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By Lee Hyo-won
Staff Reporter
From near and far, Hallyu has become a familiar term, and Koreans have grown familiar with reports of airports in neighboring countries stretching from China to the Philippines congested with screaming fans to greet hallyu stars like Jang Dong-kun and Choi Ji-woo. Even Koreans frequently call Bae Yong-joon, hero of the phenomenally popular drama Winter Sonata, ''Yonsama,'' a nickname coined by Japanese fans.
But where does this so-called Korean wave end? In recent years, Korean TV dramas have become staple diets for some on the far side of the globe -- namely the Middle East, the Americas and even Africa. Mellow love stories are paving their way into the hearts of Iraqis, Zimbabweans and Mexicans, heralding a new era of cultural exchange with what seem to be faraway lands.
'Sad Love Story' Stirs Up Iraq
MBC TV series ''Sad Love Story'' (''Seulpeun Yeonga,'' also known as ''Sad Sonata'') aired here two years ago and has since made its way across Asia to the Middle East. The series features a fragile love triangle involving a beautiful blind singer (Kim Hee-seon), her childhood sweetheart (Kwon Sang-woo) and a wealthy music producer (Yeon Jung-hoon).
The drama aired earlier this year on Kurdistan TV and Alsumaria TV in Iraq. ''We cannot help expressing our surprise at the artistic merit of the drama,'' wrote Alsumaria TV's head of operations Jassem Al-Lami in a letter to the director of Korean Broadcasting Institute (KBI).
''We are thoroughly stunned by the beautiful audiovisuals and unique characters (of 'Sad Love Story'). The experience has taught us how sophisticated Korean arts and culture is, and I feel proud as a fellow Asian.
''You probably do not know the extent to which the drama has influenced the Iraqi viewers. They are beginning to ask for reruns of the drama and the release of more Korean pieces. We plan on re-airing ('Sad Love Story'),'' wrote Al-Lami. ''Sad Love Story'' re-aired on the channel over the summer. According to data collected by KBI, a local park in Arbil, Iraq was named after the series' heroine In-hye (Kim Hee-seon). There were also reports of newborn baby girls being named In-hye.
The series is considered a window to the East Asian world for a culture that is accustomed to American TV shows, according to local news coverage. ''This phenomenon has enabled Iraqis and Arabs to learn about Korean society and become familiar with its political and economic structure as well as cultural values,'' wrote Al-Lami.
Local media is said to have noted how ''Sad Love Story'' warmed the hearts of the demoralized Iraqi people (Baghdad, Feb. 11, 2007). This shows that despite the war -- or justly more so because of it-- Iraqis are no different from Koreans for appreciating a mellow love story.
'Jewel in the Palace' Charms Zimbabwe
At MIPCOM, the largest international audiovisual content trade show recently held in Cannes, France, numerous hallyu dramas made their way into a newly emerging market: Africa.
''Jewel in the Palace'' (''Dae Janggeum''), along with ''Winter Sonata,'' is a major force of the Korean wave. Unlike ''Sad Love Story'' or ''Winter Sonata,'' it is a period piece tracing the high-flying adventures of a cheerful court medic of the Joseon Kingdom (1392-1920).
Having recently aired on ZTV, ''Jewel in the Palace'' was very popular, and there was even a quiz show on the drama, with simple questions such as the country of origin.
''When the show first aired, people thought it was Chinese,'' Paul Nyakazeya, a reporter for the Zimbabwe Independent, told The Korea Times. ''But now we all know it's Korean, and (Zimbabweans') interest in Korea has gone up… We first really heard about South Korea with the 2002 World Cup, and then when Ban Ki-moon became U.N. Secretary General. Before it was just about North Korea issues and we didn't know much.
''But now we are following Korean news because of Korean dramas,'' he said. Korean words such as ''eomeoni'' (mother) are also popular, because dramas are offered in its original language with English subtitles.
Now ''Sad Love Story'' is airing on ZTV, and Nyakazeya said ''I follow it religiously… If you watch it once, you become attached to it and look forward to it everyday.''
''Jewel in the Palace'' has been sold to air in some 80 countries around the world. At MIPCOM, MBC, the series' broadcaster, has contracted with Tanzania's iTV, Ghana TV, Turkey's TRT and MTV Hungary. The series was a huge hit in Iran, where it reportedly garnered a viewership rate of ''over 90 percent,'' according to local broadcaster MBC, although what this number means exactly is not clearly defined.
The Arab dubbing for the series has recently been completed, according to MBC. It will air on Dubai TV as well as the entire pan-Arab region. A total of 12 titles including ''Jumong,'' ''Coffee Prince,'' and ''Air City'' are also due to air soon in Saudi Arabia.
According to KBI reports, Korean dramas exported through MIPCOM this year amounts to about $6.7 million, up from $4.3 million last year.
''There is an economic factor that adds to the surge of Korean dramas' popularity,'' said David Taeg-ho Ahn from MBC's global business department. ''There has been a channel 'explosion' in the (Arab and African) region. There is a new platform so there is greater demand for different content. Korean dramas are reasonably priced and are culturally compatible,'' he said.
Korea Dramas Translate into Spanish
In October, AFP reported how Korean soap operas are winning global audiences, and have become major rivals to Latin America's racier telenovelas.
The article states that ''over the past three years South Korean serials have surpassed Latin American ones in popularity in the Asian nation's neighbors like Malaysia and the Philippines.''
Nusta Carranza-Ko, 23, a Peruvian native, told The Korea Times that Korean dramas are drawing viewers in Lima. ''For example, 'Stairway to Heaven' (''Escalera al Cielo'' in Spanish) aired recently. It was really popular because it's really sweet and fairy-tale like. It appeals to lots of young girls and women. It was dubbed in Spanish, and my parents enjoyed watching it, too,'' she said.
Carranza-Ko added that a friend of hers is president of a sizable fan club for hallyu star Jang Dong-kun (also known as Jang Dong-gun) in Mexico. Jang became well known through his role in ''All About Eve'' (''Todo Sobre Eva'' in Spanish). ''All About Eve'' aired five times -- prime time -- on Mexiquenese.
The fan club ''I Will Give You All Jang Dong-gun (Jang Dong-kun)'' has about 2,500 members from Mexico, Peru, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Chile, Puerto Rico, Venezuela and Colombia, according to its president Rocio Salinas, 25-year-old engineer student who is also studying Korean at UNAM National University Autonomy of Mexico.
''Ever since I got to know Jang Dong-gun, I am a fan of his, and became interested in the Korean culture and language. I traveled two times to Korea and I hope to study in Korea for some years,'' she told The Korea Times in an e-mail.
Salinas said that about 100-150 club members get together every two to three months at someone's house to play games and make Korean and Mexican food.
''We looked for activities of both countries, since being fans of Jang Dong-gun, we are fan of the Korean culture and hope to help people with interest in the Korean culture,'' she said. ''I even thought about a new world Mexico + Corea (in Spanish Korea is written with C) = MexiCOrea. With this word we make the union of the Mexican and Korean culture.''
The fan club had made headlines here a few years ago. When President Roh Moo-hyun visited Mexico in 2003, the fan club held a small demonstration so that Roh could tell Jang Dong-gun to visit Mexico. Five members of the club plan to visit Korea next March in time for Jang's birthday. ''I believe that's really a good way to express our enormous interest in Korea, its language and culture,'' wrote Salina.
''Korean dramas have entered a new phase as a main competitor in the Arab and African market, against South American telenovelas,'' said Park Jae-bog, director of the global business department at MBC. Park was at the helm of introducing MBC dramas like ''Jewel in the Palace'' to the Arab, African and American region.
''Korean dramas appeal to audiences in the Middle East because they are family-oriented and have close to no scenes containing sex or violence. It's impressive considering that it's an audience that's accustomed to Hollywood and telenovelas. But Middle Eastern societies value closely knit family ties, much like Korea, so it works,'' explained Park.
TV dramas possess great power in that they are aired on a daily basis and are easily accessible -- you just have to switch on the TV set. It is, as Park suggested, probably the best way a small country like Korea can gain exposure in faraway places.
Language and culture are not barriers for people to empathize about a drama called life. The Korean wave connects people, and draws physically distant cultures closer together.
hyowlee@koreatimes.co.kr
