介绍:
Chinese Fans of Korean Soap Operas: Don't Call Us Dumb
A group of Chinese fans of Korean soap operas have gone very public in response to a study published last year that suggested Chinese viewers of Korean “dramas” tend to be at the lower end of the education and income spectrum.
On Wednesday, a full-page ad from a group called the “Asian Fan Club of ‘My Love From the Star’” appeared in South Korea’s largest circulation national daily, Chosun Ilbo, requesting an apology from the study’s authors.
The ad, written both in Chinese and Korean, doesn’t pull any punches: “We would like to tell you that you are wrong. We like Korean dramas… We like intellectual power even more,” the ad reads.
“My Love From the Star,” a 21-episode romantic comedy about a Korean actress and her extraterritorial boyfriend was a huge hit around Asia. It ended last month. In China, the drama triggered a craze for chicken-and-beer, the favorite food combination of the main female character.
The main male character, Professor Do Min-jun, is played by Korean heartthrob Kim Soo-hyun. In the plot, Prof. Do accidentally lands on earth 400 years ago and falls in love with Chun Song-e, played by Jeon Ji-hyun.
The ad says “Fans of My Love From the Star, along with science fans, will watch The Brain, a program for people with high intellectual power, on March 21, when Prof. Do appears on the show.” Kim Soo-hyun participated in the filming of The Brain, a show produced by China’s Jiangsu Broadcasting Corporation, on March 8.
“If the number of viewers surpasses 100 million, you need to make an apology to Prof. Do Min-jun! As well, you should make an apology to ‘My Love From the Star’ and science fans,” the ad says.
The study in question, “Map of Drama Taste of Chinese TV Viewers,” was written by five researchers at Seoul National University. The paper concluded that TV viewers in China with high education and income levels prefer Japanese and American soap operas, while those with medium levels of education and income like Chinese and Hong Kong shows. The low-education-low-income group opts for Taiwanese and Korean dramas, the academics wrote.
Kang Myung-koo, who led the 4-member research team, including two Chinese staff, said: “I know the study has some parts that can be seen as controversial but I didn’t expect to see such a huge reaction from Chinese fans.”
“I was amazed to see the ad and I think it is really a good thing that Chinese fans have such a passion for Korean dramas,” he added.
Asked about the fans’ request for an apology, Mr. Kang said: “I acknowledge that there are some parts in the study that can produce misunderstandings.”
Chosun Ilbo said the client bought the ad through an agency in Guangzhou.
Follow Jaeyeon Woo on Twitter @JaeyeonWoo
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