Quote:
Originally Posted by Irenicus
I don't have an answer to Don's question, but it's pretty easy to notice indeed. Interestingly, I think it's less dominant in J-Drama by a considerable degree, though I speak without expertise.
Going by Korean girls' manwha, which is heavily influenced by the drama industry's tropes, Korea really likes the super rich, the Cinderella poor, the vicious social competition and bullying, idol groups, very handsome, androgynous men, picture perfect beautiful women (not much on "moe"), and Starcraft.
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Pretty much. While I can get some interest in the lives of the wealthy (Dallas anyone?), I don't understand why it's so ubiquitous, and why every idealised male lead has to be incredibly wealthy, a genius and fabulously good looking.
In Japan you do get the intelligent and fabulously good looking, but the incredibly wealthy part is more optional. For instance you at least occasionally get delinquents and other things.
Is Korean culture obsessed with wealth? Or am I reading too much into it? Or are there other factors leading to the ubiquity of wealth in Drama?
Then again, now that I think about it, a lot of American soaps (the closest analogue I can think of to most KDrama), are also obsessed with the lives of the wealthy, though in the American case it's usually the upper middle class, not the uber wealthy upper class as seen in KDrama.
You also see similar in Taiwanese and other Drama, but is this just a case of them copying KDrama?
Either way, I don't really get it. Surely poverty presents plenty of dramatic possibilities (and not simply being rescued by some snooty rich guy)?