Pop Goes Korea by Mark James Russell

Author:Mark James Russell
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Stone Bridge Press

All-time Top Twenty Korean TV Dramas

The figures that follow are from AGB Nielsen. They are average ratings—the percentages refer to how many households with televisions in the nation viewed a particular program.

1 What on Earth Is Love? (MBC, 1992)

59.6%

Written by Kim Soo-hyeon, What on Earth Is Love? is a most Korean drama, all about family, patriarchy, and cultural clashes. It is the lighthearted story of Choi Min-su, who grows up in a very conservative, patriarchal family, and Ha Hee-ra, who grows up in a progressive, matriarchal family. When they get married and Ha moves into Choi’s home, their radically different backgrounds lead to an array of conflicts and misunderstandings. No worries, though: eventually they live happily ever after. Writer Kim Soo-hyeon infused comedy into the story and dialogue, creating a huge factor of the series’ success. Series star Lee Sun-jae was later elected to the National Assembly, while Kim Kukhwan made a hit song, “Tatata.” The show even found recent success in China, where it has aired several times.

2 Sons and Daughters (MBC, 1993)

49.1%

Written by Park Jin-suk. Starring Kim Hee-ae, Chae Shi-ra, Choi Soo-jong, Han Seok-gyu. Another drama critical of Korea’s patriarchal culture, Sons and Daughters told the story of a twin brother and sister born to a conservative Confucian family. The mother wants her son, Gwi-nam (literally, “precious boy”), to grow up to become a judge, but is shocked and disappointed when it turns out her daughter Hoo-nam (literally, “behind the boy”) is smarter and more capable. Under the relentless pressure of her family, Hoo-nam eventually runs away to Seoul, while Gwi-nam is never able to become a judge, working in a bank instead. In the end, everybody reconciles.

3 Hur Joon (MBC, 1999)

48.9%

The highest-rated sageuk (historical drama) ever in Korea, Hur Joon told the story of a man with humble origins in the early days of the Joseon dynasty who grew up to become one of the most famous physicians in Korean history. Although Hur Joon’s story has been told many times on Korean television beginning in 1975, none compared to this melodramatic retelling, directed by Lee Byung-hoon and written by Choi Wan-kyu.

4 First Love (KBS2, 1996)

47.2%

Two brothers (played by Bae Yong-joon and Choi Soo-jong) fall in love with the same woman, leading to bitterness and schemes of revenge. This sixty-six-episode series featured the first pairing of Bae and Choi Ji-woo, who would later team up for Winter Sonata. Although First Love ranks as only the fourth-highest-rated TV show according to AGB Nielsen, the show boasts the single highest-rated drama episode of all time. The episode reached an incredible 65.8% on April 20, 1997.

5 The Sandglass (SBS, 1995)

46.7%

A remarkable twenty-four-episode series by Kim Jong-hak and Song Ji-nah about the turbulent 1970s and ’80s in Korea, including the Gwangju Massacre of 1980. Sandglass describes a love triangle using a well-worn Korean storyline—two childhood friends, one of whom grows up to be a gangster (played by Choi Min-su), the other to be in law enforcement (in this case, a prosecutor, played by Park Sang-won).

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