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Korean dramas are awesome! I wouldn't think of myself as lowbrow or uneducated, and I love them. In fact, I think that American TV shows need to get themselves together, and I really don't enjoy the Big Bang Theory (which is basically just, "Oh, Penny. You're blonde and stupid. I'm Sheldon, and I'm smart!" over and over again). If you're interested in a Korean drama that will suck you in (and has a much better message than the Big Bang Theory), I suggest trying Boys Over Flowers
I love korean dramas and I'm not uneducated MY MARKS AT UNIVERSITY are high! you are the ones uneducated in here... the big bang theory is not for wise people is for nerds with no life... your study is a waste of time... in the big bang theory you only see the "intelligent" against the blonde dumb chick... that's not entertainment for me!
this is f**king bullish*.
hmmmmm , Well somebody tell the author "how many K-dramas did you watch before writing this up"?
"Low brow??". I, as an educated white American female, and a teacher of Western Great Books courses, find many Korean dramas provide a fascinating insight into a history and culture that most of America never sees. I find "Big, Bang Theory" adolescent at best. I recommend "Tree with Deep Roots," a fascinating story of the origins of Hangul. I think there must be more to those statistics on Chinese viewership than you've reported here.
Korea Drama are "Lowbrow" entertainment? Please. American TV is a lot worse. Exploiting Teenage Soon-to-be mothers? Isn't that something that should be frowned upon? I'm not saying getting pregnant in your teens is bad, but just don't put it on TV. The Big Bang theory is completely idiotic. Like Emily wrote, It's all about how Penny is the superficial idiot blonde and Sheldon is the nerd that knows practically everything. Korean Dramas have a stronger message behind them. I suggest you take the time to actually watch them. Try Boys Before Flowers, or To the Beautiful You. Korean Dramas deserve much more than People give them credit for. I'm not uneducated, I wouldn't consider myself that way just because I watch Korean Dramas. I do feel uneducated when I watch crap on American TV like, oh I don't know, The young and the restless? Not to mention all that stuff that's on MTV and Oxygen and other channels. So, please, look at your country's media before judging another country's media.
Sadly, American tv has plummeted to the depths of nothingness forcing intelligent viewers to jump of the wagon onto something more substantial thus Kdrama. You would think that since UNIVISION has topped the ratings globally based on novellas (latin version of kdrama) folks have found melodrama to be a highbrow above the glut of ducks, pickers, voices, dancing, stars, auctions, horders, housewives shows American tv is wallowing among. Good luck selling this idea, kdrama fans know better.
Frankly, I love Korean dramas to the moon and back. However to state that viewers are uneducated and on ee poorer part of the spectrum is brash and unresponsible. Firstly, you concluded that statement from a SMALL fraction of the population that watches Korean dramas. How about all the Canadians? Malaysians? And the rest of the audience? To come to a conclusion based solely on a small number of races when in the article you stated that you wondered why it is so appealing to INTERNATIONAL fans is very irresponsible and immature. Sure, maybe the writer has only watched 0- a few dramas, but how about those fans that have watched hundreds or more? In fact, as a viewer it has improved my education of Korean culture and history, as well as aiding me in learning the language. To write such a biased article that can OBVIOUSLY hurt the feelings of many fans is unreasonable. I am not uneducated and I watch dramas by the hundreds. By comparing this to the Big Bang theory is also very unreasonable. Firstly, they are based solely on two different cultures and two different aspects of life. For instance, the Big Bang theory is ONE show about comedy and lots of science, and friendship. Whereas Korean dramas are a VARIETY of genres, so how could you compare those? This is a very rude and saddening article, as it just shows how quickly people were to judge and come upon a conclusion based on one survey. How about the viewers of American reality shows like Jersey Shore and Family Guy? At least I learn something from Korean dramas.
They took a poll of viewers in China? Really? A huge population of that country is still 3rd world. Why not take a poll of more than just one country to get a good overall idea of the education and income level of viewers. I have three college degrees (one B.A. and two A.A.S degrees) and I would much rather watch Kdramas than crappy American sitcoms that 99% of have the exact same plot and characters over and over again. Granted not all Kdramas are perfect as with TV in any country, but there's such a variety to watch that if I get tired of romantic comedies I can watch historical dramams, or action dramas.
foreigners love watching k dramas because our own country tv series are predictable common and not fun and the big bang theory i consider it to be un amusing and just because it throws some king out knowledge out there does't mean anything and plus the u.s tv series like honey booboo and duck dynasty really you have nothing to say considering those and many other american shows are terrible so you're saying hunger games is a high brow you got to be kidding me basketball wives, and many other american tv shows are just poor and as far as education america they are at a loss now i will say csi and ncsi and criminal mind are very well good but to have a low brow judgement on korean tv series is just wrong and asian edu tends to have a higher rating because of their culture and parents foreigners work harder and general so please drop this article because it's a poor argument
Perhaps you need a wider sampling than this to understand Korean Dramas. Their dramas have sent me to history books time and time again, to understand the nuances of court life, and the impact of historical events. Modern dramas reflect on the current political climate, economics, and cultural traditions, and their impact on modern Korean life. I would hardly consider The Big Bang Theory highbrow. Sure, it has some merit, but it is hardly anything that requires thought and a background in history, language, and culture of another nation.
What does the Big Bang Theory have to do with Korean dramas? The reason more and more people are beginning to watch Korean dramas is because, compared to many American shows, most Korean dramas are pure. So many shows out there these days have so many sex scenes, you barely know what the show is about. But many Korean dramas make a hug a huge thing. I am so sick of all of the inappropriate shows here. I wish more shows would focus on actually educating us about morals instead of filling up our minds with stuff we just don't need. Those of us watching dramas are also learning. We're learning about the language and the culture. If we want to watch an innocent show, we'll watch Korean dramas. But if we want to soil our brains with a bunch of impurities, then we'll watch American shows. That, is my opinion.
So not correct
Lowbrow? Take a close look at The States, reality shows about dumb housewives, competitions between meat heads, shows about hicks, and do you want actual examples? Real Housewives of who knows how many counties at this point, Here Comes Honey BooBoo, and don't even get me started about Teen Mom on MTV which basically promotes more idiot teenagers having unprotected sex cause although it should serve as a precautionary tale it definitely has the opposite effect. That said I cannot fathom such an uneducated and biased article being published on The Wall Street Journal, just goes to show how low the paper has fallen in recent times. Now onto South Korean dramas and those who watch them; they have variety, twists, smart plots and are fast paced unlike Soap Operas which last years, really who has the time to watch those? Maybe people with low i.q. and with a lot of time on their hands. Also fans of Korean dramas have gone as far as actually learning the language (you know cause they're so lowbrow) and I'll even add fans of other Asian genres such as Japanese anime which have also shown interest in learning Japanese. My message to the author, educate yourself on the matter, a good journalist looks at all sides, immerses and invests itself on the subject instead of writing for the sake of writing.
I may be only a high school graduate but I certainly take exception to being considered 'lowbrow'. My daughter is a college graduate who was in the Highly Capable program, her two children also are in that category. By the way that used to be called the Gifted Program. We all enjoy Asian dramas. We also enjoy science, documentaries, museums and they watch Big Bang Theory listed as intelligent television. I had become very tired of American television. There is only so much HGTV and American Idol one can watch. Silly reality shows, sex centered programming, vampires, violence and constant repeats had left television with empty programming for me. So many channels with nothing to watch. I find Asian dramas intensely engaging. Yes, there are formulas but enough story to keep you entertained. The video quality is high. The use of real places keeps you in the story. Not like the constant twilight of an American soap opera. I found that smart shows like Korean 'Flower Boy Next Door' are intensely engaging. Love evolves slowly as it does more so in real life. I appreciate the programming and English subbing from places like DramaFever that bring us a whole new world of interesting television. I would hope future articles would be a bit more giving and maybe a bit more thoughtful toward a huge segment of a worldwide viewership. Take a moment and look at YouTube and see how many languages these so called 'lowbrow' programs are being subbed for. It will be enlightening.
Did the study list shows for the participants to choose from? What were the ages of the participants? I would imagine age is a big factor in choice of television.
I'm guessing Korean soap operas is a niche and doesn't refer to all kdramas. For anyone who would like to know the difference, watch the kdrama Bridal Mask. It is gripping, powerful, beautiful, and very well done.
I would categorize both Big Bang Theory and soap operas (from any country) as simple entertainment. I would also guess that Big Bang Theory wouldn't translate very well due to its many references to specific comic books, movies, and tv shows. We are a house of nerds/geeks here, so the show is amusing but I dislike most American tv because the characters hop into bed with loads of people.
As a teacher in an university from Europe I don't approve this study - only 400 respondents for China? Secondly there are so many things to learn from Korean dramas: history, culture, nature, health eating, family issues and so on. Recently I watched "The Warrior" and I highly recommend it especially to combat bullying in schools.
I think the article is a little skewed in that the information used was a poll of Chinese and Japanese viewers, not the main viewing audience of Kdramas, South Koreans. That being said, I'm a highly educated, middle income viewer and I love Kdramas. In fact, I prefer them to American TV because they aren't all wrapped up in trying to extend the series to another season. They're most concerned with developing characters and story lines that people love to watch. The plot twists that supposedly make it more low-brow are the same kinds of tricks used by American screenwriters to keep audiences tuning in. It's not supposed to be real life, it's entertainment, and what's most entertaining? Drama, and lots of it, even if it's completely unrealistic.
Nothing says lovin like some good old gratuitous drugs, violence and sex called American TV.... I love the fact my whole family can watch Korean drama and I don't have to shoo the children out of the room at a less then desirable scene. 89 - 90% of American TV you can't do that anymore. Sex, drugs, and violence.... That is the norm of good, wholesome "High-Brow" America.....
Well then. I guess City Hunter, Iris, Athena: Goddess of War, Coffee Prince, Boys Over Flowers, Reply 1997, and others that I enjoy are all "low brow" entertainment. It's nice to know that television shows making fun of women are regarded as "highly educational." If these dramas are just "low brow" then please explain to me why Lee Minho is one of the most famous actors in the world?
As an avid viewer of Korean dramas, I am really disappointed in a blog from the WSJ that is so short sighted. Basically you took information and rewrote it from one source done with 400 people. Do some research and do a great blog post. Go to places like Dramafever and get some information on who watches. I have a master's degree and make six figures. I am not lowbrow or uneducated. My children and I watch together. The stories might be out there, but we are learning a new language as well as about another culture.
To the Editor:
I suggest that, in order to maintain the good reputation of this journal, you proofread an article before publishing.
The author poses the question " What is it about South Korean TV soap operas that appeals to foreign audiences?" And then continues to point to a study that only focused on the TV viewing habits of people only from China. The problem with this article in my opinion is that if the author knew anything about the viewership of Korean dramas, they would realize that the "foreign" (which I take to mean as non-Korean) audience of Korean dramas encompasses a far wider variety of people than Chinese viewers aged 20 to 60.
To truly answer the question, it might be good to look for studies from other nations, or try to conduct a simple survey yourselves to truly find out if this correlation between foreign audiences and their educational/income background truly exists outside of just China.
Also, I would like to mention. Big Bang Theory is a sitcom. Which also includes outrageous plot lines. One of them being a chance for the characters to host an experiment in space.
For future reference.
The only people I know who watch Korean dramas, is college educated and employed, including myself. Also, more educated Chinese people may enjoy The Big Bang Theory because of the emphasis society puts on Western culture and speaking English as being educated. Show an amazing foreign film to a group of American hillbillies and see how many of them prefer it over watching Sixteen and Pregnant.
Please, just becase some pleople are unaware what a kdrama is, they shouldn´t call us almost stupids, it's unacceptable that a journal call somebody lowbrow because of what they see, I'm not american, I'm not south korean, but I can tell you that this "lowbrok kdramas" that they call, teach almost more than 50% of times the korean language to the ones that see this tipes of "lowbrow kdrama", I mean there are pleople who see these dramas to learn it's simply stupid that they called it that way.
I have learned quite a lot from Korean dramas and have been able to make Korean friends because of my interest, Coffee Prince is a smart sexy comedy on par with anything America has done. I have 3 years of College so uneducated is a terrible generalization. Now that is uneducated.
I don't see how you can generalize all Korean dramas as "lowbrow". I've been watching them for a while now, and I will admit some of them do involve ridiculous plot lines. When you're making a reference to The Big Bang Theory as being more "highbrow", however, I have to wonder. The script and the show itself is clever, but unless you have knowledge of the fandom references made throughout each episode, much of the humor of TBBT is lost on a viewer. Before making general assumptions and broad statements, please watch some of the best examples of Korean dramas. I would suggest ones such as Secret Garden, Iris, Faith, Moon Embracing the Sun, and Personal Taste, along with in-depth research before posting an article like this one.
Have you ever watched a Korean drama ? They are awesome they can make you laugh ,bring you to tears, happy. They also let you get an idea about the way people in Korea think and live. They do this without a lot of nudity and fowl language and sex . They show friendships and love in a sweet way that doesn't require people to jump into bed every five minutes. They show respect to each other . Unlike the shows here in the states. Also since when is a household income over 100,000 considered low income you really need to adjust your way of thinking
I do not consider myself lowbrow or uneducated. The Korean Dramas lack something that used to exist in American television, innocence. If you have ever watched a Korean Drama you notice that there is little to no sex, and physical contact between the love interests in the Dramas is very minimal. That is one of the reasons I currently spend more time watching Korean Dramas as opposed to American television shows. There are several dramas I could recommend you watch, yes they have predictable plot twists, but that is what makes them so good and easy to watch. "Boys Over Flowers" , "Playful Kiss", "Coffee Prince", "Goong" also called "Princess Hours" are several I have watched and would recommend you check out before making such a blanket and insulting assessment of viewers of Korea Dramas.
As an American woman with a high GPA I firmly disagree with this article stating that the viewers of Korean dramas are dimwitted and financially unstable. I adore anything the Park Yoochun stars in (Rooftop Prince being my favorite thus far). All the dramas that I've seen have the ability to trigger so many emotions without trying. No a show like Missing You (also starring Park Yoochun) isn't anything like The Big Bang Theory (which I happen to love and own every season so far). One isn't better than the other and it isn't right to so harshly judge the liking of others. Your opinion is your own, but you should have chosen a better way of saying it.
Don't shoot the messenger, the author was posing a question based on research conducted by a Korean University and their findings in regards to Chinese viewership and demographics. My thoughts are everyone is entitled to spending their free time as they wish, we all have different interests and shouldn't be judged on our likes. Personally, I like Korean dramas (my true love is K-pop, or rather KHJ). I have a graduate degree, a career with a substantial salary, so for those judging K-drama fans...maybe you should give it a try before criticizing. Sometimes it takes an educated person to keep up with all the plot's twists and turns.
This is such an ignorant post. Please remove, you stupid media.
Sorry, but Big Bang isn't that "highbrow". If I recall, there is an episode where Howard creates a toilet for Russians for their space trip. He then messes up and can't figure out how to fix the toilet so it doesn't break after 10 flushes. Okay....how is that highbrow?
Also, I'm American with not a single Asian blood inside me. So you're saying I'm too "lowbrow" for you?
And only 400 Chinese people? Only that many? There are literally hundreds of thousands of people all across the world that watch kdramas.
If Toddlers and Tiaras, Jersey Shore, or even 16 and Pregnant aren't "lowbrow" then YOU have no idea of what you're talking about. I can have my 6 yr old brother watch kdramas without having to cover his ears and eyes. Whereas American tv? Do you know how many swear words/sex scenes there are in American tv shows? Oh, you're just blind to the fact that kids can barely watch tv without a swear word/sex scene.
Well, I could expect this kind of useless article from a thing like the Wall Street Journal. "Seoul National University researchers of Chinese TV viewership shows the main audience..." my ass. Good luck dreaming up. I know of several college students currently attending Harvard that absolutely adore K-dramas.. So I guess Harvard is an uneducated, lowbrow university? K-drama and K-pop is actually global now, and no, I don't mean that stupid Gangnam Style song. I mean so much more than that, more than you people who only like Psy will ever know. You're calling a mass amount of Americans, Europeans, Asians, etc., uneducated people. I hope you're satisfied.
I find this article ridiculous and offensive. I am an avid K-drama viewer who happens to also be well-educated. It serves to denigrate the millions of viewers across the globe who enjoy watching these dramas. It is also an example of the "highbrow" mentality of Western superiority in arts and culture that I just don't buy into. While some K-dramas may not reveal some nuanced wisdom or comedic genius, they do have the ability to hold the attention of people from diverse backgrounds, educational or otherwise. You can't say that with a lot of U.S. TV shows. I think the only lowbrow thing about this article was making a sweeping generalization based on weak factual sources.
This entire article strikes me as incredibly ignorant and close minded. What other sources were used besides this study that only studied 400 people? I'm sorry, but 400 people is not enough to make such a broad statement. Nevermind the classist approach of the article anyway, it's also just plain wrong.
Did you even bother to ask several american kdrama viewers? They're easy enough to find online, just going to a site like dramafever would give you thousands of opinions--and none of them would be that kdrama is 'lowbrow' entertainment. That is such an offensive term.
This article seems to have a lot of information missing. There is a reason that the "uneducated" and "low income" is said to be the Chinese audience. Isn't the majority of China low income and uneducated? Of course most viewers would be in that category... Also, stating that American viewers prefer The Big Bang Theory is proving that the majority of America gives in and accepts stereotypes such as the dumb blonde and nerd ruling the world. To be honest, I've had to endure The Big Bang Theory with some friends and I always find myself having to explain the quips and retorts and it gets tiresome. Not everyone who watches The Big Bang Theory here in America knows what the big bang theory really is. American television relies solely on insulting others (reality television), slapstick comedy (SNL), and sex (pretty much everything). You even see it in supposed kid and teen television, such as Wendell and Vinnie. I'm extremely sorry, America, but I have always opposed your constant need to flash female busts to get viewers. As for Korean Dramas, they rely on pathos to gain their audience. As a Korean Drama watcher, I find myself feeling ecstatic when the main male stands up to the overbearing mother and other adversities, my heart flutters when the main male and main female finally tell each other their feelings, I cry when something devastating happens to a character, and I also find myself anticipating the fallout between the lead protagonist and the antagonist. Most actors and actresses in Korean Dramas worked hard to get where they are by attending acting schools and starting from the bottom. That's more than what American actors and actresses can say. Let's recall all the actresses who became famous only after releasing a sex tape. In conclusion, American television is perverted and oppressing whereas Korean Dramas rely on the talents of the actors, the writers and the directors. This article by Jeyup S. Kwaak was written to manipulate how the public sees Korean Dramas. With the increase of Korean Drama's popularity in other countries, of course the American entertainment industry would feel intimidated and stoop to this low. What Korean Drama would I suggest? Any would be better than the Americanized idiotic dribble that brainwashes so many people.
Drama watchers suggesting Boys Over Flowers and To The Beautiful You which are (total rappy and immature, teenybopper dramas), is not gonna help change this writers opinion.
To the writer of this article, try watching Jewel In The Palace and Tree With Deep Roots and you will definitely revoke the 'low brow' statement.
I am a Caucasian, working as a court interpreter who loves korean dramas. What I like about korean dramas, is that they aren't focused and obsessed about the sex theme unlike american dramas.
No matter what you think of Korean drama, if you are putting forth The Big Bang Theory as highbrow you obviously don't know what the term means.
The article wraps itself around a couple of ignorant generalizations.First of all saying that 'The Big Bang Theory' is favored by 'smart' people seems to be a projection from the article writer. I am a smart person with a four year degree and a law degree and I find 'The Big Bang Theory' to be insipid. I found Korean Drama via Netflix which I got in the first place to see a particular documentary. On a lark I started watching 'Secret Garden' which is one of those lowbrow Korean Dramas apparently according to the article writer. I found it to be engaging, enchanting and brilliantly put together. I was blown away. It reminded me in some ways of the movies of the 30's and 40's. I even bought the Series at Amazon. I got a Roku and have purchased DramaFever now which allows me to watch a vast variety of Korean and World Television shows and I'm constantly finding great things to watch. From the fantasy romance of 'Secret Garden' to the fast paced espionage drama of 'Iris' to the comedy romance of 'Civil Servant Level 7' to the fantasy revenge of 'City Hunter' there is just so much awesomeness to be seen and enjoyed. If I wanted to watch lowbrow entertainment I'd watch most of what there is to see on American TV and Cable with Pro Wrestling and Reality Shows. If I want to be entertained I'll keep my DramaFever and so called 'lowbrow' Korean shows.
I'm sorry, but what is the point of this article? I can understand the potential benefit of the study I guess... who watches K-dramas in China and how can we increase our market there. But to take that research (which I would love to see since here it tells me nothing of how valid these results are) and write a few paragraphs concluding only the poor and uneducated watch K-drama while the high-income, highly educated are watching Big Bang Theory is just dumb. I have two B.A.'s and an M.A. and am currently the Director of Institutional Effectiveness and Research at a local college. My husband has the same level of education and teaches high school physics, chemistry, and math. We both love Big Bang Theory but I also love K-dramas. In fact, the only reason my husband doesn't watch with me is because it's in Korean and he doesn't want to have to read the subtitles. If you want lowbrow, how about avoiding a show in order to avoid reading. I am now teaching myself Korean because K-dramas exposed me to South Korean culture and I love it (my third language).
There are so many factors left out in this article and probably out of the research as well. Where did these participants come from? I've lived in China and I know there is a huge range in the "less income" and "less educated" category. Are they only in cities? Are they in the country? Many Chinese don't speak English, you know, because they're CHINESE, and it must be difficult to translate Big Bang Theory. There are some concepts on that show that don't exist in Mandarin I'm sure. The Korean language, however, is much closer to Chinese than English, as is Korean culture. There are many Chinese in the north, in fact, who actually speak Korean as their native language. And in general, it is much easier and more entertaining to watch a foreign show or movie with a clear plot line or more exaggerated emotions because you don't have to rely just on poorly translated subtitles for understanding. Many of those "well-educated" Chinese that are watching US shows do it because they have to. Most of my friends in China are studying English because of their job and so they listen to American radio and watch American television. In the same vein, I probably watch more Korean television than most because I am learning Korean.
At the end of the day, I watch television to be entertained. I understand the references made on Big Bang Theory and find the show cleverly written. But I love K-dramas more. I actually like the crazy plot twists and overused cliches. Every genre has set patterns, it's what distinguishes it from other genres, and K-dramas wouldn't be K-dramas without car accidents, second male leads, crazy mothers, and a little random amnesia. (FYI on the car accidents, South Korea actually has the highest per-capita number of pedestrian hit and runs in the world, so this really isn't an out-of-the-blue thing). And I would choose it over most of the crap on American television any day.
Lowbrow? LMFAO..................Before I start, I do live in America. I am not poor. I am very educated.
WSJ, please remove this article with such a petty headline just to attract readership. Process a more accurate poll yourself and apologize to all kdrama viewers for this offensive article.
To all that has commented before me, thank you! I really enjoyed reading everyone's comments. Many has expressed my thoughts and views. FIGHTING!!
I enjoy bothe Kdramas and The Big Bang Theory so what does that make me?
I have graduated from an American University with a Professional degree. Thus, I am qualified to be called educated. Also, my income is higher the mean in America which means I am not a low-income person, yet I still love k-dramas. Your rhetoric is misleading and confusing. You can easily call a high school student "uneducated" and "low-income", same with college students. Your study is not scientific enough to give such a broad statement. Therefore, I find this highly offensive. Also, I love the Big Bang Theory and would prefer to watch that over any other American shows, but that does not mean I don't love K-dramas just as much. If someone were to ask me what my favorite show was, I would tell them an American show, because no one would know what I am talking about unless if they watch k-dramas themselves. I understand you have your own opinions on K-Dramas, but please do not make a broad generalization that affect many different levels with an article at an esteem news source. It is degrading.
I think wall street journal needs to spend time writing about the corruption on ... well... WALL STREET and lay off Kdramas.
really? I think kdramas are better than american shows. They actually grab your attention unlike the current shows about magic, vampire, and werewolves. Big bang is good show but there's nothing entertaining about it anymore.
They need to stop watching those reality shows
so because I watch kdramas I must be poor and uneducated? wow, someone needs to get out more. maybe you should actually watch some dramas before you judge other people. I've learned so much from watching Koreans dramas over the last 7 years about a culture in a country I've never been to. no, not all dramas are going to have some kind of educational content, but who cares as long as it's still entertaining. yes, a lot of them do have more or less the same kinds of storylines and occurences and yet they're still better than watching American tv shows that are just as predictable. why? because they do it better. American tv shows are so fake at how they do it, it's over dramatized and it makes it boring. there hasn't been a show on American tv that I've been dying to come home from work and watch the new episode for in a very long time. so kindly shut up, sit down and watch some Korean dramas before you judge us any further.
It is funny that we are often taught in our "high-level" education to not generalize and categorize things, however, this is exactly what this article has done, all the while flaunting its own superiority in education. Yes, there are bad Korean dramas, just as there are many bad American shows. Television is a market for a very wide range audience, and it is obvious that there are different thrills for different crowds. You cannot, however, associate, based on a mere 200-people data (which is filled with bias as what is the line between low-income and high-income is not specified), that 'educated' people prefer American shows and the 'uneducated' prefer Korean shows. What this article has done is that it has taken a foreign type of shows (k-dramas) and generalized all into the "car-accidents, amnesia- type", which is completely false. I have personally enjoyed many Korean dramas whose substance exceeds many American shows. If all you can do is compare your strengths and qualities of American shows with the weaknesses (the weaker plot lines of certain dramas) , then you will never be able to better yourself because you will be stuck forever in your own made-up superiority.
I watch Korean dramas all the time. They are wonderful, especially the historical ones and the melodramas.
A Thousand Days Promise is one of the most beautiful shows I have ever watched. The production values are excellent, and generally so is the music. There is a reason people are addicted to this genre.
You say Korean dramas are uneducated. They have rich plots that seem impossible but also teaches you life lessons. People who watch these are not uneducated. They have a bigger chance of being mutilingual than someone who watched Big Bang. How about Twilight and Harry Potter, the stuff in them are more unbelievable than in Korean Dramas. Korean reality variety shows are the best too, like Running Man. It's the best. I learned Korean from Korean dramas and I know stuff in the dramas are less likely to happen to me but one can dream. So stop bagging on something that you haven't tried. Once you watch one korean drama go get hooked, because there are a lot of different kinds of drams. Medical ones, mythical ones, time traveling ones, special amity ones, house sharing ones, revengeful ones and sweet cute ones. They might not be realistic but they mean a lot in the viewers hearts. I love Korean dramas and I wouldn't randomly decide to watch American TV instead.
First of all.....WHO THE MESS WROTE THIS ARTICLE! this is so ludicrous. How can you judge someone's caliber of education by the entertainment that they enjoy. Some things may be related to one or a few people but that doesn't mean one can generalize a whole population by the same standards. This is total irrelevant and biased. I know too many people from my high school senior class who loved The BigBang Theory who didn't even graduate from high school. I have learned so much from Korean dramas. American TV needs to get there shows together if you ask me.
Lowbrow? Uneducated? I am not either of these. I am a young, white American woman who finds many Korean dramas to be far more entertaining than most American shows. "The Big Bang Theory" like most sitcoms is ridiculous. Most American shows these days deal with sex, drugs, violence, and sex again. This is entertaining? This is what "educated" people watch? Are you kidding me? Korean dramas are a great deal more complex than most American shows. Did anybody actually watch any? You only poled people in China. There are many fans here in America! Pole some of them! If you want to watch a Korean drama that's EXCELLENT, then watch City Hunter. It's an incredible drama which aired in 2011, and remains one of my favorites.
I agree with Lynn - very hypocritical, very biased and in my humble experience inaccurate. I'm addicted to KDramas (which include ALL genres BTW - historical fiction, ROM COM, detective stories, police procedurals, supernatural dramas, soap operas, comedy sitcoms, teen shows). The reasons are complex - I especially like the fact that unlike American shows these have a beginning, middle & end instead of continuing ad infinitum until they 'jump the shark'.
I've gained a meaningful understanding of Korean and more generally of Asian history, can understand some basic Korean phrases and found that the Korean writing system is an alphabet (meaning that along with Cyrillic & Greek - & the Tengwar - I can now puzzle out written Korean).
I've also gotten interested in Korean culture and the land itself due to these shows.
BTW I hold 2 master's degrees and a BA from Glasgow University. I come from a professional class family - with a long line of educators for ancestors and 2 lawyers as siblings. NOT a 'lowbrow, low income' family at all.
I believe this article articulates the fear of the US entertainment industry of that Hallyu Wave approaching our shores more than anything else.
This is a rude and derogatory article. I have a Masters degree and speak 4 languages and yet I prefer K-dramas to most of the shows on American TV. Just because 400 people in China say they are uneducated and earn low incomes doesn't mean that the vast majority of the people who watch and enjoy K-dramas. Has the author of this demeaning drivel ever watched one K-drama?
I've left American tv shows for kdramas on the account that I was losing precious brain cells, all the soaps suck, comedies are dumb, and there are jut too many reality shows, I did not enjoy any of it and also I'm not uneducated,they should watch Iris or Brain, any kdrama, will beat any American comedy, I wonder who they polled??
I think those who did this survey or wrote this article, never watched a Korean drama in their lifetime. Most of the western people I know who are interested in Kdramas are the educated class. Korean dramas are not soap operas. A soap opera is something that runs forever with hundreds and thousands of episodes, in the afternoon (like Mexican soap operas). Kdramas are primetime entertainment, mostly 16-20 episodes, at night. Get your facts straight before publishing an article.
I for one am an American who loves not only The Big Bang Theory, but also KDramas. I feel VERY offended that you say that people who watch Korean dramas are uneducated. to me I believe that Korean dramas lead me into another country without having to pay for a plane ticket. it not only helps me learn a whole other language but it opens ones mind to another way of life. I think by watching Korean dramas I have been more opened minded to many more things than before. and I also don't think that you are being very intelligent with your research. American people when watching The Big Bang Theory can understand it quit fine without having any education on the matter what so ever. you act as if the American education is the best in the world but yet it isn't. being a high school student myself I can say that The Big Bang Theory is quit interesting but on the other had has no real point to it because it just goes around in circles. I would have to agree with my friend Lynn who states that "Television is a market for a very wide range audience, and it is obvious that there are different thrills for different crowds. You cannot, however, associate, based on a mere 200-people data (which is filled with bias as what is the line between low-income and high-income is not specified), that 'educated' people prefer American shows and the 'uneducated' prefer Korean shows. What this article has done is that it has taken a foreign type of shows (k-dramas) and generalized all into the "car-accidents, amnesia- type", which is completely false." she has a very big point in saying such things. there are also many American shows or American soap operas that have such a script or maybe even worst. You act as if American shows were to be better than that of Korean Dramas. I would have to beg to differ. honestly nothing makes me want to watch television more than a Korean drama. nothing has been able to bring me so much joy after the tragedies in my life like a Korean drama has. I suggest that you be more opened minded in your researches by not doing based on such stupidity. As you can see by many commenters there are many well educated people who watch Korean dramas. It looks of it sir is that I think you should do your research over again and become more educated yourself. thank you and have a nice day.
Oh and if you would like try to watch some good ones out there before you say such nonsense there are a lot of good ones and you have some very good suggestions on top of my comment. A well educated person wouldn't shy away of an opportunity to be more educated in something they have never really learned about before.
This is absolutely ridiculous. I'm a U.S citizen and I prefer Kdramas over crappy American sitcoms that create the same plot line over and over again year after year. At least Korean Dramas are original and well thought out. Korean dramas are appropriate and don't need to try hard with a bunch of sexual innuendos for people to actually enjoy them (unlike the big bang theory). Unlike 90% of U.S TV shows, Korean dramas rarely show a couple having sex outside of marriage which is very commendable. The real issue here is that the U.S is an extremely liberal country that has to throw in a bunch of curse words innuendos and premarital sex to make their TV shows remotely "watchable" let alone enjoyable while Korean dramas are family friendly, light hearted, funny and more enjoyable than a lot of U.S TV shows without trying so hard. The U.S can't handle another country that is more conservative passing them up at something. It's Just Jealousy
Really? Is there even validity in a poll of 400 for a country with a population of 1,354,040,000?
Then, I wondered where the 400 people were located. Perhaps, the poll was taken within one village somewhere out in western China, where the local income and educational levels are low anyway.
BTW, even some lowbrow people enjoy highbrow entertainment such as operas and classical musical compositions. Does it mean that those people become highbrow or the entertainment become lowbrown?
I was really surprised that this article was even in the WSJ, given that WSJ is about facts and figures.
Like the previous comments left on this website, I too found the journalist writing this article did not full complete his/her research. I also want to include other person for this article see the light of day, the editor. It is the editor job to find problems within the story for the journalist. This editor did not do his/her job correctly in point out the problems or the lack of outside research data for this article. I understand that deadlines need to be met but if an article is not complete, it should not run. They are both to blame for this story being printed in The Journal.
When I discover Kdrama, I fell in love. Their use of plot twist and turns, quick wit and smart writing was an instant hit with me. But what I most of all love about Kdrama is that they do end. They do not go on for years like an American soap opera or have a thousand and one chapters like the Spanish novella. I can fall in love with characters; have a story told to me, like in a novel. Then when the story ends, I move on.
The writers of Korean dramas most likely do more research for their dramas then this journalist did for this online article. On that final note: to the journalist and editor of this article, take pride in your work.
Viewers who watch Korean Dramas for entertainment are not 'lowbrow' or 'uneducated'. I am currently a college student at a 4 year university who has repeatedly received high marks making it on the Deans List and have often obtained many other honors throughout my school years. I live in the United States and have been a citizen all of my life and I still prefer Korean Drama's, or others shows from the BBC network to American television which is becoming more and more raunchy with each decade (i.e. HBO, reality tv etc.). At least when I am watching Korean Drama's I am connected to a source of clean entertainment unlike many raunchy shows that are often aired in the United States.
The Wall Street Journal - you should know better than to print a journal without significant data to support your analysis and to criticize culture preferences in entertainment. And best yet, you are judging people in their education status. You just pissed off loads of educated Americans(myself included) and an entire country.
Good one TWJ, good one!
I have Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering and a Masters in Biosystems Engineering. I watch Korean dramas daily. I used to watch Big Bang Theory, but once I started watching Asian dramas, I never went back to Western entertainment. This is not something that could be simply explained to someone. You will only understand this once you watch a K-drama. It will change your life. They motivated me to do even better at Grad school and in life.
It's interesting that for this 'lowbrow' entertainment, there is a site, Viki.com, where hordes of educated and professional types volunteers to subtitle the episodes in English and multiple languages, within hours of the telecast in So. Korea.
Since these people don't qualify as 'uneducated', they must qualify as 'low-income'. pffft.
What is lowbrow is this article. Shame on you WSJ. Chinese viewers, Low income, low education level, and korean dramas in one article? Clearly the journalist who wrote this never watched a kdrama and is prejudiced against Asian culture and those of less fortunate circumstances. I know a lot of highly educated people who prefer korean dramas over American and British TV shows. Are those pharmacists, lawyers, business owners and architects uneducated and low-income too then?
I'm an Anthropology major at CSULB, I have high marks, and I am on the Dean's Honor List. I watch Korean dramas whenever I can, even between classes.
I also watch Big Bang Theory.
And Game of Thrones.
And Mad Men, Supernatural, Star Trek, Face Off, I Love Lucy, Sherlock, ... do you see where this is going? You can't judge people based on their entertainment preferences, mostly because most people don't just watch one kind of show. The same person who finds Kdrama relaxing after a long day, might be the biggest Sherlock (or Big Bang Theory) fan.
Also, something we learned in Statistics class was that you need to get a large amount of a population before going about and stating "facts". Your group of 400 is too small and needs to be widened to include viewers in other countries. Then maybe it would be believable.
You should not write something about you have not enough clue of it. May be you are one of the notable financial newspaper but it seems that you have any idea of TV series. There are good TV series from US also from South-Korea and there are also bad TV series from both countries. And i don't think that you can compare "Big Bang Theorie" with typical Korean Dramas. And you mean that who watch Korean historical dramas are silly? You should better know that generalization is something for people who is to lazy to find out of something. You should better ask experts from dramafever.com, a company in New York, before write something like that.
Goodness, let's be informed!
I fell in love with Korean dramas because of their cultural diversity, their wit, their enthralling plotlines, and more! There's such a wide spectrum of genres within the Kdrama category; it's not fair at all to classify each of them as "Lowbrow Fun," or especially to classify their viewers as "Uneducated."
Give a few of them a try! =) You may be surprised at how interested you become. And even if they're not your cup of tea, let's not bash them; there are a great many of them which are quite worthy of the popularity and acclamations they've received.
What are you ? NUTS?!Kdramas are so entertaining. The problem doesn't lie with the kdramas, the problem lies with you. and what you expect kdramas to be.
Writing an article based off of a study done on merely 400 people is ridiculous. This is also a stupid topic. Who cares why people like Korean dramas?
Aight you guys are dumb what up
I don't know if you wrote this in your journal so you would get an audience. Seriously? How can you say that to ALL Kdrama fans? Obviously we all live in different places and times in our lives, but you can't just look down on people and say stuff like that just because we watch/love our Kdrama. Obviously with every audience there are some uneducated people, but most of us are really smart. I'm still in high school, but I am at the top of my class and really what you watch really doesn't determine if you're smart or not. In the end Kdrama is AMAZING and so are ALL the people that watch it. Don't hate appreciate!
This article is a disgusting review.
Apparently the person who wrote this article has never watched a Korean drama or an extremely popular and highly rated one. Jeyup S. Kwaak please conduct your research properly before writing an incorrect article about something which many find very offensive. And if you believe I am uneducated, I am in the top five percent of students at my high school and I am receiving my education from one of the most difficult high schools in Michigan. Also my councilor recommends for me to apply to Michigan for their med program which I believe is about the 20 or 30 best university in the the world.
Thanks for calling me uneducated.
Please don't write articles like this. This is just downright offensive and though I understand that you are reporting statistics and whatnot I think it's offensive how this article tries to determine the education level of a person by what they watch on TV.
I learn English (due to the subtitles used in the DramaFever) and Korean watching kdramas. I like both kdramas and Big Bang Theory, Friends or Seinfeld, for example. I recommend you Worlds Within and the graceful Flower Boys Next Door, that discuss some about hatred between people.
Every country has some form of soap operas/dramas which women across the world all watch. Regardless is the drama is in English, Spanish, Korean, Chinese, Japanese, Arabic....makes no difference and class nor education has anything to do with it. Women watch these dramas to escape their own realities. Wall Street Journal should be careful of what they report or what their opinions are based on especially when you only poll one specific country. Sounds very biased. I live in US and consider myself educated and love to watch Korean dramas. Much more interesting than the reality shows on the American cable channels. Talk about low class and uneducated..
Uneducated. Seriously. You guys need to get your facts straight. There is many korean drama fans all over the world. Your statistics are inadequate. I am smart and I work all the time and make a good income. I love the dramas for the passion they put into it. You offend and deserve the outrage from the fans. The korean dramas aren't lowbrow nor are they watched by nothing , but low income uneducated people as you assume. Your being prejudice at is best. Get your facts straight and try again.
Loving Kdramas has nothing to do with education and everything to do with heartfelt emotion. If I were to write a sloppy article using statistics as evidence, as in the case of this one, then theoretically, I could assert that 'highbrow and educated people' have little or not heart! Correct?
So, those people that watch American TV with Degrassi, Gossip Girls, Pretty Little Liars are smart and educated? More than half of American shows show sex, drugs, violence, etc, and educated people wanna watch that stuff? And from what I know (being American, smart, making a great income, etc.) those shows have much more outrageous plots w/ never ending conflicts than Korean dramas. Technically in your so-called "statistics" you have 1 real info from "Seoul University" but I don't even see any numbers or links to that so I obviously won't believe you in that one. Get your facts straight before you start judging.
Words cannot express how insulting and wrong this article is. Lowbrow and uneducated? You have got to be kidding me. I am a highly educated woman who started watching KDramas because I was sick of all the real lowbrow, oversexed garbage on American TV such as the Kardashians, Sex & The City, etc.
It is obvious that the statistics in this article are a complete farce and that the author is stereotyping KDramas and their fans without any facts to back up their assumptions.
I guess I should not be surprised considering all of the other "quality" articles, and yet I would have to say Jeyup S. Kwaak has brought the Wall Street Journal down another peg with this one. It is just a pity.
I watch Big Bang Theory and enjoy the show, however I also watch KDramas. I enjoyed one KDrama (Personal Taste starring Lee Min Ho) so I watched a few more, now I'm learning Korean so I can better understand the dramas and studying the culture including customs and even trying new food. This type of poor research leads to many misunderstandings and insults readers. I would think that a distinguished news outlet would be more meticulous about what they publish.
Umm.....I'm a college students getting a 4.0 GPA and I love K-drama's. I think they are a heck of a lot more entertaining then some American shows on TV these days. To say that everyone that watches them is uneducated and lowbrow is small minded and just plain wrong.
Also, at least the Korean Dramas have an ending. They don't just drop off the face of the earth (ex: Firefly) and leave us wondering what the hell happened. And there's always a lesson, American TV with its reality shows and sex and violence aren't something I want my little one walking in on me watching. I prefer TV that inspires me to make moral choices. That's difficult to find on American television. I like watching a show that puts the emphisis on how important family and respect for your elders. That is part of their culture and I enjoy such a positive expirence. For someone to label a particular form of entertainment with high moral values, lowbrow while choosing to overlook American Reality TV with it's Jersey Shore and Survival by Sabatoge and negativity and hate, is irresponsible and poor journalism.
Well, I won't be reading your articles anymore. Uneducated? I have a university degree. Korean dramas are a great way to learn about another culture.
I have less issue with the idea of Korean Dramas as lowbrow entertainment than the conclusion of the majority of viewers being uneducated. I personally am a 3.9+ GPA honors student in my university, and I still would rather watch shows like Korean Dramas that, though not as "sophisticated" as some other television, are interesting, well-thought, contain appropriate content, teach life lessons, and are relatable to the average person. I have to wonder what definition of "lowbrow" you are referring to, because it doesn't seem to fit in this situation. Some television, particularly American television, tends to glorify the minorities or those with special circumstances. There's nothing wrong with that, but it's nice to watch shows about ordinary people.
On another note, it's fine to do a small study and come to your own conclusions, but if you're going to refer to an entire group such as "foreign viewers," you may want to be careful of which words you use, especially if your case study only includes 400 people from a single, partially third-world country. It's not an example that even begins to represent the international Kdrama audience. I also agree with other people who have commented on referring to history books and other resources in order to understand the full depth of a story. The shows are so particular on details that you're forced to learn new things in order to follow along. I have learned a significant amount of the Korean language, as well as gained information about Korean culture, people, and environment, all from watching their television shows. I can hardly say with confidence that people watching American television are receiving an accurate picture of our culture and history.
That is seriously offensive. I am a well educated American who really enjoys Korean dramas. I actually find the big bang theory obnoxious. You write for the Wall Street Journal and this is what you come up with?? Its embarrassing.
As far as I can tell, the study itself was done by a university in Seoul so it's not the USA that it saying this. It is in fact the WSJ that is saying this. What the researchers most likely got from the research is not that the shows are for uneducated peasants (could you have phrased your article to make them be just a bit more insulted? That's sarcasm. Not sure if you recognize it) but that the shows happen to be popular in that pool of people. I wonder why...Why does anyone watch television that's fiction? It is because they seek enjoyment. For most people living in a poverty state, happiness is a commodity not easily arrived upon. I know I watch K-dramas because here in the USA, most of the television shows produced here are what I would consider lowbrow, and because I need that fantasy of cliche and perfect happy endings to get me through the bad times. When I'm down in the dumps, all it takes is one good episode of Lie To Me (korean show) or Mary Stayed Out All Night to cheer me up. The characters are funny and the culture in general is so unlike ours and in some ways, even better. I have two BS (psyc and phil) so I hardly consider myself uneducated. The Wall Street Journal can place this outrageous and quite frankly, insulting article on their shoulders because they chose to spin it how they did. Also, people like the ones who wrote this article are the reason why our foreign relations can sometimes be so difficult. You insulted two countries in one short article. Bravo, you morons.
Cable TV is dead. Everyone is streaming Korean dramas.
Tam your comment exactly spoke my heart out. Thank You! This article is what's lowbrow and uneducated means.
Words cannot express how insulting and wrong this article is. Lowbrow and uneducated? You have got to be kidding me. I am a highly educated woman who started watching KDramas because I was sick of all the real lowbrow, oversexed garbage on American TV such as the Kardashians, Sex & The City, etc.
It is obvious that the statistics in this article are a complete farce and that the author is stereotyping KDramas and their fans without any facts to back up their assumptions
I love k-drama's i stop looking at a lot of american television shows due to the content. Words cannot express how insulting and wrong this article is. Over 500,000 fans in the use. Some one needs to check there numbers again.
LOL is this article for real? KDrama is not lowbrow. I'd rather watch even the worst kdramas than to watch any american television which is truly lowbrow.
Oh and all types of people watch k-drama, young and old, rich and poor, college graduates, high school dropouts/graduates, etc, etc. That is what so great about kdrama that all types of people from different backgrounds are able to enjoy them. so stop trying to lump a certain type of people with kdrama.
Like Erika Kane and her 11 husbands on American Soap Operas is SOOOOOOOO much better than the "well timed" car accident. Now...while I LOVE The Big Bang Theory, in no way shape or form does it compare to my LOVE of KDramas. Leonard loves Penny, Walowitz is going to say something obscene, Kuthrapali can't talk to women unless he has a drink, Sheldon is offensive and gets away with it because he's Sheldon. That sums up EVERY episode of TBBT. You can't put all KDramas in a box. Secret Garden doesn't compare to Faith. Goong and King 2 Hearts, although both about unwilling royalty, still don't belong in the same category. Dream High and Shut Up Flower Boy Band...both have music and a little romance...but not enough to be lumped into the same category as Full House Take 2. All of these great dramas shouldn't be/can't be lumped into a "well timed car crash" statement! Uneducated? Correct, I've only graduated from High School, but I'm not disrespectful. And I'm sorry, but I live in a country where "Here Comes Honey Boo Boo" is considered entertainment.
Seriously? Most Korean Dramas have great story lines and is very popular in other parts of the country. It also does not need to have sex scenes. The story is very well written to capture the viewers. To generalize and call Korean Drama watchers as lowbrow shows that the writer of that article at Wall Street Journal is nothing more than a low class, uneducated person. Why don't you take a poll and see how many viewers are more educated and better off than you! Why don't you list the shows that are shown on US tv and capture the type of audience that watch those shows. Seriously it blows my mind at how rude the writer generalizes a nation. Most of the K-drama shows can be watched with the entire family because the content is so well written out. There's VALUE in these shows vs some of the shows shown in US. Let's see, Real Housewives reality shows, Keeping Up with Kardashians, Big Brother, etc...
I for one am a very educated Korean American with an Advanced Graduate Degree from a top IVY League school. We are not living in poverty line; we live very well and comfortably where my children attends one of the best schools with top grade avg. So stop make generalization. Get the facts straight and accurate before writing something ridiculous as this! For you to write something like this shows that you are one classless writer with no hard references.
This from a "rag" aimed at greedy sub-human trash. Everyone needs a release from the day-to day grind of living, and K-dramas offers this to the educated and uneducated alike.
Do you consider the Keeping Up with the Kardashian's high-brow entertainment? At least these are entertaining stories and enjoyable, like American soaps, but there is an ending in sight and a moral to the story. You need to watch these again! Try watching City Hunter. It's no different than watching an American mini-series but maybe you don't watch those either. Don't pick on an ethnic genre! You are representing the WSJ and should know better!
How can you make such an insulting conclusion of a survey of FOUR HUNDRED people from China who definitely do NOT represent the entire audience of Korean drama….or of any genre of entertainment. You have just insulted thousands, if not millions of people, who appreciate Korean dramas for their entertainment value, ability to educate their audience about Korean culture and the lack of unnecessary and gratuitous sex and violence. I suggest you go back to the "drawing board" and rethink your so-called research and survey methods!
Just another 2 cents worth. I have my Master's degree in Nursing, which is somewhat educated and I pretty much watch Korean Dramas exclusively. The only 2 tv shows I watch are Downton Abbey and Game of Thrones. I realize you did not perform the study, just reported on it; but the study surveyed a small group in one area of the world and does not necessarily reflect the truth as far as viewers around the world.
I am a Chinese-American who loves watching korean dramas. Because of kpop and kdramas, I am actually taking time to learn the culture and language. This makes me uneducated in what way?? The adjectives used to describe American TV shows applies to many Korean dramas. Unlike American TV shows, there is a sense of innocence found in kdramas. The broadcasting companies actually censor violent scenes/ swearing/ bed scenes and make it appropriate for any age group. I would much rather watch kdramas than to see people swearing every 10 seconds. Maybe you should watch some korean dramas before making the assumption that only uneducated people buy the plot of kdramas. Tbh, american shows use the same plots.
I like both, The Big Bang Theory and K-dramas. So what does that make me? I'm confused.
I think they should redo their study! Korea is very conscious of what is being aired. They do not show graphic violence and sex. Unlike American TV where that is all that we see. Maybe if American TV did not glorify all the violence and sex we wouldn't see so much of it in real life. I do not watch much American TV anymore for that reason! The K-Dramas are entertaining and I am learning more of the Korean culture and history every time I watch one.
Apparently, whoever wrote the article has never seen a Kdrama. I dare you to find better storytelling and acting anywhere in the world then you will find in such dramas as; I Miss You, Gu Family Book, Nine, Innocent Man, Arang and the Magistrate, A Gentlemen's Dignity, Faith, You're Beautiful, Five Fingers and School 2013, just too name a few! Why don't you do a poll to see how many people even read the WSJ that are not elitist snobs.
The author attempts to generalize about the global K-drama audience based upon the answer to a few questions asked to 400 Chinese people in once area of China out of its over1 billion people. In addition to the education and socio economic level of the respondents, I would be interested to know other information such as the aspiration to move to Western countries of the respondents.
I don't know if "Education" is speaking bad words in each sentence when people speak informally or when you talk about sex all the time or finally to behave stupidly ... this is the main issue in most of american series... it's awful... In KDramas besides the actors are really awesome, most of them have a good subjective message .... I can suggest The Moon that Embraces The Sun which was my first... really good!!
The author of this article needs to take his/her research global before offering readers uninformed opinion (which is what you get when you sample an audience of 400 for a global entertainment industry). Call me crazy, but I would rather watch endless amounts of K-drama (good, bad or otherwise) before I would lay eyes on a full episode of the Kardashians or Honey Boo Boo.
How does a study based on a poll of 400... FOUR HUNDRED represent anything when the fan base is in the hundreds of thousands? I'm being modest about that number since I'm talking about the U.S. alone, but if you want to include China and the rest of the world than that's outrageous. And honestly, if this article wants to make a point of how American shows differ from Korean dramas, then why even include a study in China? I admit South Korean dramas sometimes have "outrageous" plots for the sake of entertainment; but, for avid K-drama watchers who have watched a wide variety of genres (like me) would disagree. What bothers me is not that the article called K-dramas "Just lowbrow fun" and claimed that the audience base is in the low income and education group. I disagree with this completely, but that's my personal opinion, just like this article. However, please back up these opinions convincing evidence. 400 people is not enough for readers to at least acknowledge your opinion in this case. I wonder how the South Korean audience would feel about this post?
That's dumb! If your going to do a research at least use more than 400 people! At least 1,000 peopl would be good. The ''Researchers'' or so they call themselves probably make LESS than K-drama fans. Im a HUGE fan, and i just graduated with a Master's degree in the Medical field. Im a Pediatrician. Soooo ''Researchers,'' get a LIFE!
Maybe you should watch more often K Drama. Reality I watch more K Drama than American Drama lately. Maybe you should make a better polling before you conclude that. I so sorry for your poor judgment about it. Mmm, there's a good good drama air in Korea lately, I Hear Your Voice ... maybe you can see the drama sometime, and you'll be love it and that's not for uneducated person to see ..
This is just plain old dumb. They only used 400 people yet they came up with this conclusion for ALL K-drama fans? And they only got people from china to research on! What about American fans? What about other fans? And what if the people they researched just have tough luck? They're dumb! I'm a K-drama fan. And i happen to be prettyyyy smart. What am i saying? I'm actually really smart. So you researchers whatever should go and compare my brain to people who aren't K-drama fans! Then u can go and post the results online!
I would think the Wall Street Journal would take into consideration and into research the audience in the US that enjoys South Korean Dramas. There's a booming audience within the US that enjoys this type of show, and we that watch this are not lowbrow. Anyway I would suggest a study in the US and that they get the opinion of others. Oh for a Korean drama to watch I believe Secret Garden would suffice to show this is not lowbrow entertainment.
I find that this article seems a tad thrown together, especially for the Wall Street Journal. For starters the number of people watching K-drama(the more commonly used nickname for Korean Dramas) span well beyond the borders of Asia. Why wasn't time taken to generate a mass survey? I can't attest to the income levels surveyed in the sense that if it were taken in America I'm considered lower class. But as an educated viewer of Korean Dramas, American Drama, Chinese Drama, etc, I can say while the stories may not be novel material, the work behind most dramas is impeccable. The scripts are well written, the actors are in some cases better than actors I've watched in leading American film roles. Further more can you truly compare Big Bang Theory and Korean Drama? Sure if we're putting Big Bang against a Korean comedy. But you're putting it against an entire genre... The Big Bang Theory in my own opinion isn't even entertaining. The story lines are no better than the "conveniently-timed car accidents that lead to temporary amnesia.", that was mentioned in the article. I find Korean Dramas are more interesting even with the simple plot twists. But to each there own, we now know that in some part of China where 400 people were surveyed Korean Drama ranked on the loss class scale. Sad to hear... but it won't ruin my drama viewing.
P.S. take a look at Shark, it's proven itself to be well worth watching and it hasn't even ended yet.
I love Koren dramas, Im well educated, but these dramas are very good and educational to all public..I very much prefer this to american tv shows or novels.
This is a manifestation of the denial that some western people is going though...Let's face it you are no longer the leaders...................
As an American that discovered Kdramas last year I completely disagree with this poorly done study and your negligible reporting. So lets see only poorly educated, low income people watch these. I am neither. I have discontinued my cable subscription. I bought a Roku box and now exclusively watch Kdramas. Fortunately I have years of dramas to catch up on and since I'm retired I have plenty of time to watch. Try it you may like it.
Korean Dramas are the best television has to offer worldwide there is such a variation in the concepts in each show you can laugh and tear up in the Romantic Comedies because it shifts between funny and some sad moments and then Melodramas grab your box of tissues these kinds of shows have much depth to them they cause you to have shower your tears1 Every Kdrama I have seen takes you into the world of the characters and you root for your favs on how they will end up with the male lead or if you don't want them to and such Boys Over Flowers Your Beautiful Playful Kiss Secret Garden City Hunter Autumn in My Heart are some of the tops ones you should watch and start of with to instantly become addicted FIGHTING KDRAMA LOVERS THE BEST IS KDRAMA and wsl is run by brainless journalists who dare write this about Kdrama lovers
Hmm. I though WSJ had better a research department than that. I, an educated american woman, happen to love Korean dramas. My favorite is Coffee Prince. You want an example of low brow entertainment with low moral values go watch Snookie. Korean dramas have a high moral code, unlike the majority of American shows. While they sometimes have overly dramatic plot twists they don't need sex to sell them.
I am a medical student, so I doubt that makes me uneducated for loving Korean dramas as much as I love The Big Bang Theory.
wow, thanks for telling me how uneducated and lowbrow i am. i mean, i used to think i was smart, going to ucla with a scholarship and all, but I GUESS NOT. but in all seriousness, this article is so racist, elitist, and narrow-minded im not even going to bother to criticize it.
I am not quite sure why it was necessary for this article to characterize Korean drama viewers as lowbrow. I am offended by that. Just like many of the people who have made comments, I too have a college degree, as do the majority of the people I know who do watch dramas. I do not watch reality television and I find American television boring. With Korean dramas, I have an opportunity to learn about another culture and the history of a beautiful country. I find many of the dramas I have viewed to be quite wholesome with a great respect for tradition and family values. It is a shame that the WSJ feels it is necessary to publish such an article. I can only think it was a deliberate attempt to raise readership and spark a discussion. You know, there are so many other more important things going on in this world. Shame on you WSJ for trying to manipulate the populous with such nonsense.
I am very... angry by this. The thing that they didn't keep in mind is that many viewers of Korean dramas are teenagers, who have not completed their high school or college education, or maybe are in college. It is only normal that people that age would have a low income, since you can't exactly be the CEO of a huge company in your high school years. But saying that people who are uneducated watch it is completely untrue. Many people who watch Korean dramas have amazing educations; both me and my sister get a wonderful education at a private high school, where we both get 4.0's. So I invite you to tell me more about this opinion you have from the 400 people you surveyed in CHINA, which is only one of the many countries in the world where people watch Korean dramas. There is America, Spain, Europe, and plenty of other countries with successful people who watch dramas and love them. And these plot twists you speak of? Some people love them, some people don't. The quality of them is totally opinionated, so don't state it's true on a Wall Street Journal article. I personally love them, and I would argue that I am receiving a wonderful education, regardless of what you might think. So... just... NO.
What do you guys know about entertainment? Lowbrow? Sure, The Big Bang Theory is a very entertaining show, but let's face it, probably more than half the people who watch that show don't know what the characters (particularly Sheldon) says sometimes. To call fans of South Korean drama fans lowbrows? WSJ, you should be ashamed to post an article about this. Do you writers have nothing better to do than call innocent drama fans "lowbrows"? Unlike some people who have posted comments on this article, I am not in college yet, but I sure as hell am not "uneducated." Jeyup S. Kwaak, you should be ashamed.
Is this a well written article?I cannot believe that you,the writer would use such a small study and publish it with such an authoritative tone. That's just bad journalism and shows you don't do enough research. One sole country and that's it? I take offense at the whole tone of this article.
No offense to US TV but not everyone likes to have smart-ass characters shoved at them.Or to find constant expletives or sexual themes in their daily viewing. I, along with my friends/family and colleagues watch or watch Korean dramas regularly as entertainment. And we're all college educated professionals many in
medicine and other science based degrees.Plus also in the professional board or department heads. Korean dramas are entertainment, plus a good way to learn about another culture and language. And since all of us write research paper and publish them, yours is an appalling piece of biased journalism.
Does the village of 400, where the poll was taken, have running water or electricity yet?
If WSJ hasn't paid the author for this article yet, you might seriously reconsider whether or not you want to pay. And, if you have paid, you might consider asking for a refund.
Man, if a 6th grader submitted this article as his essay, I wonder what grade the teacher would give.
I am not an uneducated white American or poor for that matter and have raised my family well! But American TV has gone down the tubes with what they are showing today. That's way I watch Korean Dramas that have more meaning which you can learn about historical value and even a language about another culture that you used to get on American TV. Try watching King 2 Kings on Drama Fever and it's even free. Lowbrow I think not except maybe the person who wrote the article without considering other countries and didn't do their research well enough before writing it. Now that's uneducated and bias don't you think at least I do and I'm educated and a well to do White American Mom!
Lowbrow? You saying this from Wall Street?
I am an African American woman over 60 who thoroughly enjoys watching Korean dramas. To compare them to The Big Bang Theory (which, by the way, I watch this show) is like comparing apples to oranges. What does one have to do with the other? I have almost completely stopped watching American shows because of the violence and disrespect they portray. Give me a Korean drama any day, all day. I have learned so much about their culture and I think the Korean language is beautiful. I have watched dramas that have made me cry and laugh and usually when the last episode is over, I feel a loss as if I'm saying good-bye to family or friends for the last time. Please do not print things like this without fully looking into it as there are many great dramas out there. Please consider watching some of them.
Let me laugh at this article... I'm actually a well educated citizen of this planet (several degrees, three languages, etc.) that actually enjoy K-Dramas AND The big bang theory... This is actually laugable and lacks a lot in the research department. I live in Latin America, a good job, good income and to say this... For real, to add to this article (since we are here to critize and categories people with such few points) as an outsider from the US entertainment media who is not biased to any network, I have to say that the series in USA, in general, have gone down the drain, tacky stuff that only leave a bad taste... I actually moved from US series to Asian series because at least until this moment Asian Series (K-drama, J-Drama, T-Drama, etc.) stay true to their culture and are easy going and enjoyable... Really dissapointed on the writter of this article... really?!
As a Summa Cum Laude college graduate with versatile taste in entertainment and an ever-broadening cultural awareness, I am flabbergasted that Korean Dramas would be referred to as 'lowbrow'. And U.S. tv shows are for the intellectual? Has the author of this article seen Honey Boo-Boo, Big Brother, anything with 'Real Housewives' in the title or worse - Jersey Shore? I am especially aghast since 'lowbrow' refers to one who 'has little interest in intellect or culture'. I have the intellect to recognize that those who watch the shows of another culture - and can respect them and understand the culture that it caters to - are the antithesis of a 'lowbrow' fanbase.
Are the car accidents, cases of amnesia, incidents of over-exhaustion from the poor female lead working too hard to support her apparently-incompetent family and use of often obscure diseases sometimes tiring? Yes; but that's not what we watch the shows for. Besides, many of the best dramas don't employ said techniques in those ways (Reply 1997 comes to mind). Many of the shows are used to explore acceptance within a culture (hello gender-swapping and sexual preference themes) and are used to promote equality among sexes and classes, as well as exploring the idea of acceptance.
Furthermore, Korean 'Variety Shows' are much better than American 'Reality Shows'. American 'Reality Shows' kind of just make me sad for humanity (case in point, Toddlers & Tiaras...and did I already mention Honey Boo-Boo?).
And finally (and keep in mind, I am American), let's face it, ladies and gentlemen, most Korean men are way better looking than most American men. Sorry, but it's true. America - the (now #2!) largest people in the world versus a population littered with 6-pack abs. I mean, c'mon, dude. Can you blame us ladies?
Korean dramas may serve as eye-candy and may employ some ridiculous plot points (which shows in the U.S. are guilty of as well - except that instead of car accidents or amnesia, they tend to be centered on the rude-but-somewhat likable male characters that need to have sex with any woman that's willing, whether they're in a relationship or not, which leads me to adultery - another big not-so-surprising plot point...or even better, the trend of trying to create a show with the most shocking scenes you can get away with - like sex between a brother and sister.....but I digress)...now where was I? Oh, yeah; Korean dramas - there are better ones and there are worse ones, just like shows in any culture. However, I would call 'lowbrow' the ability to slander the shows of a nation based on a study with a high margin of erroneous data.
And last but least - to each his own - so while you may go laugh at the first of many a-fart joke in the next Adam Sandler movie, I'll be having my heart broken by the beauty of the writing on the next great K-Drama. And after my faith in humanity is restored, that's when I'll watch a comedy with 'lowbrow' humor to connect with my American culture.
(For the Record: Big Bang Theory being a quality TV show is the only thing right about the above article).
My Nephew loves loves loves The Big Bang Theory! He watches the episodes multiple times, buys the merchandise, and yet he has flunked science more than once.....proving that ones education status has zero to with anything. This article is a waste of internet space!
I would rather watch a Korean drama that at least gives a good message rather than American shows that now a days give only gives SEX, SEX, and SEX. Also, K-dramas are more than educated to show how to respect your elders and one another. So all you journalists should first sit down and watch a k-drama before writing such nonsense!!! K-DRAMA ALL THE WAY!!!!!!!! FIGHTING!!!!!!!
I have been watching K-dramas for years and I can assure you that if the survey was worldwide, the results would have been COMPLETLEY different. All the kdramas make more sense than the american tv shows these days which 98% of them consist of sex, drugs, violence and money. (I live in the US btw). Watching kdramas has made me want to learn more about the Korean culture and every video I watch or post I read that relates to either K-dramas or K-pop, I see people commenting from all over the world and demanding that their favorite kpop group or idol visit their country. I don't even know what else to write because this article is such a shame and is giving me headaches...
I watch Big Bang Theory, Kdramas, PBS, and the History Channel. Most everything else on American TV is lowbrow in my opinion. Most of my friends who won't give Kdramas a try, are too busy watching the Bachelor or some other crap TV show and, of course, it's too much trouble for them to watch a drama and read subtitles at the same time. My teens watch Kdramas and shows like Dr. Who but are not allowed to watch MTV or any other lowbrow American TV show. Kdramas are more wholesome and they have common themes, such as, honor your parents, make good grades, work hard, and don't have sex until your married. Unfortunately, I have to go to another country to reinforce these values. I'm not poor or uneducated. Our family vacations include traveling to other countries to experience new cultures. Kdramas fit right into our family so I think perhaps the writer's research is limited and does not portray the true demographic of Kdrama fans.
It seems neither the Wall Street Jorunal nor the reporter actually asked any foreigners expect in China about their reasons why they watch foreign television. What a thoughtless article. Has the writer even watched any Korean dramas? That might be too much of an effort for them since they would have to read subtitles and watch a show with a plot.
This article is pointless; the information is lacking and it only portrays certain viewers. I am an educated American and an avid viewer of Korean Dramas. Try again Wall Street Journal
I find it hard to believe that WSJ would waste space on this article. Besides the tiny sample size, how can you make such generalizations based on one subsection of a person's taste? I enjoy Big Bang and Kdrama as well as BBC shows such as Sherlock and Dr. Who. Other than Big Bang, the only American TV I watch is USA shows such as White Collar, Psych, and Burn Notice. What does that conglomeration say about me? I'm very disappointed WSJ.
Could this be jealousy because the money isn't going into your pockets? I for one have given up on Hollywood with their cheesy, redundant, unrealistic movies and shows. I gave Korean dramas a try and I enjoy them a lot. For one, they are a good example of etiquette, honoring your elders, studying, and working the hardest you can. I'm glad I gave up my cable because it was a waste of time and just an indoctrination machine. Now, I spend my time studying, reading books, mangas, and watching Korean dramas. Oh, and I'm studying very hard to be a physical therapist. My mom is a doc and my dad a lawyer and I occasionally find them watching soaps.
Wow 400 people in China is what this interviewer based his or her comments on. Low Brow if you cannot say anything intelligent do not wright or type at all do you not know K Drama is about the only media left where it is not polluted by overly in appropriate content, oops sorry maybe now I am stepping on your toes maybe you like garish inadequate plots with no since of family fun or love but for the rest of the world and I mean the rest if crawling up out of the den or the pit leaves me as a low brow ok I will take that because all the way from the USA I say if you cant handle it or it is above what you consider good programing please don't watch.. Grey Fox
It is hard for me to believe that the Wall Sreet Journal could write an article that is so WAY off base! I am an educated woman who enjoys classical music, the ballet, and a well-written novel. And, I LOVE Kdramas. The writing is excellent, their actors are professional, and they tell fabulous stories in 16-24 episodes. I haven't watched US television in nearly three years. I find the swearing, sex, and insane lack of entertainment unbearable. And the actors on these shows are paid far less than actors in the US. They work tremendous hours and are grateful for their jobs. They are vigilant about their reputations and avoid scandals whenever possible. They apologize to their audiences if they feel that they haven't done their best work and actual mean it! The Kdrama and Kpop wave isn't just beginning; it has arrived. Music sales to international markets has surpassed $1 billion dollars. People who don't even understand Korean are snatching up Kpop music. It is Halleyu - a term coined by the Japanese for entertainment that is universal. Sales of tickets are sold out in countries such as Brazil, Argentina, China, Vietnam and the US. Kdrama stars are appearing in US movies (" Red2" and "GI Joe 2" both have one of the biggest Korean kdrama and film stars in it). To base a poll on 400 people in a country of over 1 bilion is ridiculous. And how much love is lost in China for the Republic of Korea? I have started taking Korean language instruction in hopes of visiting the Republic of Korea someday on vacation. I'm fascinated by their culture, traditions and their food.
Korean Kdrama writers know what their audience wants. And, if they don't get it right, their audience writes to them to let them know about it! Best yet, writers have been known to modify their storylines to reach their audiences. The shows don't have nudity, swearing, or stupid plots. Many are based on family life, with children learning to respect their elders, study hard, and to work hard at anything they do. I've watched young actors, under the age of 15, perform better than most of our American adult actors. They arrive on time, do phenomonal work, and thank the production company for hiring them. And we have Lindsay Lohan. Thanks all I can say ...
Hahaha really korean dramas are low brow the last time I watch american shows I thought that it was a bad influence because of using bad language and I think showing this to viewers is kinda uneducated because that's how young people tends to follow. At least korean drama shows better usage of manners and language to ths viewers. Wall street journal shouldn't compare big bang theory to korean dramas. I know a lot of foreigners watch korean dramas than american shows. American soap operas are not even appealing. I'm not korean but I'm an avid fan of asian dramas and I prefer asian dramas over american tv shows because they are bad influence.
Hahaha really korean dramas are low brow the last time I watch american shows I thought that it was a bad influence because of using bad language and I think showing this to viewers is kinda uneducated because that's how young people tends to follow. At least korean drama shows better usage of manners and language to ths viewers. Wall street journal shouldn't compare big bang theory to korean dramas. I know a lot of foreigners watch korean dramas than american shows. American soap operas are not even appealing. I'm not korean but I'm an avid fan of asian dramas and I prefer asian dramas over american tv shows because they are bad influence.
Excuse me, but Korean Dramas are something more fun than stupid American reality shows. Like the Big Bang Theory, stupid like heck. Korean Dramas make so many fans happy, and if you don't understand the drama, don't hate it, just move on. I am a drama addict, have 9 AP's so far as I am half way through my high school year. And what you call people who like Korean dramas basically stupid, you should get more info and a poll before writing something that isn't true.
Yep I'm going into my 6th year of post-secondary in cinema studies and I get pretty good grades. Not only that but I'm a life and culture journalist for an indie magazine too, so I'm pretty educated if I say so myself.
Now, there are a few western shows that I love, and most of them are the premium cable ones that are redefining television this decade. Game of Thrones, Breaking Bad, Mad Men, etc. But you know what? They only last a few weeks, and then what do I watch? Kdrama.
Why do I like this stuff if I'm so eductated? To name a few reasons: the characters are charming, the actors are really attractive, I get to learn about a different culture and language, you can live out a fantasy life vicariously, you can feel sympathy and catharsis, and apart from the content of the shows there is a great fan community!
There are definitely differences between kdramas and American TV. There are formulas in each of them, and there are rule-breakers in each of them, and they have different audiences to market towards. THe writing will also differ because of the way the television industry works over there; there is rarely more than one season of a show, for one thing. However, given the global fan-base for kdrama I think we're going to need to do some more research before jumping to any conclusions.
A kdrama I really liked is called Hwang Jin Yi, it's a take on the true story of one of the most famous courtesans on Korea. For something that takes places in contemporary times, I would choose Secret Garden because it is a drama that allowed me and my cousin's new mother in law (who is korean and doesn't speak much english) to connect at my cousin's wedding. Another really good one is Answer Me 1997, it's more realistic if you're into that. I also love Dream High 2, because it has the beautiful and talented Hyo Rin from Sistar and so many other kpop stars, as well as a heartwarming and inspiring message.
And to end off I'd like to mention that the last kdrama I watched that relied on amnesia was Couple or Trouble, itself based on the movie Overboard, starring Goldie Hawn.
Is sad to see such a disrespectful article about South Korean Drama when all you should have done go to a site and watch Korean drama yourself. This dramas are very tender,romantic and simple if that's what makes them ''Lowbrow'' what do we call the US shows,dramas soaps etc...?. I haven't watch US Tv since I discovered Korean dramas bc I finally watch something decent not full of sexual scenes from the first episode.I can laugh from a scene that never degrades other like some of our shows do. It's amazing and shocking how people love to judge w/o looking at themselves first.How can we talk about other countries dramas when our own here in US are not worth watching. We use to have nice decent television shows but now is pure garbage CHANNEL after CHANNEL that's all we see GARBAGE.When you can't sit down with your kids to watch a program bc is not decent enough for them to watch then I say that is a low class show.To you, who wrote this article I suggest you take your time and watch it. I won't be surprised if you become a K-drama addict. No one is perfect but flaws and all I will never go back to watch US TV.
NO SIR YOU DO NOT CALL KOREAN DRAMAS LOWBROW!!! You have no absolute taste in t.v the rreason because you have no taste is because you are a big ass NERD.you are just doing doing this to become popular but no in return for your "amazing" article people will attempt to hunt you down and give you a lot of hate in reaturn of this. Oh and do you how many people worldwide watch korean soap operas and are also big nerds like your stupid ass but have a lot more taste in t.v than you do!!! so keep your little mouth closed and never do this again unless you want to die!
I'd rather watch a korean drama than the crap that's being offered up to me on American tv. Jersey shore, real housewives, really, come on! You've offended so many people with this mindless article. "Poll of 400 people aged between 20 and 60 taken in China", ..... #slams laptop close and walks out of the room. 400 people? Have a seat, any seat, facing a wall of your choice.
I LOVE KDRAMAS!!!! I find them to be refreshing and more interesting to me than any show i watched. Moon Embracing the Sun,AnswerMe 1997,Boys over Flowers,Sign to name a few. Wall Street Journal your article makes you lowbrow and uneducated and just basing your opinion on a small poll of people makes you unprofessional. Also not only kdramas but their variety shows are funny and entertaining, Running Man is my all time favorite.
Guys in the comments section; chill. It isn't the article itself calling drama watchers uneducated and lowbrow, but the study itself. Of course, that doesn't really give a good reason as to why the title seems to accusative and rude, but really the article itself keeps a rather neutral view. I just feel like they took the results from the Chinese viewership survey a little bit too far, not taking into account that drama viewers from other countries may have different results. So people; I'll say it again. Chill. Breathe deeply. Calmly. Poorly worded sentences with ever poorer spelling proves nothing about how you think this article is wrong.
Just wondering...do you really want to say someone is uneducated, when in fact they are they ones watching something in another language (learning the language and the culture) while you sit on the couch learning completely nothing.
And really!! Just 400 Chinese?! I live In the US, I know at least 50 people in my circle that watch KDramas!! Two which live in Mexico! The majority is in college, a few working their way through high school with pretty good grades, or they are teachers; some are even moving to Korea to be teachers! And they are uneducated!?
This is not an educated article!!!
I dare you to look up the word...
Educated (Adj)-
1. Knowledgeable
2. Cultured
3. Well taught
If you were knowledgeable, you would have watched a Korean drama for yourself and if by chance you did, that's all you did. You didn't actually study the audience.
If you were culture…I'm not even going to argue that one, you just threw that out the window yourself.
But if you were well taught, you would know not to base something on 400 people, in one country, for one month and then post the statistics to be fact.
I'm sorry, just saying.
PS. I haven't watched American TV for 10 years. Not that I haven't tried since then, I have…couldn't stand the repetitive story lines or the sick acting.
By the way I think I failed to mention, I'm devout Kdrama viewer! You know the low class, uneducated kind, that supposedly only lives in China. ;P
@Emily that's why I said it's a poor piece of journalism. I am surprised to see such a poorly researched piece here. Someone else dug up another interview this writer of this article did. This person is not someone who should say he's writing for the WSJ.
If I had juniors who presented such a poorly researched worded piece for publication, I would say go back and check your source and write a better informed article. It embarrasses the paper/blog.
I can't believe this article came from WSJ....
I totally disagree with everything that's in this article... I watch korean dramas extensively and I am not from a low-educated/low income group (graduated from top 10 universities in the US)...
I am just in major disbelief that WSJ even allowed this article to be published in their blog...
You can't judge the quality of korean dramas based on a poll of mere 400 people in China. 400 is a very small sampling size especially when they only conducted the poll in China while korean dramas are being watched all around the world..
As a subscriber of WSJ, I am deeply disappointed with this article...
Personally I find that though the plot lines are a stretch sometimes to my American mind, South Korean TV dramas are tightly written without a bunch of filler and crap thrown in, and is much better paced than TV in the U.S. They get in and get out with only what's needed and that's that, and they know when to end something, which avoids a show "jumping the shark", a COMMON thing in U.S. drivel.
But even if I didn't watch Korean soaps, I am nearly speechless at the bad taste the tone of this article leaves in my mouth. Wow.
And another thing. As an American, I have found what is presented to us on TV year after year boring, listless, and pathetic. I have to really search for anything decent to watch, which is why I watch TV from Europe and Asia and sometimes Africa instead, regularly. No offense to The Big Bang Theory, but it doesn't even measure a blip on my Richter scale unless I need some white noise to get me to sleep. Good grief!
Lowbrow fun? Korean dramas are amazingly entertaining, visually captivating and, in general, much more appealing to me than American TV programs. Although I do not understand Korean, I enjoy Kdramas immensely. The story lines are always refreshing and fast-paced, and I am amazed at the wonderful cinematography, the beautiful original songs and background music... Every drama is a labor of love, by talented actors, skilled writers and directors, and a professional production team. It is obvious that the writer of this article is biased against Kdrama in general, stooping so low as to label it's audience base as "low-education-and-low-income". Well, I am the exact opposite of that categorization, and I love Kdrama. I am quite appalled that WSJ came up with such a poorly written article. Shameful!
Whoever conducted this study would get a failing mark in my book. Calling Kdrama Soap Opera is insulting to begin with. Although there are plot conventions that are prevalent in the genre, the shows have better production values than most American TV shows I've seen. American TV shows are filled with innuendo or blatant sexuality whereas most Korean TV maintains a higher moral standard. Korean shows tend to have a high sense of history and literature, with many literate and historical references. I have watched 100s of Korean dramas and I've been watching less American TV because it just doesn't satisfy. I'm college educated. The person who wrote this article needs to become more familiar with the subject before writing an article like this. I would reference Tree with Deep Roots, Ghost, Faith, and I Do I Do as intellectual, well written, well acted entertaining productions.
The uneducated one seems to be you; after all, judging without knowing the facts makes me understand that you did not think about this thoroughly while writing this article. I find this article entirely nonsensical and insulting. Lowbrow? Low income? Does that have anything to do with our intellectual abilities? First of all, having a low income does not mean you will be stuck being an idiot your whole life; studying is not something only a certain category of people can do. Furthermore, the fact that you have actually written this article shows your intellectual, and social level. Did you truthfully think you could get away by writing an article on this without receive all of these negative comments? And for your information, Korean dramas are a way for us, to get away from all of the stupidity, exaggerations, gossips, and lack of morality the American Entertainment Industry.
This article is ridiculous, I expected more from the Wall Street Journal. Obviously the author of this article hasn't bothered to watch any Korean drama to see what the big deal is about. I am a college student about to graduate this fall with a nursing degree, which I believe that does make me an educated person. As far as lowbrow fun...I do not watch Korean dramas or any other Asian drama for reasons such as simple plots, but for the innocence of the story lines. American television is corrupted with sex, drug, and violence. I for one need a break every once in a while from the reality of what the American television industry has Americans watching. Korean dramas have demonstrated that their is no need to have catfights, nudity scenes, and violence to make a quality show that can make high ratings. Plus, I don't believe that every viewer in America that watches the Big Bang Theory is at a high educational level, it comes on regular basic tv, anyone and everyone can switch the channel to it. Ultimately, I think the author of this article was probably annoyed by the popularity of this type of foreign drama and made up bogus study results to uphold his/ or her opinion.
I never was so shocked in my life! Programs that have a large audience are not stupid.
Well, everybody has their own preference and those who do not have the same taste should respect that instead of judging others. this is very disgrace and low of Wall Street Journal to do not realize that.
Kdrama is my preferred choice over other forms of television entertainment - especially American entertainment. I am a young African American woman with a PhD, and I love Kdrama! I have fallen in love with Korean culture! I really love Dramafever and appreciate the fact that they provide us with amazing content. My favorite shows include: Flames of Desire, Boys Over Flower, Secret Garden and My Girlfriend is a Gumiho to name a few!!!
I consider myself well educated and definitely not low-brow. I don't watch most of the junk on American television. The K-Dramas I watch are so much better and definitely lead to thoughts and conversation. I would watch Goong, Boys over Flowers, or My Lovely Sam Soon any day over the nonsense on American TV. I have spread the word and many highly educated folks are just as addicted as I am. Long live K-Dramas ,T-Dramas,and J-Dramas.
I guess my educated self is too 'lowbrow' to know good television too!
Just because a show (Big Bang Theory) is about smart kids does NOT make it a smart show!
Wow WSJ, you got hammered for this article. You should feel pretty dumb for even considering taking up room for this tripe. K-dramas are fantastic fun, full of characters that the viewer can make a real connection with. Obviously from the responses, you are not dealing with low brow individuals when it comes to an American audience that watches K-dramas. What these comments prove is that K-drama fans are anything but lowbrow. Educated and fearcly loyal to a a form of entertainment that provides great satisfaction would have made a better article if you had cared to do any real research.
Do you think "lowbrow" people would watch programming with subtitles for hours on end? It takes concentration, dedication and the intellectual curiosity to explore and except another country's customs, language and behavior. I don't believe those are accepted as common attributes of the so called lowbrow individual in our society. Did you put ANY thought into publishing such a ridicules article?
the person who wrote this is the dumb one because kdramas are way better then american tv shows the only thing that they show and that people like are sex drugs and teens having parties and getting drunk and getting wasted and unlike kdramas they have morals and they dont just have sex with everyone they find there true love and the big bang theory is stupid if u want to want to watch a good drama just watch love rain.
The "fast-pace" of American TV shows? I've tried watching American TV shows with multiple seasons and it just never works. Halfway though the third season of each show, I find myself bored out of my mind and frankly, irritated at the slow pace. One of the many reasons I love K-Dramas is the fact that they usually only get 1 season. Seriously, I can watch about 3 different K-Dramas in the time that it takes me to watch one full show of American TV. K-Drama is always a lot more enjoyable to watch.My favorites are Boys Over Flowers, Faith, Secret Garden, City Hunter, Playful Kiss, Rooftop Prince, and Dream High. They're great and they know how to hold my attention for the entire length of the show.
I have been an A+ student through all of my career and your article is completely wrong! I have watched all seasons of The Big Bang Theory and after season 3, it just gores downhill. K-dramas are meant for all kinds of people. Not all of them have sappy love stories and are far more entertaining than any American TV show. Some of my favorites include: Coffee Prince, City Hunter, Secret Garden, The King 2 Hearts, etc.
Some kdramas are boring like,BOF,LOVE RAIN,FAITH,MARY STAY OUT ALL NIGHT,PERSONAL TASTE,i like the historical one's better and the actors are a lot better than watching boring LMH in BOF.
I have not had cable in over 10 years. I used to watch Hulu. I now find that if I watch anything on Hulu it is in search of a Kdrama. Even on Netflix I searched out Kdramas. I am American and detest 90% of American television. It is nice to watch a show and be entertained without someone cursing, taking their clothes off or walking around half naked. I have learned so much about Korean culture and history. I've learned a lot of the Korean language as well. How can you think that a survey of 400 viewers in China represents the consensus of all viewers in any way? And you have the audacity to label us uneducated and of a low income. Dan, which dramas did you watch? By what you have stated not many or maybe none. There are so many options to choose from: historical, drama, comedy, etc. When the Kdrama is categorized as a comedy, it is actually funny. Unlike the American comedies. Try Rooftop Prince, Becoming a Billionaire/Birth of the Rich. Try Dae Jung Geum/Jewel in the Palace, Yisan, Gye Baek or God of War to learn culture and history, Try the Iris series, King 2 Hearts or I Miss You for drama and suspense. You really missed it WSJ. I was shocked to see this coming from you. Get the facts.
I am laughing so hard at this article right now!
Most Korean dramas (or as the author calls them, soap operas) are mini-series, and they can be outrageous. Not all of them are that way, though, especially if you watch the ones based in a historical setting or the ones not aimed at teens/young adults.
I love watching Korean (and Japanese) dramas but that doesn't mean I can't appreciate series like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Breaking Bad, Dexter, Burn Notice, Supernatural, etc. I like The Big Bang Theory, but let's be honest here. That show is definitely not as funny without the laugh track and I would not consider it high-brow entertainment.
Besides, what about all those dumb reality shows on American TV? Jersey Shore, Here Comes Honey Boo Boo, Teen Mom... I haven't been watching Korean soaps as much anymore, but I'd prefer the utterly ridiculous Korean drama tropes over that type of trash any day.
I am a professional white woman with 2 advanced degrees and another one in process, and I watch Korean dramas. I am hardly uneducated or low-brow. I watch my kdramas on Viki.com, Hulu.com, Netflix.com, and dramafever.com.
I occasionally watch some American TV like "Body of Proof", "Beauty and the Beast", and "Suits". But I don't understand why they take such long breaks--especially when the stories haven't ended. K dramas are complete by 16, 24, 36 or (the really long ones) 50 episodes. Plus there are always dramas currently in production. At any given time, I will be watching brand new dramas, some in the middle of production, and others ending. I am never without something decent and entertaining to watch. Whereas I have no idea what happened on "Suits" 9 months ago and at this point I no longer care.
As for the plots, some dramas are exceptional, some are silly, some are harsh, and others are poignant. It runs the gamut. But most are worth watching, and they are ALL entertaining which is the whole point!
I guess no one told these people about American shows like COPS, Repo Men, Jersey Shore, The Real Wives of Orange County, Cougar Town, Choppers, The Maury Povich Show...ya'll see da pattern herre?
Soaps aren't any better either: All US daytime soaps are no more intelligent and LOTS less entertaining than their Korean counterparts...I'd even rather watch Chinese dramas than this.
If you don't have anything to write,please keep quite, because it seems to me the person who wrote this article is the one that is uneducated. Seriously, i rather watch korean soap even if i don't understand a word its saying , rather than american crap.
I personally have an advanced degree, watch Big Bang Theory, and love South Korean Dramas. Your argument is invalid. Or is it simply that the study that was performed didn't get a proper slice of society. Perhaps it has more to do with the country that it was performed in. With each country having different perspectives on cultural norms and what amuses them can affect the outcome of a similar study.
K-Dramas are everything that trashy, filthy, disgusting hollywood is not. There are some that may be following in the depraved footsteps of hollywood, but many, many K-Dramas are just plain clean, fun and wonderfully enjoyable entertainment. I have not watched a hollywood trashbomb in about two years since discovering K-Dramas and I will never watch hollywoods curse laden trash filled smut/porn junk again.
Seriously WSJ? this is WHY people that watch and are intrigued with foreign movies, tvshows and music or more educated. This comes to show how close minded you all are, where as those that enjoy these kinds of things are much more broad minded and accepting, which will do MUCH MORE for our society than you will. Is this your way of teaching acceptance to society? because all you are doing is fueling is ignorance and hatred. Also those that watch these dramas have more of an ability to become multilingual. At least foreign shows such as korean or taiwanese have the ability to teach lessons on friendship or following dreams, than the common US ones like raising babies at 16 or being famous because they act stupid whilst drunk. thanks for making me realize that i should have less faith in the USA being a broad minded and more accepting place (which it had once preached and was founded upon) to be. Kudos to you.
Seriously WSJ? this is WHY people that watch and are intrigued with foreign movies, tvshows and music or more educated. This comes to show how close minded you all are, where as those that enjoy these kinds of things are much more broad minded and accepting, which will do MUCH MORE for our society than you will. Is this your way of teaching acceptance to society? because all you are doing is fueling is ignorance and hatred. Also those that watch these dramas have more of an ability to become multilingual. At least foreign shows such as korean or taiwanese have the ability to teach lessons on friendship or following dreams, than the common US ones like raising babies at 16 or being famous because they act stupid whilst drunk. thanks for making me realize that i should have less faith in the USA being a broad minded and more accepting place (which it had once preached and was founded upon) to be. Kudos to you.
Really??? What should we watch? The Kardashians? Jersey shores? Please... I thank Netflix every day since I discovered City Hunter a year ago and I never looked back. I haven't watched American television in a year.
K-dramas brought me into a totally different world and I love it. I have learned so much in the last year! I speak 3 languages and I always liked foreign movies but at 52 I find myself taking Korean at an university just to be able to watch dramas without the subtitles. I also discovered Korean pop which I love thanks to k-dramas. Each drama has a different concept and we learn something new from each of them. Maybe those people that did the survey should watch more kdramas so they wouldn't be so ignorant...
I disagree wholeheartedly, whomever wrote this article needs to seriously rethink their career options quickly. I find such programs as Kardashians, Jersey shore, real housewives, and bad girls club worse than ever. I wouldn't be caught dead watching those over my Kdramas! And I watch Big Bang Theory as well! From watching Kdrama I learn about other culture, am teaching myself a new language, and have gotten to know many new friends! I am proud to be a member of a popular Kpop groups following, I love Kdrama and see it as a wonderful addition to society! Without it I think I would be leading a rather dull and loveless life since I met my boyfriend who is Korean thru the fact I love Kdrama and Kpop! This person needs to find a new job seriously!
Since I came to America I have watch some of the programs that US television offers, but one day just for the fun of it, I watch in Netflix a Korean movie and that was "Boys Over flowers", I found that this was just fun, family oriented and clean, If Kdrama is so good only for ignorant people I hope you study this matter more profoundly, 4oo individuals for one country are your basis to trash Kdrama?... I still have my favorite American programs and all together are less than 10, that is 10 hours a week compared with rest of the time I enjoyed Kdramas.
I wish you could ask other countries around the world if they watch them. I bet you be surprise on the findings, the range of the ages, education and sexes of the people that enjoy this dramas. To me is just relaxing joy, without the cursing, the terrible violence, the sex and other negatives that US television has sink into... Looks like you try to promoted this kind of television!
And Amanda (from 7/27?13) GOOD FOR YOU!... I'm too, because of Kdramas have became aware of other countries, other cultures and I'm also trying to learn the language.
If "Boys Over Flowers" is that bad why Japan, Taiwan and China have their own versions?... Why people HERE are casting to make an American version by the end of this year?
And to that person that wrote the article, I could say if I was in a Kdrama: "DO YOU WANT TO DIE!" and "I WILL NEVER FORGET YOU!"
Korean dramas as decent. Not like western TV shows.
We are American engineers who love Korean drama. The whole world is streaming Korean drama. Your reporter is clueless.
This is a very misinformed article. 400 people from one country is not a good sample to base an assessment on. That said, I love Korean drama and I am highly educated, well-employed and I am in contact with many K-drama fans and lovers who are also well-educated.
This is a stupid article, korean drama drama is very good for me because of the way the story is easy to understand but has a good impression and I really liked it.
Where do I even start: as much as I like the Big Bang Theory, this article is totally unreasonable and biased. "High-education-and-high-income group?" That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard.
I'm sad to say I'm very disappointed in this article. Its extremely ignorant and offensive. You lack respect is ridiculous and your lack of facts are unappreciated. This felt more of an opinion based article on something the author didn't like than an article trying to prove a point. Please work harder next time to focus on either how you feel or what are the facts.
Lowbrow...uneducated...give me a break..and yes Big bang theory is one of my favorite shows...but most nights I am on my laptop watching Korean Dramas.I am an American educated mother of two young adults and I much prefer the Korean dramas over most American shows. They are not cheesy..they show morals, respect for their elders, and prove that their are people out there willing to help others in times of troubles. I have watched Boys over Flowers(overcoming Bullying), I have seen heartstrings, Pink lipstick,Faith, City Hunter, and so many other dramas. I also enjoy their variety shows such as Running man, Strong heart, Barefoot friends,Infinity Challenge, Happy together, Let's Go Dream Team 2, and so many more. Get a grip and quit trying to put down something you are proven by this article that you have never taken time to watch. Maybe if more people quit being so judgmental and opened their minds they would realize what a wonderful world they are missing out on. Let their one-side minds keep them in their boring lifestyles and let the rest of us (educated) people enjoy ourselves!!!!!
I can't believe this was actually published on the wall street journal. My view of the wall street journal has just gone down the drain. And of all places, the poll was based in China? Like WTF. It would probably be more accurate if you try different countries. China does not speak for all the "foreign audiences" out there. This is such a stupid article...
How dare they? They have a nerve! Which scientific research did they perform to arrive at this ridiculous result? Sometimes I which some people just shut their mouths if they do not have anything educated to say and leave snide bigot comments in the bathroom they and the comments belong! For your information I have a masters degree and not in bull crap like the individual that saw it fit to declare nonsensical comments.
I wish the comments made in post were more realistic and not just to get attention! To reflex truth in article writings is no more an ethical priority for writers, the goal now is to attract as much attention as possible by making comments so bizarre the readers have no choice but to respond.
first of all, this 'study' was only done in China. China is not the only country that watches Korean dramas. I don't even watch and know what the Big Bang Theory is about so im not going to compare.
I'm studying in college for my computer science degree, so I don't know much about statistics. But, a poll from China were majority of its people are in poverty? First of all can people in China from all standards living have access to "complex" American tv shows in the first place dubbed or subtitled in Chinese? Yeah, I didn't think so. Also, using a poll of merely 400 people from a nation that has the highest population, it's good data. Also the Seoul National Researchers are insulting it's own people and allies. Not cool. This research is skewed and poorly made.
This article not only made everyone who wrote it sound so stupid but it pretty much offended the KDrama fan base. It's not going to stop us from watching it, and I'm pretty sure the KDrama industries are only going to strike back with more KDramas that will crush the charts for weeks upon weeks.
The U.S is the land of the immigrants, there are more foreign people than whites and technically white people are also foreign. The U.S makes up the MOST of the KDrama fan base, so what this article is saying that every person here in the U.S who watches KDramas has low income and is uneducated. Thanks for talking bad about your own country. Idiots.
Haven't you ever watched American television? I'm pretty sure you'll love MTV, It's full of modern day educated people with very high income and so much talent .-. *gasp*
Long live KDramas/KPop <3 Saranghae
This article is ridiculous. How can such a generalization be made when only 400 people in a country of over 1 billion were asked? I would suspect that the Chinese demographics are quite different than the American demographics.
I've been watching Korean drama for a year now, and yes, it has outlandish story lines. So does Doctor Who, Being Human, and Orphan Black. Those are also shows I watch. I'm college educated and work as a data analyst. In my line of work, the numbers from that study wouldn't be enough to make assumptions.
Korean Drama's are anything but lowbrow entertainment. Keeping up with the Kardashian's is lowbrow entertainment. Jersey Shore is lowbrow entertainment. Any daytime American dramas such as General Hospital, As the World Turns and the Young and the Restless are all lowbrow entertainment that teach people absolutely nothing about life. Korean drama's teach you to respect how important just one kiss can be. Their shows contain no foul language or intense sexual scenarios. My children can watch Korean dramas, with how tame they are. I think America has forgotten the simple things, like how romantic and passionate a kiss can be, and jumped completely into promoting nothing but sex. Please do a more widespread and detailed study before printing such a ridiculous article. This kind of thing makes the Wall Street Journal look like they have nothing better to do. Which, there is a war going on in Sudan. Did you forget that? Or is that not as newsworthy as this?
This is absolutely ridiculous, and, mind you, very offensive. Not only are there CLEAR fallacies in the data (the small sampling of people, the lack of diversity of nations being represented, etc.), this article trying to make a story out of said questionable study. The realm of kdrama is diverse, as are the people who enjoy it. Yes, often it's not Proust or Byron, but it's certainly comparable to what is broadcasted in America. Wall Street Journal, you should be ashamed publicizing such pointless data.
I disagree with the stereotype they are trying to perpetuate. I hold a college degree, come from a wealthy family, listen to classical music, read classical literature, speak two languages fluently while studying a third one, my parents regularly held formal dinner parties while I was growing up and I am well traveled, also I am not Asian AND SUPRRISE I love Korean dramas and watch them regularly.
We do not have tv in our house and I do not watch many tv shows or movies. My pleasures are Cops tv show and Korean romantic comedies. My reason is that Korean dramas do not pollute their shows with sex, horror or spiels about how god doesn't exist. Also, when watching a Korean drama I do not have to have gay propaganda shoved down my throat. Although, I am well educated and can see that the Kdramas are often acted out poorly with flimsy plots, I still enjoy them for what they are because I can relax and unwind while watching them. It is like an adult fairy tale. So Wall Street Journal go fck yourselves, Hollywood probably paid you to post that article, as we all very well know there is nothing lower brow then a Hollywood production or a New York Times best seller book.
For me, I learned lots of things through Korean dramas. Before writing a article like this, the person(reporter) should find out more about the people who watched K-dramas.
We are a subscriber of Netflix and HBO and we've been watching the soap "The Young and the restless" for a decade I guess, and I got bored of the same plot, and they've been divorcing, marrying friends of their friends, son, daughter all over again and again, I got bored with all the dramas and movies so I tried to subscribe to Korean drama and it was really awesome watching it, I forget my problems, worries, stress and everything, I laughed by myself and enjoy every episode, I loved the romance comedy story it maybe Korean or Chinese drama because they have different plots and characters in each story. I am living in the USA and don't considered myself uneducated just because I watched Korean dramas. I have my bachelor's degree and worked 40 hours a week but still have time to watched Kdrama at night and on my day off. I hope the writer is not prejudice in his point of view and just mind his own business.
If "outrageous plotlines" are the bar that's being set for this so-called lowbrow entertainment, then I have to wonder about 98% of American television series. Moreover, the fact that something is serialized does not make it a "soap opera". Has Mr. Kwaap watched a sampling of South Korean dramas so that he can speak from his evidently EXTREMELY educated pedestal appropriately? If he bothered to know more about the subject, he might be able to elaborate on this issue by noting that South Korean dramas are very diverse in their subject matter, production value and writing quality - just like everywhere else.
So a study of 400 people from China somehow paints an entire genre of entertainment as crap - and it's entire international audience as uneducated dumbasses? Well done, Wall Street Journal.
I don't understand why a news source would pay attention to a study like this. People from all over the world watch Korean dramas, and the demographics in each nation may be different. Every Kdrama fan I've met in person was college educated, such as myself. Some others I have come across online are still in high school. There are a wide variety of series from lowbrow to highbrow entertainment, just like on US television you could watch anything from Dexter to a daily soap opera. In order to make a study worth paying attention to, the people conducting the study should examine which Korean dramas they watch and what country they live in.
"Uneducated" and "lowbrow"? Please, like "Jersey Shore" and "House Wives" and all the "reality" television shows are so much better. I stopped watching just about all American TV shows about two years ago. I got completely bored with it. I got tired off all the fighting, drug use, sexualization, that you see in just about every single show that is broadcasting now. I spend about 80% of the time tuning into South Korean dramas and variety shows over American shows. The characters are more interesting and bring more laughter and heartbreak that you expect to have while watching a drama. I recommend checking out Rooftop Prince, Sunkyunkwan Scandal, Protect the Boss, You're Beautiful, Coffee Prince, Secret Garden, and Gu Family Book.
Oh and as far as being "uneducated" I hold a Bachelor's in Media Studies, I think I would know a little bit of what I am talking about in this area.
If being educated means running with the herd, please consider me uneducated. Kdramas have no need for explicit violence, sex, foul mouthing, blood, gore, cynicism, and more sex, to carry a more than relevant message for our times. We the "uneducated" have discovered that the mores, morals, respect and dignity found in our kdramas, is not only entertaining, but actually an alternative to all the predictable crap we're being fed endlessly through the usual channels. Thank you.
Not only am I highly educated, I'm a university professor and am taking a class to S Korea next summer because of K-dramas!
So you are telling me that k-drama fans are uneducated because they enjoy a simple or fun plot that quite a lot of k-dramas out there are not only funny and entertaining, but also educational and shows insight into their own culture and history. You fail to realize the vast population all over the world who enjoy they so called 'lowbrow' k-dramas as you so call them. Please before you stereotype people and degrade people for no reason do more research for better statistics. Also using big bang theory as an example was stupid in itself. How in good grief watching that comedy makes you educated. I'm sure majority of people who watch it, don't even understand the theories of quantum physics that they keep rambling on about in that show. What is popular by normal standards does NOT make you any more educated than the next person who's taste in entertain is different. I'd keep enjoying my k-dramas regardless of what people say.
After discovering and watching Korean dramas almost exclusively for the past few years, I find most American TV shows amateurish and boorish in comparison. The production, acting, and writing of Kdramas seems much superior. Check out one of my favorites, ARANG AND THE MAGISTRATE.
Um, I think the person who wrote this article is naive and didn't research much on this, based on a poll of one in America who has been on the honor roll every year in high school and watches korean dramas much more than American television and enjoys it MUCH more.
i go to college and i love watching kdramas. This article is really offensive in many ways not only to me but to others who also watch and love kdramas.
Pff, please look at yourself before looking at others...
Clearly, whoever came up with the idea for this article should be fired? Lowbrow-ed? Seriously? Talk about ignorance. Has the author ever once considered that people enjoy K-Drama's more than American television because they actually contain some class and legitimate story telling. Yes, maybe they are predictable on occasion. However, you're going to tell me that Honey Boo Boo and Duck Dynasty are for a highly educated audience? Give me a break.
Not only that, but I can't remember the last time I actually turned on the TV or wanted to go out to a movie here in the States. Everything has become so dumbed down, to the point of idiocy. Who wants to watch a film that is just about sex and violence, with poorly filmed action scenes that flash by so quickly that you can't even focus on them?
I honestly could go on and on about the things that are wrong with this article. However, I'm sure that the other fans of Korean drama's have already covered most of the bases that I would. In any case, I left this comment to dispute yet another case of blatant ignorance shown by, unfortunately, people of my own homeland.
We should go and beat the crap out of them. One of they favorite drama is That winter , The wind blows , and Rooftop Prince.
I think the person that is " uneducated" is the one who wrote this article. There are some very powerful Korean Dramas with great messages...I like The Big Bang Theory, but rarely watch American TV any more. korean Dramas are the best kept secret...you don't know what you're missing.
The framing of this content frustrates me. First, why post an article about the study without seeking or including any counterarguments? Second, I understand that the article is based off a study--but it sure sounds like there may be some omitted variable bias there. Editorial (presumably) comments that didn't need to be include and denigrate Korean dramas and those who watch them: "which tend to feature outrageous plot lines" and "...it's because it's lowbrow entertainment." To have something be popular among those of a lower SES does NOT make it lowbrow.
I am a Paralegal who received my BA from DePaul University and received my certificate from Roosevelt University. I am a very educated individual and I think that Kdramas are great. Who ever wrote this article sounds very uneducated.. Unlike programs in the US, Kdramas are more entertaining, interesting and fun to watch.
I believe the writer misunderstands the meaning of educated and high income group, coz if watching sex, violence and cheap comedy is being in the so called elite group of theirs then thankfully i do not belong to that coz i like Kdramas for their simple n cute storylines, real life depictions.... isnt that what asians are known and respected for?????
I request the writer to survey in their country first and the compare the results......
umm just because drama watchers like to keep in touch with another side of the world doesn't mean they are lower class. i mean you act as if you've never wanted to know another language or seen a totally different outlook on life, so don't go criticizing something that you don't know about.
This article lacks research. Polling a group in China is not enough. What if you're a fan of shows like "Big Bang Theory" and Kdramas? Quite the paradox there, eh? Highly intelligent individuals watch "low-brow" shows all the time and this is hardly a solid indication of their level of intelligence, education or economical situation.
Sure, there are plenty of cliches prevailing over originality in Kdramas, but it is interesting to see the evolution of the entertainment industry in Korea through these dramas. Yes, I am a Kdrama watcher. And, yes, I did just say that I like to basically "analyze" Kdramas. I'm probably not among the majority type who watch Kdramas, I suppose, for that fact alone.
This article likely had plenty of ulterior motives, which spurred the writer to produce it. Like, say, getting a bunch of Kdrama watchers riled up enough to comment on their article and get lots of hits. So, bravo on that. I felt impelled to write a comment because of that. Also, I saw another comment from a fellow Kdrama fan and thought, "So... many... grammatical ... errors. Why do you call yourself educated?"
I may be just a few steps away from Grammar Nazi.
First off it doesn't matter if your educated properly or not because it doesn't concern being interested in korean dramas. Secondly, whoever this person thinks they are needs to get a reality check because I'm not going to say ur uneducated and what not cause you goes guts to post this and make it be viewed by the fans all over the world. If you think korean dramas are a waste of time then okay and that the big bag theory is great then fine....people have their own taste so be it. Lastly, korean drama is not for everyone since it may not be some people's cup of tea, but you shouldn't go making some nonsense when you don't get the feel for it. If you don't like it then fine, but don't need to say it's for lowbrows and uneducated people...it's like saying koreans are minorities and why are they becoming so well known. Stop being jealous and try to find something you like rather then finding pleasure off of dissing people's likes.
I am highly offended by this reckless mess that they call an article. I am an African American female who is completely devoted to Kdrama and other Asian dramas/programming. I don't consider myself uneducated. I graduated the top 5% of my class and proudly carry my college degree in Journalism. So, I beg their pardon. Maybe the problem is that THEY aren't educated enough to absorb themselves into other cultures and learn something new. Maybe THEY are a little too illiterate to keep up with constant reading that dramas bless us with on every episode or unlike us, maybe THEY are too lame to be creative enough to take those words and follow along with the amazing actors as if their hearing it in their own language...maybe THEY need a clue. I love Big Bang Theory because its funny but if I had to choose...it would be a Kdrama ALL DAY,ANY DAY!!! I wish I could find the writer and slap he or she hard enough to make them do that famous Kdrama depression walk all the way back to the writing boards to publicly apologize. Yep, I'm mad...lol
um excuse me. I'm a senior in hs who's going to college, I'm in the top 10% in my class, my family is in the middle class, we live in a nice neighborhood, where do you get "lowbrow" or "uneducated"???? I watch korean dramas because one, I'm korean american, my parents are from korea and i like the culture my family is from. 2nd, korean dramas are adorable and funny and just entertaining. what is so different between korean dramas and shows in america or anywhere else??
Fools!!! I watch Big Bang Theory and Korean Dramas. Uneducated??? You don't know what you are talking about. The person that wrote this is the one that is uneducated. Babo!!!
What an amazingly stupid review, maybe racist? I am an American with a Ph.D. in Biology and I watch and prefer Korean dramas and movies over most made in the U.S. Of course, not all are good, but taken as a whole they are more interesting and better acted than most U.S. dramas. In fact, I am often amazed at the level of acting. I am currently watching Shark, with Kim Nam Gil, who is definitely one of the best actors anywhere.
Korean drama are cute and sweet, unlike the vulgar and tasteless television shows that are presented here in the United States. I am far from being uneducated, taking Advanced Placement classes and all. The fact is: this is an absurd generalization that should not be taken seriously. Watching these shows has nothing to do with intelligence or income. They do, however, have everything to do with a person's personal taste. Many people that regularly see 'The Big Bang Theory' watch it only for "Bazinga" and Sheldon's sarcastic sense of humor--they definitely don't watch it for its scientific jokes. This article is just straight-out ignorant and potentially racist.
Right, because American audiences are so enriched by classics like Honey Boo Boo and Jersey Shore. If that's not to your taste, you can tune in to the most recent episode of Amish Assassins. With TV in the US becoming more and more saturated with vapid staged "reality" shows, is it any wonder that people are looking for something more innocent? Fictional television stopped being high brow a long time ago. If you want expand your knowledge watch Through the Wormhole or a documentary on the History Channel.
Seriously, entertainment is escapism. I love the Big Bang Theory AND I love Korean Dramas. Nothing on episodic TV in the US is the equivalent of literature these days, with the exception of some programming on PBS or, arguably, Game of Thrones. To try and rate someone's intelligence based on their preferred genre of escapism is ludicrous. Most guys I know prefer porn anyway.
Oh, no you didn't just call DF lowbrow! You want lowbrow? I give you AMERICAN TV >Honey boo Boo, all of the real housewives of, Jersey shore, ad nauseam.. I'm hardly uneducated, I am a member of Mensa, I hold 3 degrees in RN Nursing, Chemical and Eating Disorders Intervention, and now going for doctorate in Social Services. I live in Santa Barbara,Ca. AND I LIKE KDRAMA ON DF! Way more tastefully done than the American Crap they allow on TV!
We discover kdrama over a year ago, both my husband and my self have degrees, and we enjoy all kinds of dramas, movies and families show, plus we are learning the language, so whatever with the stupid article and with the imbesiles that wrote it.
Dear Jeyup Kwaak, I question your qualification as a journalist and the credibility in your work. As many have mentioned before me, you made a mistake when you didn't do the proper research before publishing an article about a subject you didn't understand. Unfortunately you and the editor who thought this article was a good publish, have also tainted the credibility of other journalist who work for WSJ.
To say the least, I have a strong appreciation for the Korean entertainment industry and think Korean dramas are in some ways more sophisticated than a lot of television entertainment in other parts of the world - America included. Finally, I have a MBA degree and I enjoy watching Korean dramas more than some of my acquaintances who only has a high school diploma.
Hopefully after reading everybody's feedback you will become a better journalist.
I have a BS in CJ and I'm now considered low brow for watching KDramas. Wow and they only used a sample of 400 people considering the population of China is as large as the U.S. population if not larger. I'm ashamed to say that the WSJ is becoming low brow if they are using week statistics as this sample of 400, and write an article about it is just frankly stupid on their part. Plus an institution of higher learning in Korea should be ashamed for using crapy statistics.
I have a BS (math and English) and a MS (science). I love KDramas. They are beautifully shot and so much fun to watch. When did that become a synonym for lowbrow?
Only uneducated, lowbrow people watch Korean Drama. Really? I graduated from college Summa Cum Laude with a degree in Education and I watch Korean Drama. Oh yeah, and I love it! I cannot help but wonder about the educational level of the person that wrote this article. For that matter, the editor who let it be published cannot be that bright either. The Big Bang Theory is a good show? When I watched that show I could feel my brain cells dying one by one. Next thing you know you will be singing the praises of Honey Boo Boo or maybe Breaking Amish. Shows like these and many others have caused American TV to go down the drain. This is why so many people are turning to Korean TV. What is the theme throughout Korean shows? You see the importance of family, honor, respect, being humble and doing the right thing. Not smut, money, porn and selling everyone else out like it is here.
I think that it is interesting that the drama pictured in this article is The King 2 Hearts. Maybe the writer should have watched that one first before putting his foot in his mouth. Standing up against evil, true friendship, genuine love, honor and duty to country all packed into 20 unforgettable episodes. Or maybe he did watch it and he was mad that America was not painted as an omni-lovable country. If you need further proof of great Korean TV, I suggest you watch Barefoot Friends and see what you, and the rest of America is missing; Good, wholesome TV.
Que estudio mas herrado, he visto muchísimas películas, shows, programas televisivos americanos y la verdad es que dejan mucho que desear, algunos les faltan ética y censura, en comparación con los dramas y shows de corea del sur, se quedan cortos, como es que si miramos por ejemplo dating agency cyrano en el momento que una situación violenta se presenta la imagen aparece borrosa y si fuera un show americanos mostrarían las armas y sangre..si creen que los korean drama no dejan un buen mensaje miren brilliant legacy.
400 people, only from China? And this is good enough to write about, while insulting so many people around the world who love kdramas? Yeah, ok. Well, I'll proudly show my "lack of education" because I love kdramas (and have never watched The Big Bang Theory). 바보
So I stay off Dramafever's blog for a week I come back and THIS is what I find? I follow up and leads here and I'm in disbelief
Seriously? Uneducated! Lowbrow! Exactly what are they basing this on?? I am not american, I am not korean, in fact in live in country that's considered not as advanced as other places
and yet who is the idiot who wrote this WSJ article? I attended high school and graduated top of my class and not to brag or anything
but then I went on to attend not one but two colleges for two very different fields because I was interested in both and I am very succesful in either field
and after reading all the above comments and the ones on dramafever so are lots of other people and we all watch and enjoy kdramas, tdramas and jdramas
and as for TBBT I watched a few episodes of that once and frankly I found that the only reason its funny is because they take the smartest genius level guys and make them out to be the stupidest guys in world
I mean seriously is that the best they could come up with to make a so called highbrow tv show?
So who's the stupid ones here? Who don't have an once of originality or creativity to come up with a great tv show we can all enjoy
In an age where we can't even let our kids watch with us anymore because of all the Sex,Nudity,Drugs,Bad Language, Murder,Violence and negative crap that's in practically every single episode of what's supposed to be good tv shows
Even the cartoons they make for little kids have negative stuff in them you wouldn't want your kids to see
And practically the best movies or Tv shows they can make has to be based off some one else work, like their best seller books,or comics books or rebooted old movies?
My daughter is seven years old and she detest watching cartoons even if I try to put on educational stuff like seasame street or dora the explorer she grabs the remote and changes the channel
she likes the british bbc channel that shows nature documentaries about wild animals and the episodes about the ocean and sea creatures that live there are her favorite
She also likes watching kdrama shows with me even if I have to read the subtitles out loud for her sometimes if there's something she doesn't understand she can read really well everything else on her own with no trouble and she is even learning some of the korean language on her own already picking up simple words
and the respectful behaviour and good manners they display she thinks its lady like to have good manners and it makes her like a kind princess to be nice and respectful to everyone around her which makes me smile that she seems to be learning something good from it applying it to her own young life
and not how to be shallow,vain,vapid rude and self centered, like most other american tv shows
so what's that say about american tv when even a seven year old voluntarily makes up her own mind that its trash and not worth watching?
"Uneducated, lowbrow" I seriously think WSJ needs to really see who are the uneducated people here
So I stay off Dramafever blog for a week I come back and THIS is what I find? So I follow up cause I'm in a total shock and
Seriously? Uneducated! Lowbrow! Exactly what are they basing this on?? I am not american, I am not korean, in fact in live in country that's considered not as advanced as other places
and yet I attended high school and graduated top of my class and not to brag or anything but then I went on to attend not one but two colleges for two very different fields because I was interested in both and I am very succesful in either field and after reading all the above comments and the ones on DF so are lots of other people and we all watch and enjoy kdramas, tdramas and jdramas
and as for TBBT I watched a few episodes of that once and frankly I found that the only reason its funny is because they take the smartest genius level guys and make them out to be the stupidest guys in world I mean seriously is that the best they could come up with to make a so called highbrow tv show?
Kdramas fans are not to be blamed and kdramas are not to be bashed for those
Who don't have an once of originality or creativity to come up with a great tv show we can all enjoy
In an age where we can't even let our kids watch with us anymore because of all the Sex,Drugs,Bad Language,Violence and negative crap that's in practically every single episode of what's supposed to be good tv shows
Even the cartoons they make for little kids have negative stuff in them you wouldn't want your kids to see
My daughter is seven years old and she detest watching cartoons even if I try to put on educational stuff like seasame street or dora the explorer she grabs the remote and changes the channel
she likes british bbc channel that shows nature documentaries about wild animals and the episodes about the ocean and sea creatures that live there are her favorite
She also likes watching kdrama shows with me even if I have to read the subtitles out loud for her sometimes if there's something she doesn't understand she can read really well everything else on her own with no trouble and she is even learning some of korean language on her own already
and the respectful behaviour and good manners and morals they display she thinks its lady like to have good behaviour and it makes her like a kind princess to be nice and respectful to everyone around her which makes me smile that she seems to be learning something good from it applying it to her own young life
and not how to be shallow,vain,vapid rude and self centered, like most girls on other american tv shows that set bad examples
so what's that say about american tv when even a seven year old voluntarily makes up her own mind that its trash and not worth watching?
jeyup- I think that you are the lowbrow and less educated one here. sorry to say but the American tv are so bad.
I'm American living in the states, but I hate American TV. This is why I watch Korean TV Dramas and Korean movies. I won't watch any of that vulgar anti-God stuff that Hollywood tries to pass off as entertainment. And, I don't consider it low brow just because 400 Chinese made that claim.
A new study? Mhm...
I also have jumped ship on American TV. There is nothing there! The History channel is crap now. Politics are stuck in a rut. How many reruns can a person watch? K Drama is fun! It's all about the other side of the world. Thoughtful ideas about romance and life run throughout the dramas. Take another look.
I am a professional with an advanced degree and some smarts. I love opera, ballet, classic literature, and I speak three languages. I stopped watching television programming, news, and political shows, about a year ago because it was annoying and depressing. The only entertainment I turn to now are Kdramas. Watching Kdramas lets my mind rest and I just enjoy those plot twists, even though I know exactly what's going to happen. Some Kdramas are pretty awesome for their cinematography and excellent writing. Not all of it is comedic and prat falls. And, viewing is not limited to episodic dramas. The Kmovies are excellent and insightful.
There are many more reasons why I watch K, T, and Jdramas. They are clean, the children respect their elders and do not make them into idiots. American TV takes stupid to another level. Girls are pregnant at 14, parents party with theid kids, reality TV is humiliating, and then there's the NJ shore people who are held up as prime examples of what it means to be young, drunk, pregnant and repulsive. Whoever wrote this article really needs to do a better job of objective analysis. Does he/she have an degree or what? We are not the lowbrows.
It is irresponsible to conclude based on a small poll, in one country, and disregard many others like us in the U.S. I am an engineer, my friends are doctors, dentists, company executives and we all watch Kdrama because they are better than Hollywood for romantic TV series. It is true that there are loop holes and exaggeration in the plots, but overall they still are very good romantic stories. American TV lacks romance and too much sex. Hollywood is only better for actions, thrillers, comedies, sci-fi, but falls shot of romances.
I laughed when I read that k-dramas appeal to the low-brow. So did Shakespeare. As someone who has graduate degrees, I personally love k-dramas. Yes, some of the events are far-fetched or cliched. How many rich young heirs are out there and how often would their paths cross with poor females who aren't impressed? And when is time travel possible? Those things are far outweighed, however, by the myriad of other things that I appreciate: that abstinence and modesty are the norm rather than the exception in a relationship and a kiss *means* something, that respectful behavior is the expectation for everyone and elders are treated with honor, that for the most part characters are 3-dimensional and their relationships are complex. While Professor Kang's poll may or may not have had statistical significance, it did offer a caveat to its findings: highly-educated viewers may be concealing their viewership. I would say that much like in America, they aren't admitting to watching things like 'Real Housewives' but still do so behind closed doors.
I also want to point out to everyone commenting on here that the WSJ is merely REPORTING WHAT THE STUDY SAID. Its tagline is poorly written, but the article (both of them) simply reports the conclusions of what Prof. Kang's study found. I agree that it could have been much more balanced and especially should have pointed out how much of the glut of American television consists of the low brow, too.
It is great to know, however, that there are plenty of WSJ readers who love k-dramas and are willing to defend them
I must start with a disclaimer that I author a website titled KDrama Viewers Speak - The foreign devil's in the details... so my sentiments regarding kdramas may be surmised. These series, I have discovered, compose a full spectrum of subjects and quality that range from the ridiculous to the sublime as does life itself. Compared to the tedious and repetitive nature of American TV and cable offerings, I found in kdramas a way to experience a complex and ancient culture from a part of the world I new absolutely nothing about in a most entertaining way. If this makes me a "low brow" so be it.
That's " a part of the world I knew nothing about." I also obviously know nothing about spelling.
I believe it's not lowbrow, and maybe people who aren't as rich as other people watch these more often. They failed to mention how many millions of people watch these shows. Also, maybe people who aren't as rich as others have a greater sense of morals. I've almost given up on shows in The US like "The Big Bang Theory". I love America,but this industry is just sex and drugs rolled into a shows and movies. Kdrama's have a stronger sense of morals and everyone on set isn't sleeping with each other in front of the camera. -___-
I think the westerners things see only in their way, out of the world, unbelievable imaginations going out of hand, for example thier shows like lost, once upon a time, same kind of happenings in two worlds and they want show the world they are really posh and educated, but from the age old tales until now, they have only one thing, grab, steal, cheat, magic, so really they cant digest the fact that people really have and do things as in korean dramas, unlike hindi dramas.
I used to watch american and english dramas, and I started to feel so fed up with them because they are too icey, and too mean and what they call sexy is really vulgar, for them pizza man and garbage man at the doorstop is ok to have something going on.. you know what I mean,, in korean dramas I being back to human.. hehe.
Korean Dramas ARE lowbrow. They are just fun time wasters like American soap operas. People like them because it takes little effort to think about what's going on. No one does dramas as well as the British.
Sorry. Have you seen medical drama like God's Quiz? Or maybe dramas like God of Study that is centered around showing students the struggles in school and teaches them how to study? Perhaps any historical dramas that do have their own ''cliche storyline'' while also teaching the history of Korea?
Do you think that all dramas are just corny and sappy? You haven't seen the dramas that teach you morals and life lessons apparently. Do your research before you start writing bull.
I have a master's degree in Education, and the friends and relatives I know who are big fans of Korean Drama are all highly educated too! I love the plots, twists, and suspense as well as the opportunities to learn about Korean culture and language. It would seem that the writer of the article might take into account that there are numerous fans of K-Drama worldwide, and that, these dramas are appreciated by a variety of individuals. BTW, if I am so low brow, why are all my choices on Netflix and Hulu referred to as sophisticated or offbeat?
I don't think Korean Dramas are lowbrow at all, if you suggest American shows, I have to disagree. Even though Korean Dramas aren't all that educational, it doesn't mean that they have bad morals. I think American shows show poor morals, and poor morals create a worse person. Uneducated? Should I mention that I know plenty of people who are very well educated that watch Korean Dramas.
I'm very sorry to hear you, "The Great One" Wall Street Journal, criticizes us KDrama fans as uneducated and lowbrow but you sound like you've been left out. Pls come off your high horse and join us have a good healthy laugh! That's all there is to Kdrama!
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