The story is generally simple & the twists and turns are only so much that you can handle. The protagonist are lovable with their families always supporting them. With a few notable exceptions the story has less villains that you can digest.
Soft, silken touches make it all the more endearing. I am so used to the camera work if the job is not done well it immediately catches the eye. The clothes are well stitched & the fashion is with the times. In the historical dramas I know people in today’s world are just portraying but their movements are remarkably flawless.
Certain common points that I have observed. The rooftop room or small apartment gives the privacy, without the family living downstairs knowing about every coming & going. There is a garden nearby with the see-saw, swings & some nocturnal meetings take place there. There is a water front where long walks are taken & may be fire works.
There is a compulsory bus ride to his or her house. So bus stop, waiting is a must. Then there may be the usual missing each other, one is on the bus & the other in the car. But it doesn’t take long to find on another. Meals, tiffin boxes a must if the pair is in school or a elite or roadside eatery where eating & drinking takes place.
The stairs coming down or going up used for serious discussion. Most of the office romances have the man very rich & his employee very poor. But there is a age old granny who plays the pivotal role. The presence of a mother or a father, rarely both doesn’t matter much.
Kidnapping, abusive childhood is a common theme but in every case the solutions differ according to the characters. From 1300 to anything the supernatural dramas have ages only to hear & let go. How can you look like Gong Yoo at 900 years of age or like IU beyond 1000 years! But the theme is so good it keeps you hooked.
I must have been through 100s from last year but the compilation doesn’t cease to surprise me. From the first frame the hero is decided & yet how they go about it remains to be seen. Judging by the emotions it provokes, I can safely say that very rarely they miss the target.
The Korean Flag is displayed & some reference to the games is sure to be there. If not the team playing the protagonist is just playing with the basketball or perfecting his stance as a pitcher in the baseball team.
Amusement park is a must. In the park or going to the park many secrets get revealed. It could be getting lost there in the childhood or enjoying a ride for the first time with the beloved. But the meeting point is fixed. So is the ferris wheel. They may not ride it but it has to be in the background. It is a fixture in both C drama & Kdramas!
I have loved the progress of the stories. They venture into current issues without being preachy or going overboard about it. From sexual discrimination, abuse to the gen X. We have very little say in the matters & they cannot be generalised just because they happen everywhere. The situations differ, but to develop an opinion & will to fight the wrong is all that matters.
Asian Entertainment 