This document provides an overview of Korean dramas, including their history, format, production, music, and highest paid actors. It discusses how K-dramas began airing in the 1960s and evolved into the popular miniseries format of 12-24 episodes in the 1990s. K-dramas are usually directed and written by one person each and follow a tight production schedule. Music plays an important role through original soundtracks. The highest paid actors can earn $50,000-80,000 per episode.

1. Korean Drama
What is Korean
Drama?
History of Korean
Drama
Rating System
MusicProductionFormat
Highest Paid
Korean Actors and
Actress
Best Korean
Dramas of 2016
Prepared by:
Meleidy Merielle A. Santiago

2. What is Korean Drama?
Korean drama (hanguk deurama) or K-drama refers to televised
dramas in the Korean language, made in South Korea, mostly in a
miniseries format, with distinctive features that set them apart from
television series and soap operas made elsewhere.
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South Korea started to broadcast television series in the 1960s. Today's
mini deurama format of 12–24 episodes started in the 1990s,
transforming traditional historical series to this format and creating
the notion of "fusion sageuks". Korean dramas are usually shot within
a very tight schedule, often a few hours before actual broadcast.
Screenplays are flexible and may change anytime during production,
depending on viewers' feedback, putting actors in a difficult position.
Production companies often face financial issues.

3. Korean dramas are popular worldwide, partially due to the spread of
the Korean Wave, with streaming services that offer multiple
language subtitles. Some of the most famous dramas have been
broadcast via traditional television channels; for example, Dae Jang
Geum (2003) was sold to 91 countries.
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(popular as Jewel in the Palace)

4. History
Television broadcasting began in 1956 with the launch of an
experimental station, HLKZ-TV, which was shut down a few
years later due to a fire. The first national television channel was
Korean Broadcasting System (KBS), which started up in
1961.The first Korean television film was a 15-minute piece
titled The Gate of Heaven on HLKZ-TV.
The first television series was aired by KBS in 1962. Their
commercial competitor, Tongyang Broadcasting (TBC), had a
more aggressive program policy and aired controversial dramas
as well.
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5. In the 1960s, television sets were of limited availability, thus dramas
could not reach a larger audience. The first historical TV series aired
was Gukto manri (국토만리), directed by Kim Jae-hyeong (김재형),
depicting the Goryeo era.
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In the 1970s, television sets started to spread among the general
population, and dramas switched from portraying dramatic
historical figures to introducing national heroes like Lee Sun-shin or
Sejong the Great. Contemporary series dealt with personal sufferings.
As technology and funding was limited, Korean channels could not
make series in resource-heavy genres like action and science fiction;
American and other foreign series were imported instead.
The 1980s saw a turn in Korean television, as color TV became
available. Modern dramas tried to evoke nostalgia from urban
dwellers by depicting rural life.

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The 1990s brought another important milestone for Korean
television. As technology developed, new opportunities arose,
and the beginning of the decade marked the launch of a new
commercial channel; Seoul Broadcasting System (SBS). In this
decade, the new miniseries format became widespread, with 12
to 24 episodes. This era marked the start of export for Korean
dramas, setting off the Korean Wave.
The beginning years of the 2000s gave birth to a new genre,
called "fusion sageuk", essentially changing the ways to produce
historical series, with successful pieces such as Hur Jun, Damo
and Dae Jang Geum.

7. Rating System
The television rating system is regulated by the Korea Communications
Commission, and was implemented in 2000. According to the system,
programs, including Korean dramas, are rated according to the following
principles (ratings irrelevant to dramas are omitted).
: programs that may be inappropriate for children
under 12, such as mild violence, themes or language.
: programs that may be inappropriate for children
under 15. Most dramas and talk shows are rated this
way. These programs may include moderate or strong
adult themes, language, sexual inference, and violence.
: programs intended for adults only. These programs
might include adult themes, sexual situations, frequent
use of strong language and disturbing scenes of violence.
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8. Format
Korean dramas are usually helmed by one director and written by one
screenwriter, thus having a distinct directing style and language,
unlike American television series, where often several directors and
writers work together. Series are likely to have only one season, with
12–24 episodes. Historical series (sageuk) may be longer, with 50 to
200 episodes, but they also run for only one season.
The broadcast time for dramas is 22:00 to 23:00, with episodes on two
consecutive nights: Mondays and Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, and
weekends. Different dramas appear on each of the nationwide networks,
Seoul Broadcasting System (SBS), Korean Broadcasting System (KBS),
Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) and on the cable channels,
Joongang Tongyang Broadcasting Company (jTBC), Channel A, tvN, and
Orion Cinema Network (OCN).
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9. Sageuk
Sageuk refers to any Korean television or film drama that is either based on
historical figures, incorporates historical events, or uses a historical
backdrop. While technically the word sageuk literally translates to
"historical drama," the term is typically reserved for dramas taking place
during Korean history.[ Popular subjects of sageuks have traditionally
included famous battles, royalty, famous military leaders and political
intrigues.
Contemporary
Series set in contemporary times usually run for one season, for 12−24
episodes of 60 minutes. They are often centered on a love story, with family
ties and relationships being in the focus. Characters are mostly idealised,
with Korean male protagonists described as handsome, intelligent,
emotional, and ready to love one woman for a lifetime. This has also been a
contributing factor to the popularity of Korean dramas among women, as
the image of Korean men became different from that of other Asian men.
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10. Production
• Korean series were originally produced in house by the television
channels themselves, but have been outsourced to independent
production companies since the 2000s. In 2012, as much as 75%
of all K-dramas were produced this way. Competition is fierce
among these companies; out of 156 registered firms, only 34
produced dramas that were actually aired in 2012.
• A typical Korean drama may cost as much as ₩250 million per
episode, and historical dramas cost more than that. For example,
Gu Family Book cost ₩500 million per episode. Producer Kim
Jong-hak spent as much as ₩10 billion on Faith, which was
considered a commercial failure, resulting in the inability of Kim to
pay crew salaries and other overheads
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11. • Korean series were originally produced in house by the television
channels themselves, but have been outsourced to independent
production companies since the 2000s. In 2012, as much as 75%
of all K-dramas were produced this way.
• Actors are usually paid after the last episode is aired at the end of
the month. In series made by smaller production companies for
cable channels, there have been cases where the companies went
bankrupt and could not pay their actors and crew, while the
channel denied all responsibility, claiming all liability was with the
bankrupt production firm. The biggest stars may earn as much as
₩100 million per episode. Bae Yong-joon, the star of Winter
Sonata reportedly received ₩250 million per episode for The
Legend in 2007.
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12. Music
• Music plays an important role in Korean dramas. Original
soundtracks, abbreviated OST, are explicitly made for each series,
and in contrast to American series, fans have a need to buy the
soundtrack album of dramas. This trend started in the 1990s, when
producers swapped purely instrumental soundtracks for songs
performed by popular K-pop singers. Tom Larsen, director of YA
Entertainment, a distributor of Korean TV series, thinks that Korean
soundtracks are polished enough musically to be considered
standalone hits.
• During the 2000s, it became customary for lead actors to
participate in original soundtracks, also partially due to the
employment of K-pop stars as actors. Actor Lee Min-ho, and leader
of boy band SS501, Kim Hyun-joong both recorded songs for Boys
Over Flowers, while actor Jang Keun-suk and singer Lee Hong-gi
of F.T. Island sang for You're Beautiful.
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13. • OST songs of popular K-dramas can also become hits on
regular music charts, with good sales of both physical and
digital albums.
• OST composers usually look for singers who have previously
had success in the genre. Songs are written to reflect the
mood of the series and their structure. Sometimes performers
give their own songs for a series.
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14. Best K-Dramas of 2016
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18. Highest Paid Korean Actors and
Actress
10. Song Joong Ki 9. Lee Jong Suk
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60 million won ($50,300 USD) per episode 60 million won ($50,300 USD) for a single episode

19. 8. Yoo Ah In
70 million won ($58,700 USD) per episode
7. Lee Min Ho
70 million won ($58,700 USD) per episode
6. So Ji Sub
80 million won ($67,100 USD) in every single episode
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5. So In Sung80 million won ($67,100 USD) per episode

20. 4. Lee Young Ae
100 million won ($83,500 USD) per episode
3. Hyun Bin
100 million won ($83,900 USD) per episode
2. Jun Ji Hyun
100 million won ($83,900 USD) per episode
1. Kim Soo Hyun100 million won ($83,900 USD) per episode
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