Live in South Korea.Does life look like what we see in TV series?
Desde BTS como la banda más importante del momento hasta los actores que se transforman en k-idols internacionales y mueven millones de fanáticos alrededor del mundo. Los viejos conceptos de la globalización e hiperconectividad tomaron todo un nuevo significado. Es que solo alcanza con un pequeño ejercicio para darnos cuenta de esto: pregunten a su alrededor si alguien conoce al menos a un artista coreano o si se engancharon con una dorama en los últimos meses. El resultado no los va a sorprender y van a notar que -sin ningún tipo de limitación de edad o género- Corea del Sur se convirtió en un objeto de estudio y fascinación, consiguiendo una masividad inigualable.
Defined as the ‘Korean wave’, this phenomenon began to gain strength in 2016 and seeks to explain global falling in a culture and country that, until not ago, were distant and strange for most Western countries.Without finding a single hinge moment (although many allow themHis television productions helped to conquer the hearts of his fans.
Already with several years in this creative explosion and finding certain elements in common in these fictional stories, it was time to allow us to do another exercise and ask how realistic these narratives are and if they are really faithful to what it means to live in South Korea.Simplifying the matter, when playing a K-Drama, are we seeing a real photograph or is it a totally fictionalized?
Eat and drink: Let's talk about your gastronomy
You have seen only a series or hundreds of them, there is a fundamental sequence in all the stories that, in addition, is repeated in each episode: friends, couples and families sitting to eat and sharing the table."Eating is very important in Korean culture and it is something that comes from the time of war," says Florencia Colavita, an Argentine who lives in South Korea while studying the mastery of molecular biology at Hanyang University.An idea that Yoon Kim, who many years ago lives in Argentina after migrating in Korea, reinforces: “After the war there was a lot of poverty and that is why gastronomic culture is very important.Hence, more than the ‘good day, good afternoon, good night’, it is not uncommon for Korea to ask you ‘You already eat?’ Or ‘Are you eating well?’ ”.
But this love for gastronomy is not only represented in fictions with the enjoyment of the characters when cooking and sharing, but also with the enormous value given to the whole situation.As, for example, in "Another Miss Oh" (Netflix) the protagonist feels intimately moved when his future mother -in -law puts a piece of meat in his bowl.A gesture of familiarity, intimacy and that materializes caring for the other.
At that point also draws attention how the table is organized: “In Argentina, for example, each one has their dish and food.You serve there and ready.In Korean cuisine almost everything is shared, ”Florence tells me. “La comida coreana no es un plato por comida, sino que tenés tu bowl de arroz blanco y varios platos de acompañamiento que se llaman ‘banchan’ y se comparten con todos los comensales”, me detalla Yoon Kim quien hoy es socio en Rasguño & Pasión, salón de belleza en donde él trabajo como nail artist.He is the one who explains in detail what types of ‘Banchan’ exist and details that they are divided into two large groups:
As for the difference between breakfast, lunch and dinner, Korean cuisine is much more horizontal than Argentina and there is no fundamental difference in the dishes that are served."You can end up eating fish during breakfast," Florence confesses to me.This is how we see it in "Love Alarm" (Netflix) where the protagonist, before going to school, eats a rice bowl with additional different ones, or same in "My Roommate is a gumiho" when they prepare what the characters call'soup against the hangover'.
But, beyond that each family has its uses and customs, coffee looks like a forced one within the daily routine and is a repeated image in all series: from "startup" (Netflix) to "you are my spring" the American andThe ICED Vanilla Latte are among the most popular options."When you walk through the streets of Korea you will see a cafeteria next to a house of beauty products, next to another cafeteria, next to another place of beauty products," Yoon Kim describes and completes the image with aGreat anecdote: "There was even a meme that said that the best way to torture a Korean was to prohibit coffee after their meals"."It's crazy because they also give you coffee for everything.You do a survey, they give you a coffee.You complete a form, another.You buy something in promotion, Café.You lower an application, coffee.You participate in an event, another coffee ”, I add Florence.
Just as liters and liters of coffee are enjoyed during the day, the night is the time to devote to alcoholic beverages.So much that there is no k-drum where you do not have a scene where any of its characters pass from drinks: "It's okay to not be okay" (Netflix) when love is not reciprocated, "doom at your service" whenDeath looks straight ahead, "Nevertheless" (Netflix) to grab courage and confess their feelings "," When the Camillia Blooms "(Netflix) to celebrate with friends or" find me in your memory "simply to forget.The reasons are very varied but the drinks not so much: blonde beer, soju and, very rarely, red wine.
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“It is very common for Korea to ask you‘ How much do you take? ’Or even‘ How much is your ability to drink? ’And in general they respond by quantities: equis number of bottles of Soju, equis number of bottles of beer, etc..”Yoon Kim tells me.And while telling me for another common scene to several series: characters mocking others for their little alcohol resistance."It's not something just on weekends, but every day," adds Florence and tells me: "There are also meals that" go "with certain drinks.For example fried chicken is very popular and eats with beer.The Samgyepsal is the ideal accompaniment of the SOJU or submok (which is beer and mixed soju) ".
Love in public spaces
While the K-Drams are not loyal to a single narrative genre and there are really high quality series that combine Thrillers, criminal dramas, mystery and fantasy;Nor is it uncommon for these elements to present a love triangle.It is that romance is a very strong trope in its librettos and range from classical stories such as "Chocolate" (Netflix) where the protagonists reunite after having met children, to those shows that have another focus but they are stillScenario for passion to happen, as in “AT A Distance, Spring Is Green” where the main character is a victim of family violence and initiates a process of healing and self -love, a process that takes color when he falls in love with a partner of a companion of a partner ofThe faculty to whom you pray that I love it.
With a television crossed by many controls as well as categorized according to the level of intimacy that they show on the screen, it is not uncommon that how to act in the public space is biased by a very traditional look.So much, that in most fictions we find as a cúlmine moment of a relationship not the first kiss, but the moment when the couple grabs hand and walks like this on the street.Perhaps the most significant example is when Seo Joon -Hee in "Submithing in the Rain" (Netflix) tells Yoon Jin -Ah: "After everything that took me to take my hand, now I will never release her ever".Situation that is repeated in "Romance is a bonus book" (Netflix), "Holo, My Love" (Netflix) "Record of Youth" (Netflix)."If the relationship is serious, everything is a slower process and after a couple grabs the hand, it is like they do the official relationship and do not walk otherwise that is not grabbed," Florence tells me and sumA super interesting fact: “In many streets of Korea there are no sidewalks, so you have no choice but to walk where the cars and motorcycles pass.So the man always ensures that the woman goes on the side of the ‘houses’ as a way to prevent something from happening to them ”.
The weight of beauty and success
"Korea is the most fashionist country in the world," Yoon Kim confesses to me and adds: "Many can think that it is a superficial country but in terms of aesthetics and beauty people take great care.So much that cosmetics brands such as Channel or Lancôme, first test in Korea to see acceptance and if they succeed they release in the rest of the world ”.A photograph that we see in all series, either from super sophisticated costumes as well as the obsession in the scripts of highlighting beauty and connecting it with success.Perhaps in "Record of Youth" or "Encounter", both starring the popular and young actor Park Bo -Gum, is a perfect example of this since he gives life to two characters from working families and we see how, constantly, different peopleThey tell him that his future is assured thanks to how he looks.A message that could summarize as: "You are cute, with that you are already saved".
"They are always impeccable from head to toe," Florence tells me when I ask him what every day's fashion is and adds: "There are cosmetics brand, hairdresser and clothing brands everywhere.Also everywhere there are mirrors to look and get ready.And when I tell you ‘everywhere’ it is really like this: subway stations, collective stops, universities, business.This is so important that in some food stores, so that it does not have a smell in the clothes, they even give you perfume ”.
The repeated photo: a collective stop
While a large majority of seriéfila stories happen in Seoul and only in certain sequences the characters escape more rural areas or the popular Jeju Island, the city scenario has two recurring elements: on the one hand the stops of public transport and, by theAnother, the sudden rain that seizes the protagonists off guard.“That looks a lot because public transport is very popular and also works for ten.Not a minute are delayed, they are super clean, you can follow the tour with the cell phone and in each stop there are screens that tell you what time each transport arrives, ”Florence tells me in the search to respond to my curiosity for repetition indifferent series.
On the other hand, the rain is rather a narrative element to have an excuse to give proximity to the characters and Yoon Kim explains it perfect: “South Korea is not a tropical country and therefore it is not so common that it rains from nothing.Yes there is a time of the year where it rains a lot, but it is rather a dramatic element to tell a story ”.And it is Florence who arrives with a local tip: “In summer, which is that time where there is more rains, although there is a sun is always better to take umbrellas because you never know where or when it can grab you.With or without prognosis, it is not uncommon for you to be surprised with a summer rain ”.
A country of orphans?
"Startup", "Her Private Life" (Netflix), "Monthly Magazine Home", "Love Alarm" and almost any other K-Drama that has starts-within its characters-one that lost its two parents in a tragic accidentor one of them died due to a disease.However, the number of orphans that South Korea has is not greater than the other countries of the East and this is a 100% fictional narrative element that adds a conflict to the complexity of history.But just as the problem is not greater than on other sides, it does have its historical roots: South Korea was one of the first countries of the world to create an international adoption system and allow families from other places in the world to welcome theKorean babies.According to an article published in 2015 in The World, in the early 50s, when the Cold War was finishing, there were more than 100 in the country.000 orphans.“Within the words that describe feelings in our language, there is one called‘ Han ’and does not have a linear translation, but it is a combination of pain, suffering, loneliness and resentment.Korea was a country that suffered a lot due to the attacks and invasions of China and Japan, as well as the separation of the country in South Korea and North Korea.All this had many consequences and many families were separated.It is in this feeling that many movies, songs, novels and series are inspired, ”explains Yoon Kim.