BY NESTOR CUARTERO
JUST A THOUGHT: Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep. – Scott Adams
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DISCOVERING K-DRAMA: No thanks to various states of quarantine and long periods of time (more than 5 months) spent at home, doing nothing, Filipino televiewers discovered, or, in the case of many, rediscovered, the magic and charisma of K-drama.
Worldwide, it is known as the Hallyu phenomenon.
Every other person I know, based on posts I read on Facebook and other social media, seems to have something to say, or like, or love about South Korean series programs like “Crash Landing on You,” “King,” “Doctor Romantic,” and so many other titles.
Many go ga-ga over their actors, memorizing their difficult to pronounce names, knowing their personal histories.
While many locally produced teleseryes are currently off the air as a result of the COVID-19 shutdown, their followers have suddenly developed a liking for Korean programs in the meantime. Many of these are available for streaming on Netflix and other existing Korean channels.
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HIGHEST RATING: K-drama shows have become so popular among local viewers that a recent survey showed that they ranked highest on Netflix’s line-up of offerings. Only two Filipino movies made it to the top 10 at the time of the survey.
The finding has prompted director Erik Matti to say that when the lockdown is finally lifted, and all work goes back to normal hopefully, Filipino-made teleseryes may have lost a huge chunk of their market. K-dramas may have snatched them away in the time of ECQ and GCQ.
Winning back that lost audience may be the biggest challenge to local TV.
