By Amalia Theocharidou,
You don’t have to be a fan to know that K-dramas have been a hit for more than five years now. With their funny and unpredictable plots and the intense romance, South Korea has made a huge return and breakthrough on our screens, marking a great success. This initiative was what prompted the rest of Asia to try and follow the same path, in order to enjoy some of the fame South Korea has been receiving. Thai dramas, Japanese dramas, and most notably, Chinese dramas have also started gaining more recognition.
C(hinese)-dramas are considered the second most prominent after Korean ones. Their popularity has skyrocketed over the past two years, with many people now talking about moving on from “oppa” (older, handsome guy) to “gege” (the same term in Mandarin). What differentiates C-dramas from K-dramas are their values—surprisingly for some—since everything in Asia is rooted in Confucianism. However, in recent years, and given the immense promotion and global recognition of K-dramas, Korean productions have started shifting toward more Western values, in order to maintain the first place in the American and European markets. What once made them stand out was their portrayal of romance based pyrely on emotion and innocence, with minimal physical interaction. Intimacy was a rather unfamiliar concept, as protagonists were mostly focused on the emotional connection.
But nowadays, K-dramas have started leaning more to foreign audiences by incorporating themes that are more familiar abroad, such as increased intimacy and situations previously concidered shameful in Korean society—like friends with benefits or drug use. On the other side, Chinese dramas remain faithful to traditional values. Due to the country’s Communist regime and the fact that, after filming, a special committee reviews each drama behind closed doors before approving it for airing, it is almost impossible for directors or screenwriters to deviate a lot from core values.
Chinese productions are more conservative: the protagonists follow strict societal norms, and the storylines do not vary much. For example, the heroine is always a humble, tradition-loving girl; the setting is always within China; the characters almost never travel abroad; and there is always one-typically the girl’s—that is so poor they can barely afford dinner. The male leads consistently embody Confucian ideals of generosity and wise use of wealth. Like in K-dramas, they are tall, handsome, and often emotionally reserved. Another key difference is that Chinese dramas are dubbed, to manage the various dialects and accents worldwide.
All in all, C-dramas have emerged as a strong alternative for viewers seeking shows where emotions have the leading role—once again highlighting that intimacy can come second in a world that often prioritizes the physical.
References
- Done with Korean shows? What you need to know before switching to C-dramas. Tatler. Available here
- C–Dramas: The Perfect Alternative to American TV Shows. 34th Street. Available here
