Hello friends! I apologize for my inexcusable 5-month-long absence, this past semester has been a chaotic whirlwind to say the least. I am happy to say that now my finals are officially over and done, and I can come back to justajae for the summer! As fitting for a comeback, I have a couple of exciting announcements to make. Stay tuned until the end of the blog post to check out what I'm planning for the summer, and this upcoming school year!
I will be starting this summer's blogfest with one of my favorite segments, a drama recommendation. Dramas are an internationally popular aspect of broadcast television in many Asian countries. For myself, a Japanese-American, it was through the lens of Japanese television dramas that I was able to practice the language, and experience the culture. This experience, of course, is a sensationalized, possibly warped one, but it most definitely holds cultural relevance. Whenever I meet Japanese students, dramas are one of the first topics I utilize to break the ice.
I recommend dramas here for this reason; television, film, and media, while having a dark side (paparazzi, misinformation, and of course, money and power) is a beautiful thing that connects people on a global level. It allows people to see, and understand the world to an extent that has never been possible in the past. I encourage the the utilization of the resources that technology has brought to us in the process of developing racial identity. This could be both within the growing Asian-American movement, and on an individual level.
Today, I'd like to look at an example of an international phenomenon: remakes between countries. (Note: click on the photos for links)
I will be starting this summer's blogfest with one of my favorite segments, a drama recommendation. Dramas are an internationally popular aspect of broadcast television in many Asian countries. For myself, a Japanese-American, it was through the lens of Japanese television dramas that I was able to practice the language, and experience the culture. This experience, of course, is a sensationalized, possibly warped one, but it most definitely holds cultural relevance. Whenever I meet Japanese students, dramas are one of the first topics I utilize to break the ice.
I recommend dramas here for this reason; television, film, and media, while having a dark side (paparazzi, misinformation, and of course, money and power) is a beautiful thing that connects people on a global level. It allows people to see, and understand the world to an extent that has never been possible in the past. I encourage the the utilization of the resources that technology has brought to us in the process of developing racial identity. This could be both within the growing Asian-American movement, and on an individual level.
Today, I'd like to look at an example of an international phenomenon: remakes between countries. (Note: click on the photos for links)
DRAMA RECOMMENDATION:
YOU'RE BEAUTIFUL (미남이시네요) & IKEMEN DESU NE (美男ですね) / HANA YORI DANGO(花より男子) & BOYS OVER FLOWERS (꽃보다 남자)
Today, I'll be looking specifically at the remakes between Japanese and Korean dramas, two of the most popular Asian drama producers. It is fascinating to watch one drama, and then the other. The stories are almost identical, and yet the presentation is completely different. I'll tell you my perceptions of the four dramas I will look at today, but I would enjoy reading any commentary on your impressions. Please leave a comment in the section below, on my Google+ page, or email me at [email protected]!
First, I'll be looking at one of my favorite Korean Dramas, You're Beautiful. The gender-bender romantic comedy follows the story a girl who stands in for her twin brother in an all-boy band, and all the complications that followed. The hit original Korean series aired in 2009, garnering high acclaim both within and outside of Korea. It is filled with the glitz and glamour of a typical Korean drama. Beautiful people, extravagant settings (it is the life of a rock star, after all), and a string of romances between all those involved. I must admit that I get bored with certain Korean dramas, but this is not among them. The chemistry between the main characters is perfect, and the story never gets old!
In 2011, Japan aired a remake of You're Beautiful, dubbing it Ikemen desu ne, roughly translating to "You're Handsome." It received generally good ratings in the Tokyo area, and has a relatively large fan base. Excluding a few cultural references, the story remained similar. As most remakes of my favorite dramas make me feel, I found this drama a bit off-target. There was definitely less glamour in the costumes, setting, lighting, and make-up. All of the flashiness and perfection in the Korean version seemed to be toned-down, and subdued. And of course, the coupling of Park Shin-hye and Jang Keun-seuk is unbeatable.
Now here's the big one. In 2005, TBS aired the global hit Hana Yori Dango, a television series based off of a manga by Yoko Kamio. The general setup looks similar to You're Beautiful, right? One girl surrounded by an entourage of men. A young lower-class girl Makino gets into one of the most prestigious schools in the country. There, she encounters a group of wealthy boys called "F4" who rule the school. Through a series of unfortunate events, Makino becomes the bullying target of the group's head, Domyouji. Makino retaliates, a surprise that makes Domyouji begin to fall for her. The series follows their growing relationship, which extended to 2 seasons, and finally a movie.
It is clear that this drama was inspired by a manga-- the comical actions, the cutesy romance, and the impossible situations that come rolling in one after another. Not that this is a bad thing! It is simply a particular, Japanese style.
It is clear that this drama was inspired by a manga-- the comical actions, the cutesy romance, and the impossible situations that come rolling in one after another. Not that this is a bad thing! It is simply a particular, Japanese style.
In 2009, the South-Korean television series Boys Over Flowers aired. As you can see just by these photos, the two series have distinct presentations. Setting aside Lee Min-ho's slightly ridiculous effort to curl his hair, the actors in the Korean remake are, as usual, flawlessly polished. The range of F4's wealth is also excessively magnified. Boys Over Flowers has become one of the most popular Korean dramas viewed internationally. As always, I must criticize the remake-- particularly its great length, and the way the chemistry between the main characters seems a bit unsatisfactory in comparison to the original. And of course, the overly perfect feeling produced at the expense of the Japanese manga style.
I can blabber on and on, but just looking at these two pairs of dramas one sees a difference in focus, artistic portrayal, and culture between Korea and Japan. However, it is also interesting to see the stories that became popular in both countries. For example, both these dramas have a focus on a singular female effecting multiple males, wealth, and glamour.
It's also important to point out that both these original dramas have multiple remakes. Both have Taiwanese remakes, for example. I cannot vouch for them since I have not seen them, but I believe it would be fascinating to view the story through the eyes of yet another Asian culture.
Now, I've written way to much! I must end soon. But first, I'd like to make a couple of announcements about some exciting upcoming events! Firstly, I will be going on multiple trips to Japan this summer, and will be vlogging/blogging the experience all the way through! Secondly, in the next school year I am officially studying abroad! Where to will be a surprise :). Stay tuned for more posts, and thanks for reading!
Until next time,
justajae
It's also important to point out that both these original dramas have multiple remakes. Both have Taiwanese remakes, for example. I cannot vouch for them since I have not seen them, but I believe it would be fascinating to view the story through the eyes of yet another Asian culture.
Now, I've written way to much! I must end soon. But first, I'd like to make a couple of announcements about some exciting upcoming events! Firstly, I will be going on multiple trips to Japan this summer, and will be vlogging/blogging the experience all the way through! Secondly, in the next school year I am officially studying abroad! Where to will be a surprise :). Stay tuned for more posts, and thanks for reading!
Until next time,
justajae