MBC is the epicenter
of the so-called Korean Wave, explosive popularity of
Korean pop stars which has been creating a phenomenal
impact on other aspects of the Korean culture.
MBC took the lead in generating the Korean boom in
China and Taiwan back in 1997 when CCTV of China aired
ˇ°All for Loveˇ±, a big hit drama produced by MBC. ˇ°Brothers
of the Medical Familyˇ± aired in Vietnam in 1998, catapult
Jang Dong Geun into the stardom. Since then, other Korean
stars such as HOT have continued the Korean Wave, spreading
the Korean culture in other countries in Asia.
The rating shot up as soon as Dae Jang Geum was broadcast
this year in Taiwan, creating the Dae Jang Geum syndrome.
The drama is currently on television again upon strong
requests from viewers. Further, NHK has launched Dae
Jang Geum since October and plans to air it for the
next 12 months. It is drawing attention in Japan as
well.
ˇ°Dae Jang Geum Theme Parkˇ± has been created with the
aim of promoting Korean culture more actively and let
it known to more viewers in Asia as well as further
accelerating the Korean Wave.
However, the current Korean Wave is focused on a few
stars and dramas, and the challenge remains to take
it one step further and make it a wider-ranging cultural
phenomenon. In order for this boom to be a sustainable,
self-reproducing source of Korean cultural contents,
we should develop contents covering the wider culture
of Korea as a whole.
In this context, Dae Jang Geum perfectly serves the
purpose. The drama shows various aspects of the palace
culture such as food, costumes, medical science, and
traditional games through conspicuous, yet subdued visual
expressions. In so doing, it plays the role of a messenger
to let Korean culture and beauty known to more people
in Asia.
However, advertising Korean culture is not the only
thing that Dae Jang Geum offers. It has a success story
of Dae Jang Geum who as a woman from the lower class,
rose to be the royal doctor as well as a touching story
of characters and their complicated relationships intertwined
with love and hate. So many viewers were moved by the
life of Dae Jang Geum overcoming all the challenges
and hardships and finally becoming the royal doctor,
a highly respected and honorable position even for men
at that time. Particularly, the story did not only taught
so much about the Korean culture to the young generation,
but also gave them the powerful moral of what it means
to live a meaningful life of seeking lofty values.
