K-Dramas and Why We Should Watch Them
Like many people around the world, I’ve quite recently become hooked on K-
dramas, that is Korean-language TV dramas which are typically spread over 16
or 20 hour-long episodes. The production values are generally high, the acting
is usually good (and sometimes very good), and the stories are often intriguing.
Already popular throughout Asia, K-dramas are rapidly becoming so in Europe
and the Americas too. Indeed, the South Korean government subsidizes an
industry which it sees as a tool of “soft power”. Though many are framed as
thrillers, sci-fi fantasies or “rom-coms”, they can (and frequently do) address
serious issues such as mental health, bullying, loneliness, neurodiversity,
ageing,dementia, suicide and bereavement. Quite a few touch on corruption
and other misdemeanors in Korean business and politics. Once you become
used to the conventions, K-dramas can become strangely addictive.
This morning, we’re going to look into the background of the dramas in Korean
culture, examine how they work and their conventions, find out how they can
be accessed, and also (by sampling some outstanding series) how they can be enjoyed.
This 2 hour session will include slides, video excerpts, and discussion. And maybe the chance to pitch for personal favorites!
Presenter : Graham Jefcoate
Graham Jefcoate was born in England and studied English and Library Science in Cambridge and London, though he spent much of his working life abroad, particularly in the Netherlands. Now retired, he lives mostly in Chiang Mai, where he has pursued his interest in the life of foreign communities in early 20th century Siam/Thailand. His collection Enchanted Land: Foreign Writings about Chiang Mai in the Early 20th Century was published by River Books in 2023. Graham has given many presentations and led many excursions relating to the life of foreign communities in Chiang Mai for Lifelong Learning Payap, all of them well received.