Lucky K-Drama fans in the Philippines have been given a chance to see what it looks like behind their favorite series, thanks to a two-day webinar hosted by the Korean Cultural Center (KCC) and the Korean Embassy.
Together with the BGC Arts Center and the MIND S-Cool, the KCC-led webinar titled "The Role of K-Dramas in Sharing and Shaping Culture Beyond Borders" was held last Friday and Saturday, Nov. 6 and 7. The event covered the different aspects of production, from scriptwriting to cinematography, and the impact of Korean dramas in introducing Korean culture to the rest of the world.
The one-time-only live stream saw around 1,600 live audience viewers on the KCC's official Facebook and YouTube channels. Audiences also participated with their inquiries, experiences, and aspirations for the local entertainment industry - driven by ideas from the guest speakers' lectures and the behind-the-scenes peek offered by the event.
As a part of KCC's "Korea at Home" campaign, together with local telecommunications provider SMART and online news portal Inquirer.net, it aims to continue promoting Korean culture to Filipinos from the safety and comfort of their homes.
Exclusive K-Drama Behind the Scenes
The two-day event featured five speakers from the Korean entertainment industry. On the first day, which focused on the production aspects, audiences were treated to insights from Lee Young-hoon from the Korea Creative Content Agency and Kim Hee-yeol from Pan Entertainment, with Filipina director and Cinemalaya Foundation President Laurice Guillen. For the second day, viewers had the pleasure of learning scriptwriting from a panel of veterans - led by Kim Yoon-young, Executive Director of Korea TV & Radio Writers Association, with director Jose Javier "Joey" Reyes, Chairman of the Digital Film Program at DLSU St. Benilde's School of Design and Arts.
Resource speakers from both countries engaged in a fruitful conversation, exchanging fresh insights about scriptwriting and production practices in both South Korea and the Philippines. Kim Yoon-young and Kim Hee-yeol both stressed the importance of story in crafting successful drama, as attested by its wave of hit shows for Korean and global audiences. Producers invest time and creative efforts to write stories, either from scratch or from other media such as webtoons, manhwa, or online novels, considering that a good story is essential for a good drama.
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Additionally, Kim Hee-yeol notes that as much as possible, they feature themes that "reflect the situation of the times and gives us a chance to look back on our behaviors and the current situation."
An Eye-Opener for Fans
The webinar also revealed parts of Korean dramas' production previously thought confidential to the casual fan. Speakers were ready and open to answering questions regarding the criteria for casting choices, production costs, talent fees, and even music and location choices. Resource speakers also discussed Korean dramas making a global impact.
Speakers also discussed how these shows manage to enthrall audiences everywhere more than their catchy stories, but because of the themes which emphasize the similarities between Korean and Filipino cultures, which are geographically near one another. K-Dramas often address themes of filial piety, love, and the age-old conflict of good versus evil.
The Korean Cultural Center in the Philippines commits to facilitate further programs that can also help boost the Philippine content industry. In a statement, the cultural center aims to invite more experts to tackle industry strategies - copyrights, authorship, and even idol development - to similar veins as its largely successful drama and music industries.
