibly. “I recommend K-drama viewers also seek knowledge about Korean culture besides watching the drama itself. Doing so will lead to a comprehensive understanding of the drama’s theme. Also, pick the appropriate rating based on your age.” Eva suggested on the review episode of “The World of The Married.”
Finally, everyone would agree that watching K-dramas or K-movies is entertaining. However, we could elevate the experience by thinking about issues in the storyline. Understanding the moral story and its connection to the real world will bring valuable lessons. In conclusion, “reading” K-dramas or K-movies enables us to broaden our knowledge and gain wisdom along the way.
*This article was initially published in Honorary Reporters Korea.net’s old Website.
