A few of us were chatting earlier this week about how K-dramas have changed so much over the last 10ish years — from how they tell their stories to what they’ll actually show on screen. Though the evolution of K-dramas now means we get to enjoy amazing production value, tons of talent behind and in front of the camera, and storytelling that’s way more compelling than it used to be, the downside is that the “genre” of K-dramas is rapidly changing. It occurred to me this week that one important component of this is onscreen violence. I mean, raise your hand if you remember the days of fake fist fights with clearly post-edited sound effects, and blurred out knife blades.
But this isn’t an argument about broadcasting rules and network television as much as it is about what we’re comfortable — and maybe desensitized towards — seeing on our screens. In my early years of K-drama spelunking, I found myself so quickly accustomed to blaring OSTs and completely non-threatening scenes of “violence” that when I went to watch an American show, I was shocked at what I was seeing in front of me. These days, though – and a lot of this is thanks to streaming media and OTT content — I don’t see that dividing line as sharply anymore.
How do you feel about onscreen violence in K-dramas? Do you see it as a natural evolution of the genre/storytelling, or a consequence of keeping up with the Joneses?
Let the chatting begin!