Music For KDrama – Past Daily Nights At The Round Table

KDramas, or Korean Dramas have been around for a while – they are primarily limited TV series anywhere from 8 to 30 episodes and anywhere from 45 minutes to almost two hours. They run the gamut in genres from Romance, Comedy, Fantasy and Human Drama to Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror. There are literally thousands to choose from and each offers an adventure, a riveting viewing experience and a feast of astonishing performances and its been over the last fifteen or so years that KDramas have become one of the truly original and remarkable visual and artistic achievements coming out of Asia.

I actually came to KDrama by way of a limited Japanese series “Midnight Diner”; a series which seemed simple and light on the surface but, like most Asian dramas, offer an entire new world of great writing, stellar direction and impeccable acting. Nothing is simple in the realm of KDrama; they challenge the viewer and are never as they appear. That’s the magic of these series. Stories and characters are explored and each is a rich tapestry of the acting craft.

Of course, there is a formula – everything works out by the last episode. But it’s HOW things work out that’s the addictive ingredient in these series – it is never what you expect – story points are turned around, action goes from absurd comedy to measured violence, often within the same visual breath. This is thoroughly engaging dramatic work and the acting is top-notch.

What I think most closely reminds me of KDramas in direction and acting are some of the best BBC Dramas and those coming from French and Swedish Television – they all share a deep conviction and commitment to stories well told and well acted.

One of the most popular offshoots of the KDrama genre are Soundtracks – there is an OST for every series released – and like the series themselves, there are thousands of OST’s available, either as CD’s or downloads. The same exquisite approach to music is the same that holds true for writing, acting and direction – there is flawless work, almost a trademark for KDramas themselves.

I picked three: the first one is the Overture to probably the most popular KDrama currently available, and which is scheduled to have a second season ready soon. The Extraordinary Attorney Woo has been a huge hit, especially here in the U.S., with the series star Park Eun-Bin (Attorney Woo) grabbing every award imaginable and becoming something of a household name among KDrama fans. On the surface you would be tempted to label Extraordinary Attorney Woo another Courtroom drama but that is only a small slice of the action in this amazing series. I would urge you to check it out – it certainly makes a great introduction to the entire genre.

The second is the main theme from My Mister, a series that begs to be seen at least twice because of the sheer complexity of the characters and storyline – again, the stunning acting and totally thought out, deftly drawn and compelling writing – not to mention that subtly powerful direction and the mesmerizing photography. Another must see – and this musical snippet give a small clue.

Last one stands to be the most outrageous – Miss Night And Day. This is the opening credit music and it gives some clue as to the thoroughly engrossing yet totally haywire nature of this series. It’s ultimately a fantasy but in true KDrama fashion, slides effortlessly in and out of comedy and drama.

That’s only three – there are hundreds more – and more every few months. How they maintain consistent quality is baffling, although long-time fans can cite differences and KDrama critiques has become a cottage industry online.

I think we in America are coming to KDrama late – thanks to Social media, more attention is being put on the series themselves and that’s a good thing – I hope the influence rubs off – we’re in desperate need of some different story telling these days. Perhaps looking to the East might be just what we need.

Enjoy, keep an open mind and go exploring!