Chinese and Korean Dramas: What's the Difference?
While "Hallyu," the Korean wave, has been a global phenomenon for decades, Chinese pop culture has exploded in popularity in recent years, gaining an increasing number of international fans. After being accustomed to hearing people constantly debate K-pop music and Korean dramas, I was astonished to see an increasing number of people begin to watch and discuss Chinese dramas. I'll highlight some important distinctions that I found between Chinese and Korean dramas as an experienced viewer and admirer of both.
Duration
Chinese dramas are frequently quite lengthy, ranging from 30 to 80 episodes. Each episode is usually about 30-45 minutes long. Korean dramas, on the other hand, often contain 16-20 episodes, each lasting 60-90 minutes. While many Chinese dramas are shown twice daily, Korean dramas are frequently broadcast twice weekly. As a result, waiting for K dramas to be updated might be excruciating when compared to C dramas.
C dramas require more time to complete a story due to sophisticated plots and several parallel storylines, and they generally present stories at a leisurely pace. The pacing can be excruciating at times, especially in costume dramas where actors are forced to talk and behave slowly. As a result, I frequently watch C dramas at 1.5x-2.0x speed to save time. K dramas, on the other hand, are recognized for their gripping narrative twists and tend to deliver stories at a faster pace with a well-knit structure. As a result, K dramas may be better at maintaining viewer attention than C dramas. Furthermore, K dramas have a less complex plot and a more basic plotline, therefore they don't require as much time to tell a story as C dramas.
Genre
Different genres are well-represented in Chinese and Korean dramas. While historical/costume and fantasy genres are well-known in C dramas, modern-day and romantic genres are well-known in K dramas.
The historical/costume genre and the fantasy genre are both best served by C dramas. The majority of popular Chinese fantasy dramas are set in ancient China and hence fall under the costume genre. "The Untamed," "Ashes of Love," and "Eternal Love" are some notable examples. Chinese historical dramas are known for their meticulous attention to art and set design, as well as their meticulous attention to costumes, makeup, and props. Take a look at how wide shots are frequently used in Chinese historical dramas! Korean historical dramas, on the other hand, tend to put less effort into set design and art design, which is why they favor closeups and medium shots over long shots. This is due to the fact that C dramas have a far larger budget than K dramas, therefore they can afford a higher-quality set design. Chinese historical plays are not only better in terms of visual design, but they are also more intelligent and captivating in terms of plot.
K dramas, on the other hand, have distinct advantages in the modern-day and romance genres. These two genres encompass the majority of K drama hits in recent years, including "The Heirs," "Descendants of the Sun," and "Guardian: The Lonely and Great God." Korean modern-day romantic dramas are stronger at both storytelling and character development. Character interactions are frequently more entertaining to watch, and stories are frequently more compelling. This is likely due to the fact that, as I previously stated, K dramas are generally better at understanding the pacing of a tale in order to maintain viewers' attention and interest.
Screenwriting
While most K drama stories are produced by professional screenwriters, most top C dramas are now adapted from novels, which are referred to in China as "Cultural IP (Intellectual Property)." Professional screenwriters are having a difficult time selling their stories, as Chinese streaming platforms and entertainment businesses compete for the intellectual property of successful novels. This is due to the fact that popular "IP" novels already have a large enough fan base and their quality has been established by the market. As a result, "IP" novels are frequently more valuable to investors than original scripts.
Production
K dramas and C dramas have vastly diverse production systems. Most Korean dramas are shot in real time, which means that a drama is still filming while it airs. Because the script isn't finished ahead of time, the screenwriter and director can adjust the tale to meet the expectations of the audience. This form of production allows the audience's opinions to be heard, but there are drawbacks: excessive crowd feedback can occasionally derail the tale. What if, for example, the audience wants to see two characters fall in love, but it doesn't make logical sense in the story? What if they genuinely want a happy ending, even though the story is supposed to be tragic or logically open-ended? You can see how things might go awry if every spectator tried to be the screenwriter and the screenwriter couldn't independently oversee the story's progress.
C dramas, unlike K dramas, are pre-filmed. It indicates that a C drama won't air until all of the production, post-production, and censorship processes are finished. The time between when the production is finished and when the drama is finally televised is usually six months to a year. If the censorship process does not go smoothly, the wait could last several years. I realize how excruciatingly hard it is for fans and keen viewers to have to wait so long!
The audience has little control over how the plot unfolds under this production approach, which provides the crew both control and danger. Even though the screenplay and director have input into the tale, if the original "IP" novel is not properly adapted or the drama is not up to par, both novel aficionados and general viewers will be disappointed. Visit Dramacool for more information about how to find the best Asian drama.
There is no definite right or incorrect answer to how a great drama should be made. With their distinct characteristics, both Chinese and Korean dramas can flourish in their own ways.