Sizing Up the Competition

Day 8 of the CNY.....no monumental development on the BYJ news front. About the most pressing question in my mind currently is whether or not to inhale that very last piece of sweet sticky something. Been off the big “D” in a huge way this week but hey, practically the only reason I look forward to this time of the year is so I can indulge all these sinful sweet desserts without a conscience. Well, to be greedy and overdo it today, may send me plunging straight to the hell of indigestion. Better not, I think, for there really is something called “overkill.” Once negative reinforcement sets in, I’m done for a long while. Used to happen like this every year before I learned the word “moderation.” And predictably, I would end up avoiding these sweet sticky somethings for at least 6 months.

So, if such basic functions can provoke such an understanding, then this must be a very simple theory, right? So, how come the drama producers don’t seem to worry about this?

Is it just me or has everyone also noticed the staggering numbers of historical dramas that are being shown or in the middle of production or about to begin production? I think it’s well known that by and large, it was the modern dramas that formed the major basis of the success of K-wave. Traditionally, historical dramas, although gaining popularity of late, have much less interest and appeal to the mass markets and therefore generally fared worse in the ratings game. So when “Dae Jang Geum:Jewel in the Palace” knocked one out of the ballpark, everyone must have been shocked surprised. Don’t profess to know much about anything, and especially not TV dramas and ratings, but for perspective, apparently reaching 30% viewership in Korea is considered quite the status symbol. So with the unprecedented highs of over 50% reached by Dae Jang Geum (2003-04), everyone must have taken note. I wonder if that is why all of a sudden, everyone is racing to jump on this bandwagon? In 2005, success continued in KBS’ positively reviewed Emperor of the Sea, reaching about the low 30’s mark overall in ratings. Currently airing in Korea is SBS’s “The Ballad of Seo Dong” with numbers hovering about the respectable mid -20’s for the first 3 weeks of January.
And so, what’s on tap for the rest of 2006?
As originally reported on Twitch/reposted on Quilt, there are not one, two, but three or four historical dramas, ALL focusing on the Gorguryeo period (!) in addition to “The Great Kings.”

MBC’s “Jumong/The Three Kingdoms,” with its strong and respected cast/script writer and comparatively huge budget of 30 Billion Won, was originally supposed to begin airing in May 2006. With the schedule dilemmas and delays due the recent accident on the set of"Wolf", the continuation of "Wolf" has been pushed back to May, so it looks like "Three Kingdoms" won't make it to the TV screen until probably August. 60 episodes planned are planned - you do the math; this is going to run right past in the next year.

SBS has “Yeon Gae Somun,” named after this famous general and big hero of the Gorguryeo period, which is another big budgeted production of 35 billion Won, and penciled in to begin airing in May 2006.

As if that’s not enough, KBS, is drumming up big noise for its own historical drama called “Dae Jo Young” which is set in the Balhae Kingdom. Major scriptwriter? None other than Kim Jong-Seon. Don’t ring a bell? Me neither, until I read that she was the famous person behind the script of “Dae Jang Geum.” That’s creating so much buzz that the distribution rights to many Asian countries have already been snapped up. This drama is now slated to begin in August of 2006.

Can you believe there’s more? Although not depicting the same historical period, there is this other famous scriptwriter in Korea called Choi Wan-Gyu whose team of writers, besides writing for “The Three Kingdoms” drama, are also collaborating on “General Go Seon-Ji, ” the sequel to what was a very well-received drama called “General Hospital” AND “Daemu Shin Wang” about the life of one of Korea’s most famous concubines. Confused? Me too. Don’t mind me tonight though– I’m just playing silly mind games with myself.

With what little we know about “The Great Kings,” there was at least one thing that has been somewhat consistent. PD Kim JH had always said he planned to air the series in the fall, or at least, no later than the end of 2006. And although negotiations with the TV stations had reportedly been stalled over control/ownership and money issues, MBC had always been mentioned as the leading contender. So if MBC goes with those 60 episodes of “The Three Kingdoms,” does that mean we’re gonna be sitting around twiddling our thumbs again in the fall waiting, waiting, and waiting to see BYJ on our screens? (oh…such a painful thought)

Suppose everything gets off without a hitch and “The Great Kings” does manage to start showing on time somewhere– then what? If you look at the station’s time tables, it would appear that all major Korean stations will be showing historical dramas head to head at some time. Will there be a problem with “too much of a good thing?” Are the viewers going to get tired of the same old, same old?

And that leads me to ask this question - if you start watching a drama on one channel in May or even August and really get into the story, how likely are you gonna switch channels when a new drama comes on in the fall? That’s where racing to get to the front of the pack will end up slightly advantageous, I think. Either that or hope that Koreans are really into TIVO.

SIR, PD Kim JH, NIM, if you’re out there, can you hear me???? Operative words here are “race” and “front of the pack.” What? Not ready to make those announcements as promised last week? Please get on with it already!! Ok, I’m joking again. I know they’re working hard….

Man, it all gets really tricky.
Call it blind faith, but I don’t even doubt BYJ’s popularity and draw for one moment. Fans will always be there, and that's not to say everyone has to like it. But I really think that this next drama has great potential to win over the domestic market. (haha, I say that, based on …..nothing? haha) Wouldn't it be so wonderful for our YJ to score another phenomenal hit within his own country. Deep down, you and I know he's yearning so much for that.

Anyway, anyone thinking similar thoughts tonight? How about my “parallel” blogger? Hee.
Just really curious how everything will play out. And impatient as ever....

Sources: twitch, koreanqiz.org, hancinema.net, dvdactive.com, koreatimes, koreaherald
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[Unrelated]:
Asian star news on the American front - too giant a leap not to mention
1) Rain is completing the 2nd of 2 sold-out concerts at Madison Square Concert right about now!! Good reviews so far! And an incredible pre-concert write-up in NY Times. Yep, missed his great US debut moment at the Hollywood Bowl last year too...
2) Everyone knows this is the big, big Superbowl weekend? It's never clear whether the audience look forward more to the the football or the advertisements. This year, Pepsi will feature..........Jackie Chan (!) PROUDLY in one of their ads which cost $2.5 million for the 30sec spot (math again = $83,333 per second). Watch very carefully......