APPROVAL SHEET

This undergraduate AB Communication Arts thesis entitled, Annyeong Gusto

Mo: Study on Hallyu Acquisitions in Filipino Television Programming (authored
by Danica Paola Antonil, Therese Ma. Carmen Castillo, Jonalee de Leon, Julius Romel
Fernandez, and Dave Karl Libiran - 4CA4) is hereby approved for defense.

Asst. Prof. Faye M. Martel-Abugan, M.A.

Thesis Adviser

February 7, 2013

ANNYEONG GUSTO MO?

Study on Hallyu Acquisitions in Filipino Television Programming

An undergraduate research
submitted to the Department of Media Studies
Faculty of Arts and Letters
University of Santo Tomas
Espaa, Manila

In partial fulfillment
of the requirements for the degree
Bachelor of Arts in Communication Arts

Antonil, Danica Paola S.

Castillo, Therese Ma. Carmen M.
De Leon, Jonalee R.
Fernandez, Julius Romel P.
Libiran, Dave Karl S.
4CA4

January 7, 2013

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

CHAPTER 1: Introduction
Rationale

Statement of the Problem

Objectives

Significance

Definition of Terms

10

CHAPTER 2: Review of Related Literature and Studies

Hallyu Phenomenon

12

Globalization, Hegemony & Cultural Transfer

17

Korean Dramas

27

Globalization, Koreanovelas and the Philippines

30

CHAPTER 3: Framework of the Study

Theoretical Framework

37

Conceptual Framework

38

CHAPTER 4: Research Methods

Research Design

40

Sources of Data

41

Data Collection and Gathering Techniques

42

Data-Analysis Technique

43

Scope and Limitations

44

CHAPTER 5: Presentation, Analysis and Interpretation of Data

Presentation
ABS-CBN

46

GMA 7

47

TV5

48

Programs Acquisition Department and Media Markets

49

MIPCOM, MIPTV, and Asian TV Forum

52

Koreanovelas

54

Audience

61

Koreanovelas VS Latinovelas

62

Koreanovelas and Latinovelas VS Filipino Dramas

63

Programming

63

Analysis and Interpretation

64

CHAPTER 6: Summary of Findings, Conclusions, and Recommendations

Summary of Findings

68

Conclusions

70

Recommendations

71

Bibliography

73

Appendices

77

CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

Rationale
Koreanovelas, the local term used in the Philippines to refer to South Korean
television dramas, were first introduced to the Philippines in 2003, when the first
Filipino-dubbed Korean drama, Bright Girl, was aired, but according to the Wenasadorra
of itsakworld.wordpress.com, it is Korean Yun Sook-ho's Endless Love (Autumn in My
Heart), that gained tremendous popularity in the country, which was aired in the same
year by GMA Network, one of the top multimedia broadcasting networks in the
Philippines. Endless Love (Autumn in My Heart) tells a story of love and tragedy, and it
became a hit amidst its being foreign and new, encompassing age, gender, and social
classes, with its audiences ranging from students to housewives to professionals. Since
then, there has been a continuous consumption of koreanovelas being aired by
multimedia broadcasting networks all over the archipelago. Koreanovelas became a
constant part of the programming, particularly during primetime, of local television
networks. Because of the strong and loyal following, koreanovelas could be aired until
late-night hours and still garner high ratings and viewership. Koreanovelas successfully
penetrated the television programming trends and have become a regular in the
household of every Filipinos (Tan, 2010). Its popularity in the country may be

considered as part of the so-called Hallyu phenomenon, or the rising popularity of South
Korean media products and materials, not only in Asia, but globally (Kwon, 2006).
This study considers koreanovelas as the catalyst of the Hallyu phenomenon in
the Philippines (aside from Korean1 music, which has also started becoming widely
popular to the Filipinos despite the language barrier and cultural differences). The
Filipinos have now developed a taste for the designs and styles that are original to
+Korean dramas, and because of this, local television networks have started creating
local adaptations of koreanovelas. Like the original Korean dramas, the remake
versions also garnered high viewership, and were received well by the Filipino
audiences. As of late 2012, the latest koreanovelas to be remade are Temptation of
Wife and Coffee Prince, aired during primetime by GMA 7. The original version of
Coffee Prince was also dubbed in Filipino and aired in 2008. Many koreanovelas have
also been locally remade such as Lovers in Paris, My Girl, Only You, and Green Rose,
all by ABS-CBN; On the other hand, GMA 7 remade My Name is Kim Sam Soon, All
About Eve, Full House, Endless Love (Autumn in My Heart), and Stairway to Heaven.
Koreanovelas made it possible to popularize the culture of South Korea to the
Filipinos. Because of the appeal of koreanovelas to the Filipinos, South Korean culture
started becoming attractive to most Filipinos as well, boosting further the Korean Wave.
Long gone were the days when Korean culture seemed so alien to the Filipinos. Many
Filipinos are now knowledgeable regarding Korean customaries and perhaps Korean
language as well, and some are even inclined into wearing their fashion and are into
Korean cuisine. In line with this, this study delves into how the globalization of Korean
1

The term Korea in this study refers to South Korea

culture, particularly through the popularity of koreanovelas in the Philippines, influences

the Filipino society through the local television programming. It also looks into the
relevance of Korean dramas to the life of the Filipinos, and how the said dramas
became so well-liked and widely accepted to the Filipinos that the local broadcasting
networks began remaking koreanovelas. To further understand how the Hallyu
phenomenon started in the country, this study focuses on the step that initially opened
the countrys doors to the Korean invasion: the acquisition of Korean dramas.

Statement of the Problem

Despite the continuous popularity of koreanovelas in the Philippines, academic
studies regarding this phenomenon within the country are still lacking, particularly
studies that focus on the how these koreanovelas are acquired and imported into the
country by local television networks, and how the acquisition itself has turned into a
continuous practice. It has become a very popular trend that the local television
programming regularly consists of koreanovelas after koreanovelas, even locallyremade versions, which can be considered as proof that koreanovelas started the
Hallyu phenomenon in the country. This study aims to answer the question:
How does the Hallyu phenomenon, through the acquisition of koreanovelas, affect the
local television programming and practices?
In view of this, the researchers also aim to determine the answers to the following
questions:

1.) How does the Hallyu phenomenon affect the preferences of the audiences in
television programming?
2.) What does the airing of koreanovelas in everyday TV programming imply about the
Philippine society?
3.) What is the role of the koreanovelas with regard to hegemony of South Korea, its
culture, and its economic products in the Philippines?

Objectives
Ever since 2003, there has been a continuous influx of Korean dramas being
imported in the country. More and more koreanovelas are being aired by the biggest
broadcasting networks in the Philippines, some even being remade within the Filipino
context. It is apparent that the Hallyu phenomenon is still taking the country by storm, as
seen through the number of koreanovelas aired, not only during primetime but also
throughout the day. Korean music has also started becoming popular with the Filipinos,
although not at the same degree with Korean dramas. The Korean Wave undoubtedly
changed the landscape of the local media industry. With this, the researchers aim to:
1.) Explore Korean influence in Philippine TV programming, viewing patterns, and
preference
2.) Present the similarities and differences between Korean dramas and local soap
operas

3.) Explain how the globalization of Korean culture and Hallyu, particularly in
koreanovelas, affect or influence the Filipinos

Significance
The Hallyu trend continues to be present in the Philippine society, and there are
still no visible signs of it coming to an end. This study further delves into the significance
of the continuous growing number of imported koreanovelas in the local television
programming. The information gathered will be useful for the Philippine media industry
itself. The insights presented here will be valuable to the industry, particularly to the
local television networks that continue to franchise and acquire koreanovelas, and
remake the said dramas later on. This would be of great help to the media industry for it
would provide insights on the implications of the continuous acquisition of koreanovelas.
The academe will also benefit from this study. Since there are not many studies
done regarding the role of koreanovelas in perpetuating the globalization of the Korean
culture in the Philippines, this will be a great help in providing useful information.
Though there have been some studies about the Hallyu phenomenon and the popularity
of koreanovelas in the country in general, the academe lacks intensive researches
about the practice of television networks in acquiring koreanovelas regularly and the
implications of such. This will help the future researchers become fully aware of the
impact of these Korean dramas in the Philippines and to the lives of the Filipinos, most
especially now that Korean Pop can be considered a worldwide trend.

The study may also provide a better understanding regarding the current tastes
of the Filipino audiences when it comes to koreanovelas, specifically with regards to the
adaptation of Korean culture and customs as shown in the dramas. This may also be a
guide to future local networks or producers to provide the audience with quality shows
that suit their preference. With this, the study may also be of help in exploring the trends
in the changes in the viewers' taste brought about by the exposure to global media
products which may also, in return, improve the local producers' showcase of programs.
In addition, many people do not know how Korean dramas are acquired by local
TV networks, and how the whole acquisition process works. It is therefore important to
share how koreanovelas are imported into the country, and who decides what
koreanovelas are to be aired, so that the people may have an idea how such acquisition
process can have a big impact in the lives of the people and in the society in general.

Definition of Terms
Acquisitions process of buying and airing media products from other countries or
regions which are to be aired locally
Airing public exposure through television and radio
Audience participating group of people in a communication process
Cultural endemics certain ways which are prevalent but restricted in a defined ethnic,
geographic, or political entity

10

Cultural proximity a concept which emphasizes on the greater possibility of reception

of people toward media originating from their culture
Cultural transfer the process wherein a society transfers from one definite cultural
orientation to another
Diaspora - movement, migration, or spread of people away from their established
homeland (Merriam-Webster, 2012)
Globalization the development of an increasingly integrated international economy
marked specifically by free trade, free flow of capital, and the tapping of cheaper foreign
labor markets (Merriam-Webster, 2012)
Hallyu a term coined by Chinese to refer to the media products manufactured by
South Korea and enjoying popular worldwide acceptance and success
Hegemony sociocultural, ideological or economic preponderance without the use of
aggression or force; soft-power
Koreanovelas South Korean soap operas that are aired in the Philippines
Latinovelas Latin American soap operas that are aired in the Philippines
Media market an international gathering of broadcast networks, media producers and
outfits wherein they promote and sell their media products
Phenomenon an object or aspect known through the senses rather than by thought or
intuition (Merriam Webster, 2012)

11

CHAPTER 2

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES

Hallyu Phenomenon
Hallyu, the term used to refer to the so-called Korean Wave, refers to the
enormous popularity and consumption of South Korean media and pop culture
materials, including but not limited to music, television dramas, fashion, and movies and
films, to other Asian markets (Tan, 2010). Also referred to as the K-Pop invasion, the
Korean Wave first started in the late 90s in the neighboring countries of South Korea,
particularly Japan, China and Taiwan, then later on to Singapore and Vietnam. The
Hallyu phenomenon didnt reach the Philippines until 2003, when GMA 7, a local
broadcasting station in the Philippines, acquired and introduced a Korean television
drama entitled, Endless Love (Autumn in My Heart), the first Korean drama to gain
immense popularity, dubbed n Filipino language, and aired on national television during
the evening timeslot, in the primetime block of their Philippine television programming.
The term Hallyu was first introduced by China to describe the Korean
entertainment boom in China. This has become the cultural phenomenon of South
Korea sweeping through other Asian countries. South Korean dramas, pop music, and
their stars are at the center of this wave. The culture industry grew rapidly ever since
this became popular in the 1990s. The growth of Hallyu contributed to the economic
12

transformation of South Korea. According to Korean Times (December 22, 2005), there
is an increase in the number of tourists going to the country to visit locations shown in
Korean dramas. In Asia, Korean dramas have become a way to put a break on the flow
of cultural globalization from the West to East and from North to South (Iwabuchi, 2002).
The regional concentration of cultural product exports is evident not only films but also
in broadcasting and performances. Hallyu has also continued to add to the popularity of
Korean food, fashion, and ultimately Korea itself (Kim & Ryoo, 2007).
The Korean wave is the significantly increased popularity of South Korean culture
around the world. According to one source, the Korean wave moved forward to diverse
parts of Asia, including Southeast and Central Asia, and therefore this wave reached an
active penetration stage in the years 2000 through 2002 (Hyejung, 2007, p. 6).
Although each had a slightly different outlook, every country in Asia had a common
reaction toward the Korean wave at first. This is because each country has a different
ethos, and based on this, its audience decodes and responds to cultural products in
different ways (Kim, 2007, p. 24). Accordingly, Korean cultural products, particularly the
Korean dramas, have become a catalyst for curiosity about Korean culture and Korea
itself and as an important bridge for different countries to encounter Korean culture.
The appeal of Korean pop culture to Asians is especially meaningful for the
Korean government since the countrys national image has not always been positive in
neighboring countries (Doobo, 2006, p. 6). Due to trendy entertainers, new technology,
and the image of contemporary South Korean lives through dramas and movies,
negative images associate with South Korea such as the Korean War, cycles of poverty,
and political instability have diminished dramatically (Lee, 2007, p. 29).
13

Korea has been exporting TV drama series, movies, Korean pop music, and
online games to other Asian countries including Southeast Asia. This exportation of
media has made Korea popular in almost all of Asia. This cultural movement, the
Korean Wave or Hallyu, includes media content, relevant services, and commodities
that have gained popularity in Asian market. The Korean Wave has overtly influenced
both the economic performance of Korean TV and film content providers (Chua, 2004;
Jin, 2007; Kaori & Lee, 2007; Shim, 2006) as well as the volume of foreign content
consumed among Asian audiences (Kim, J. M., 2007; Lin &Tong, 2008; Shim, 2006;
Thussu, 2007; Tunstall, 2008).
The Korean Wave did not only reach as far as other Asian countries, but has
also reached South America and the Middle East since the mid-2000s. Despite the
unique cultural characteristics of Korean media, it was able to resonate to other Asian
audiences in other countries. In addition, this Korean TV programming spreading to
Asia supplements insufficient TV content in other Asian local television stations (Chua,
2004; Iwabuchi, 2007, 2008a). In particular, the Korean TV stations and government
have become active agents in selling Korean medias popular genres, relevant
entertaining commodities, and service packages (Chua, 2004; Jin, 2006; Ryoo, 2009).
Korea considers the popularity of their media as a successful event in their history
which came unexpectedly and has increased not only media flow, but also economic
and cultural exchange among other countries. As Cho (2005) states, [As Koreans,]
weve never had this experience of seeing our culture spread outside our country. Im
very proud but also very cautious. (p. 174) Korean TV series, though gaining popularity
by the minute, is still different compared to Western TV series. It was able to gain
14

popularity by the use of its original themes, styles, and concepts. The popularity may be
regarded by the fact that Korean TV drama series promotes Asian intra-regional
content.
Korean broadcast media has hegemonic power to produce mainstream voices
and great immediacy to spread public discourse (Cho, 2005). Korean media appears to
be presenting public agenda which contributes to certain Korean drama series being
perceived as a social institution which influences public opinion (Cho, 2005).
According to Featherstoe (1995) and Turner (1994), as cited in Kim and Ryoo
(2007), Hallyu and other cultures gained popularity because they represented
something similar to the culture or traditions of a region or country, and that
globalization tends to increase internationalism and globality, which replaced the
foreignness of events beyond the West. Conditions of modernity of a locale, according
to Giddens (1990), as mentioned by Kim and Ryoo (2007), are shaped in terms of the
social influences distant from them. On the other hand, due to the compressed nature,
people may find it hard to shed their traditional values and mores, but because of hybrid
nature, the culture of these Asian nations has been fused together. Instead of creating
conflict, Asians found a way on how to embrace other countries culture (Kim & Ryoo,
2007).
In a study, Rhoo (2007) wrote, Regional cultural affinities also help explain this
phenomenon in the sense that the success of the Korean wave is closely related to the
ability of South Korean culture and media to translate Western or American culture to fit
Asian taste. He also added that, Western popular cultural artifacts will not likely

15

succeed because of a certain non-negotiable cultural heterogeneity. Much more readily

relatable and accepted to Asian audiences, South Korean popular culture may function
as an effective bridge or buffer between the West and Asia because of the cultural
affinity between South Korean and the neighboring countries in the region (Ryoo, 2007,
p. 145). South Korean television shows and movies portray themes that Asian
audiences can relate to more easily than those of Western entertainment because
Korean dramas typically deal with family issues, love and filial piety in an age of
changing technology, and often rein- forces traditional values of Confucianism (Ryoo,
2007, p. 140).
The Korean government, encouraged by the surge of popularity of Korean pop
culture that spread all across Asia designated Korea Heraldreferring to the
technology that helps turning the culture, including both cultural heritage and mass
media- mediated culture, into commoditiesas one of the six key technologies that
should drive Korean economy (Doobo, 2006, p. 13). As a result, the government
created the Korean Culture and Content Agency (KOCCA) in 2001 under the Ministry of
Culture and Tourism with an annual budget of $90 million (Kim, 2007, p. 89).
Cultural products that are similar to the local audience are what attract them
compared to the unfamiliar ones, and it is not surprising that Korean TV dramas, and
other Korean media materials, succeeded so well because Asian people feel closer to
Korean culture than to the Western. Because of cultural familiarity, as well as having a
similar appearance, Korean entertainers appeal to Asian audiences as a result (Lee,
2007, p. 56).

16

The growth and impact of the Korean wave far exceeded expectations by
influencing the whole of Asia which was initially a merely cultural phenomenon to a
specific region. Based simply on the recent trends in the media, it is still too early to
predict the future of the Korean wave. As Park (2006) puts it, the Korean wave has
crossed many boundaries (e.g., territorial, political, cultural, theoretical) and is in the
process of constructing new kinds of relations across borders.

Globalization, Hegemony & Cultural Transfer

Globalization is referred to as the process and context of the world becoming
integrated. The development in communications technology is considered as one of the
strongest driving forces of globalization. With its availability, accessibility, and speed,
the transnational circulation of media has been easier. Media migration alarms the
locals as it poses the disappearance of local media. However, media migration
reconfigures and re-articulates the local media as it penetrates different nations.
Moreover, media migrations become more accessible as local audiences practice
subtitling, distribution, and content curation. As a result, it is increasingly the processes
of circulation, in addition to sites of production and consumption, which radically shape
the movement and meaning of media as it travels globally (Li, 2006).
Globalization does not only concern the migration of media, but moreover, it
concerns the dimension of culture. It is suggested that globalization is a significant
factor in cultural migration as media content contains cultural and political views. Media
migration, which is a representation of cultural identity, is very crucial in influencing the
17

culture of the nations it penetrates. One of the main concerns of understanding

globalization is to answer the question of whether which representations, subjectivities,
and imaginations are produced. It is vital to identify whose cultural materials are being
transmitted and what institutions are in control in transmitting those materials. This boils
down to the big nations who are in control of transnational corporations and global
capitalism. One of the leading nations is the United States of America which is a
homogenizing and imperializing force.
One of the most visible dynamics of re-localization is the process of
appropriating transnational cultural materials and formats for local purposes, a process
that far from encouraging a more culturally homogenized world has instead given birth
to new cultural meanings at the site of production and consumption (Iwabuchi, 2004).
This indigenization or localization of foreign materials is practiced across Asia. Asian
countries are known to absorb Western media and culture through the localization of
materials by translation and adaptation.
Globalization discourse roughly has three strains. Globalization, in the first
approach, is viewed as an outgrowth of cultural imperialism following the New World
Information and Communication Order (NWICO) discussions of the 1970s. Forces of
globalization are usually American, and they subjugate weaker, national/ cultural
identities according to this approach (Chadha & Kavoori, 2000; Morley & Robins, 1995).
Globalization is understood as an outcome of the workings of the project of modernity in
the second view (Giddens, 1991). According to Tomlinson (1991), it is the spread of the
culture of modernity itself. This is a discourse of historical change, of development, of
a global movement towards . . . capitalism. Discourses that identify cultural hybridity
18

and investigate power relations between periphery and centre from the perspective of
postcolonial criticism are what comprise the third approach (Kraidy, 2002; Shome &
Hegde, 2002). Local peoples are encouraged in globalization to redicover the local that
they have neglected or forgotten in their drive towards Western-imposed modernization
during the past decades (Featherstone, 1993; Robertson, 1995).
According to Kim and Ryoo (2007), Globalization is a dialectical process that can
homogenize and diversify culture. Instead of losing ones sense of place, globalization
has helped in highlighting the importance of local culture. They defined that Culture
always has been a weapon of the powerful. This can be used to gain legitimacy and to
manifest powered hierarchy. And because of this, cultural hybridization takes place
(Wallterstein, 1991, as cited in Kim & Ryoo, 2007).The shows and works from Asia,
Latin America and Hollywood are just more of a hybridization of various cultures. It
could be neither East nor West, and at the same time both East and West (Jenkins,
2004, as cited in Kim & Ryoo, 2007). The universal access to media by the individuals
with different backgrounds has democratized imagination, made into a daily activity of
the public rather than one restricted to artistic elites.
Globalization is a force encompassing both homogenization and hybridization at
the same time. New potentials and energies have been unleashed by the deregulation
and liberalization of Asian television which point to a future where cultural diversity and
specificity will play an important role in the globalization of media and the transnational
process. The comparative advantage of regional programs based on cultural similarities
and intimacy is adequately explained by the cultural proximity claimed by Straubhaar.
Cultural proximity goes beyond language and includes such elements as dress,
19

nonverbal communication, humor, religion, music, and narrative style (Sinclair, 1996).
The general tendency of audience preferences for indigenous programs by regional
centers of television programming is what the cultural proximity explores. It tends to be
based upon the assumption that regardless of the differences of historical contexts or
cultural formations, the existence of some essential cultural similarities automatically
encourages the audience to be attracted to media texts of culturally proximate regions
(Iwabuchi, 2001). Cultural proximity, for an emerging center of media regionalization,
such as Asia, needs to go through the recent intra-regional trade within their region
because the Asian audience shares a unique cultural identity.
Globalization is often understood to mean a situation in which U.S. cultural
products dominate global markets is the media or cultural globalization which is
characterized by Americanization, CocaColonization, or McDonaldization of global
culture (Ritzer, 2002). East Asian media markets recently developed an opportunity to
revisit and challenge the common assumption of media globalization. The country that
used to be considered a backwater in terms of popular cultural production and
international exchanges, which is Korea, plays an important role in the media
regionalization in East Asia (Segers, 2000). Culture is such as is not stagnant but
continuously flowing, and the intrinsic attribute of cultural flow is hybridization according
to the view of postcolonial criticism. Although globalization has only proceeded with
striking intensity in recent years, it has already taken place throughout history. The
cultural imperialism school sees the global (or, sender side), by emphasizing it in the
communication processes, as having direct influence on the local (receiver side)
(Chadha & Kavoori, 2000; Schiller, 1992).
20

International communication research has been characterized by the sterile

dichotomy between the cultural imperialism school and an active audience school. The
latter argues that media content does not have direct, unmediated impact on the
audience, for the audience actively interprets, negotiates, and resists media messages
(Morley, 1992). Each school is obsessed with the question of in whose interest culture
is produced and consumed, without embracing the question of how the global and
local interact in this polarity between the global (media) and the local (audiences)
(Kraidy, 2002).
As the global increasingly penetrates the local, less and less of the latter will
remain free of global influences. That which does will be relegated to the peripheries
and interstices of the local community. The bulk of that which remains is much better
described as glocal than local. In community after community, the real struggle is
between the more purely global versus the glocal. One absolutely crucial implication of
this is that it is increasingly difficult to find anything in the world untouched by
globalization. Ironically, then, the hope for those opposed to globalization, especially the
globalization of nothing, seems to lie in an alternative form of globalization-glocalization.
This is hardly a stirring hope as far as most opponents of globalization are concerned,
but it is the most realistic and viable one available (Ritzer, 2003). Popular culture is one
of the privileged topics for discussion and analysis of globalization (Barnerjee, 2002).
Global circulation and consumption of films, fashion, pop music, and television
programs empirically change local and/or regional forms of culture and sensibility
(Ching, 2000; Iwabuchi, 2002). In this sense, popular culture is a major vehicle
advancing the process of cultural globalization (Yoshimoto, 2003).
21

There have been signs of media globalization in Asia, referring to the increasing
intra-regional flow of Asian programming and exchanges of expertise and resources
within the region beginning in the 1990s (Chadha & Kavoori, 2000). Because of the
Hallyu boom in Asia had triggered the industrialization that was very compressed and
was able to produce new global cultural dynamics (Iwabuchi, 2002, as cited in Kim &
Ryoo, 2007). One of the theories that could best describe Hallyu is the theory of
Globalization. This involves cross border flow of cultural products and recent
globalization in Southeast Asia. This Hallyu could be grouped in three categories: the
political-economic, the cultural and the social. The first approach tells that the sudden
boom of Korean pop culture in Asia takes a neo-liberalism prevalent after the fall of the
communist bloc in the late 80s. It is stated that a major contributor to the cultural flow
from Korea to the other Asian countries. Many countries in Asia have opened up their
markets due to the pressures from the super powers and other foreign organizations. As
a result, the cultural products are not the only things that are shared but also it lead to a
much heavier investments (Shim, 2006; Kim, 2009, as cited in Yang, 2012). Yang
(2012) stated that one third of East Asian population, the people who watch Korean
dramas, may be dubbed as Hallyu fans. Hallyu seems to be most widespread in China,
followed by Taiwan and Japan. The common factors that turned out to be the most
important is the social proximity and others are globalism-nationalism and modernitytradition. Females are more attracted to Korean popular culture than the male. Societal
levels of development or modernization seem to have audience who are middle-aged
women who are attracted to Korean culture products most probably because of the

22

nostalgia, not because they represent the latest fashion or the advanced style. Fans in
Taiwan seem to find cultural commonality between the two countries.
It could be said that the Hallyu may not be wholly traditional or uniquely
Korean it could be a product of hybridity. And so it spreads to the other parts of the
world, Europe and America. Its flow clearly represents a case of alternative globalization
from the periphery to the center, and that marks the new phase in the recent history of
globalization (Yang, 2012).
The improvement in the competitiveness of local media and cultural industries
was gradually seen as the best defense against Western media bombardment and the
pressures of opening the market (Yeap, 1994). The so called Information Age which is
the reality of a knowledge-based economy awakened the Asian economies (whose
strengths lay in producing information hardware that included TV sets and computers)
to the need to develop information software as well, including all kinds of digital content
and entertainment programming. It was through government-economy sector
collaboration with manufacturing industries in the past where they had developed their
national economies. Again, East Asian countries applied this formula to the
media/cultural sector. Above all else, the media sector that made the most successful
transformations and development have been made in Korea. It was suggested that as a
national strategic industry, the government should encourage media production (Shim,
2004). Agreeing to the suggestion, the Korean government soon devised plans to
promote the film industry. To facilitate the financing of film production, the new law
introduced the Film Promotion Fund. It eased many rules and regulations governing film
exports and co-production with foreign companies (Kim, 2005). The government
23

decided to offer tax breaks as support for film production in order to entice the local big
business conglomerates, or jae-beol (chaebol), into the cinema industry. The Korean
cinema industry made every effort to learn from Hollywoodmore rigorous planning
before actual shooting, emphasis on marketing, Hollywood-style plots, etc. The influx of
capital into the cinema industry has facilitated not only actual film production but also an
increase in audience consumption. The Kim Dae-Jung administration (1998-2003)
launched the policy of a government that would support, but not interfere with, cultural
industries. Since then, the government support of the cinema industry has never
flagged. To refer to the enthusiastic consumption of various cultural commodities and
forms from Korea, including pop music, TV dramas, films, fashion, food, and hairstyles,
the term Korean Wave was coined in these East Asian countries. The establishment of
international film festivals sustained the efforts to promote Korean cinema in the global
film circuit.
Remake or adaptation is the initial stage of Asian cultural exchange in film
production. On one hand, co-production is the more advance form of cultural exchange
as it utilizes production sites and creative labor from each other, lessens the financial
burden, and increases films appeal in the regional market.

Transnational film

companies based in Hollywood have used international co-production in order to

globalize their business. Hollywood studios make movies with foreign viewers in mind
as they earn more and more revenue outside of the United States. More partnerships in
film production with foreign studios are created, poaching talented directors and popular
stars from other countries. Furthermore, it increases their films overseas appeal. Those

24

transnational film companies can enjoy lower labor costs and looser union regulations in
developing countries with runaway productions, (Miller et al., 2001).
Believing the increasing circulation of East Asian cultural products, governments
in East Asia welcome the regional co-productions. These cultural products that are
supposed to have cultural proximity to one another and a common value system would
reduce the ideological and political concerns that may arise from the Western
programming imports (Chadha & Kavoori, 2000).
East Asian countries opened their national media markets when media
liberalization swept the world in the 1990s. As explained by conventional media
globalization theories, the short supply of domestic programming initially provided more
revenue opportunities to the U.S. producers. This situation, however, brought about a
backlash and eventually awakened East Asian countries to a renewed concept of
American cultural imperialism. Governments in the region developed local and regional
media industries, and became less worried about importing other East Asian media
content. The Korean government has made every effort to develop and internationalize
its cultural industries. Conclusively, the vitality of local media evidenced in the success
of Korean popular culture and the rising efforts for pan-Asian cinema productions
demonstrates the coexistence of local power, regionalization and globalization in East
Asian popular culture. The Korean cinema has responded to the sensibilities of
contemporary Koreans and achieved commercial success by mixing indigenous cultural
elements with foreign forms and styles. Like their own domestic audiences, newgeneration Korean directors have been deeply influenced by Westernparticularly
Americanand

Japanese

popular

cultures,
25

while

also

being

responsive

to

contemporary domestic changes and trends. They have constructed hybrid cultural
forms that are accessible to their fellow national audiences due to their creative mimicry
and appropriation of foreign cultural practices and styles. These hybrid cultural
productions provide an important means for their self-definition, a self-definition that not
only distances itself from a xenophobic and moralizing adherence to local cultural
tradition but also poses a challenge to Western cultural hegemony (Shim & Shin,
2004).
According to Chen (2000), Korea is emerging as what he calls a sub-Empire,
enjoying the historical juncture of media liberalization in Asia starting in the 1990s.
Korean struggle for cultural diversity in the face of a possible erosion of their cultural
particularity has been examined in this article. Cultural hybridization, in the process, has
occurred as local cultural agents and actors interact and negotiate with global forms,
using them as resources through which Koreans construct their own cultural spaces.
Globalization, particularly in the realm of popular culture, breeds a creative form of
hybridization that works towards sustaining local identities in the global context.
What the audience consider most important in their construction of pleasure from
media consumption is if they can identify themselves with what they see. Hong Kongbased film critic Law has the view that Korean popular cultures success arises from its
ability to touch the right chord of Asian sentiments, such as family values (Chon, 2001).
Clearly, the development of Korean media industries and their advance into regional
markets is a sign of resilience of the subaltern and of the contamination of the
imperial, considering the context of decades-long American domination of global
cultural industries.
26

Korean Dramas
Japan, China, Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines have one thing in
common: they cannot get enough of Korean dramas. Viewers around the world have
enjoyed the Latin American shows for so many years. But unlike its rivals, Latin novelas
have a distinct ending (Forrester, 2005). With the entry of Korean dramas, a new
approach has been introduced, and the world has taken interest in it. In 1996, Korean
TV programs began to be exported. The main countries importing Korean programs
have been the neighboring Asian countries such as China, Japan, and Taiwan. Later
on, Korean TV programs also started being exported to other continents beyond Asia.
There are two environmental changes related to the recent Asian media markets: First,
many Asian countries competitively adopted the new media systems, such as cable TV
and satellite TV, in the national dimension. Second, the price of Japanese media
contents in the Asian region was steeply increased by its popularity. In terms of
economic concerns in many Asian countries, Korean television programs are much
more competitive than Japanese programs.
South Korea has become a popular television program exporter in East Asian
countries. Korean television drama series increasingly attracted many Asian countries,
including South Asia. Korean television contents have been exported to East Asian
countries since the late 1990s, including TV series, pop music, and movies. The most
popular content among them in East Asian media markets is television dramas referred
to as trendy drama in Korea. The boom of Korean TV dramas in Asia means that a

27

craze for Korean popular culture has spread across East Asian audiences, South Asia,
and now the rest of the world.
Presented in Korean dramas are the understandable present social environment
or individual life, the similarity of the young generation, the value of family, and a
developed capitalism without excessive consumerism. East Asian audiences regard the
images or feelings provided by Korean TV dramas as tapping into their past nostalgia,
their present mirror-image, and their accessible future. In this sense, East Asian
audiences proximity to Korean TV dramas, as distinct from other Western programs, is
an assumed reasonable consensus and shares emotional solidarity regarding
contemporary Asian life. Korean trendy dramas depict youths lives in urban settings
that include youths love- stories and complex relationships surrounding their real world.
In Korean trendy dramas, there are family relationships, friendships, and youths desires
of successful lives as well as love triangles and love affairs. Korean dramas attract more
audience interest because they involve viewers in the more reasonably dramatized
reality. This feature allows Korean dramas to successfully reach to broader ranges of
viewer groups (Heo, 2002; Iwabuchi, 2004; Lee, 2004). According to Potipan and
Worrawutteerakul, Asian countries adapted Korean cultural goods like TV dramas,
movies, and music because Korean entertainment products are perceived to have
better quality than home country products. There are also similarity in culture and
tradition. People from neighboring countries are able to perceive the plot that usually
plays with Asian lifestyle and rituals.
Korean government is very supportive of South Korean entertainment. The
Korean entertainment industry serves as one of the tools to use in the nation branding
28

strategy. South Korea used different strategies like nation branding and culture as main
tools to promote their country and its image. Nation branding, as defined by the
scholars, is a special area of a place of branding. It also focuses on using various
marketing communication techniques and applying it with branding in order to promote
the nation image to other countries (Szond, 2008, as cited in Potipan and
Worrawutteerakul, n.d.).
The popularity of Korean dramas also reached the Philippines. The country has
always been a frequent consumer of foreign media content, from music down to
commercial advertisements. Having been colonized for almost four centuries by Spain,
and later on by United States of America, the country has been referred to as A Small
West in Asia. Because of this, the Philippines has always been fascinated with
Telenovelas and Hollywood-made media content. Prior to the onset of koreanovelas,
the term used in referring to Korean dramas aired in the Philippines, the country was
already familiar to foreign shows and soap operas, particularly to Telenovelas, or
television dramas coming from Latin America, most specifically Mexico and Argentina.
The arrival of koreanovelas brought many changes in the local television programming,
and after the success of Endless Love, aired by GMA 7, ABS-CBN, the competing
television station, began airing koreanovelas as well. koreanovelas then started
dominating the primetime spot in television programming. The airing of Endless Love
brought South Korea to the center of attention of the country, and it wasnt long until the
Philippines became so endeared to anything Korean. Today, koreanovelas enjoy high
ratings from loyal Filipino viewers and hold high spot in the primetime. Focusing on this,
cultural proximity, as explained by Straubhaar (1991), states that media productions
29

from culturally close countries have greater reception that materials from culturally far
countries, may be related to the Hallyu phenomenon in the Philippines (Kwon, 2006).
The phenomenon called the Korean Wave, or Hallyu, is no longer breaking news.
It has already become a product of the emerging global culture, proliferation, and viral
popularity. Many Asian countries have taken interest in the Korean pop culture. By the
time the Korean drama had reached the Philippines, these Korean shows were already
creating boom in the US with $37.5 million worth of earning (Shim, 2006). Studies show
that Hallyu affects both the cultural ideas of the recipients of the products as well as
their habits (Shim, 2006; Kwon, 2006). With these kinds of effect, more people go and
visit South Korea to personally feel the Korean atmosphere.

Globalization, Koreanovelas and the Philippines

Cultural globalization may be referred to as the emergence of a specific set of
values and beliefs that are largely shared around the planet (Castells, 2009). This may
be closely related to how the Korean Wave largely influences the cultures of different
countries, specifically the ones which are in close proximity. But before culture
globalization rose, the term was originally derived from a broader concept which is
globalization. According to Held and McGrew (2002), globalization denotes the
expanding scale, growing magnitude, speeding up and deepening impact of
transcontinental flows and patterns of social interaction. In the case of the Hallyu
phenomenon, Korean media and products are largely distributed to different countries,

30

especially in the Philippines, which in turn influence the cultures and beliefs of the other
nations.
Held and McGrew (1999) presented a framework which viewed globalization in
three different perspectives --- hyperglobalists, skeptics, and transformationalists.
Hyperglobalists view globalization as a threat to the nation as a state as global
marketplace comes to rule. This view is applicable to how koreanovelas invade our
media. They have come to rule the primetime slots and music hit charts, sending
original Filipino music and television shows down the line. Hyperglobalists believe that
globalization denationalizes economies as global markets transcend state control
resulting in a loss of autonomy and sovereignty for the state (Held & MCGrew, 1999).
Although the emergence of koreanovelas has not gone into such big scale yet, it
somehow contributes to the denationalization of the Philippines by how it influences
Filipinos preference and beliefs. The skeptics on the other hand believe that
globalization is nothing but a myth. Skeptics view globalization as just a heightened
level of economic interdependences. Lastly, transformationalists view globalization as a
combination of the former two. In a transformationalists point of view, globalization has
structural consequences and is a driving force in society which influences political,
social, and economic change. It is also viewed as a representation of a dialectical
process, which can both integrate and fragment, creating both winners and losers (Held
& McGrew, 1999). This framework can be used to analyze the Hallyu phenomenon in
the Philippines and how it becomes a driving force in the countrys economy and
culture.

31

There are five scapes which influence culture, according to Appudarai, 1990,
1996). These are to ensure cultural diversity in the midst of globalization. These
scapes

are

ethnoscapes,

technoscapes,

financescapes,

mediascapes,

and

ideoscapes. Ethnoscapes refer to the flow of people, particularly the tourists and
immigrants. This flow may be drawn from how much Koreanovelas influence people in
liking the setting they see in different media. Technoscapes refer to the influence of
globalization in technological developments. It may also refer to the applications and
designs which are influenced because of globalization. Financescapes refer to the
movement of money and flow of currency which is brought about by globalization.
Mediascapes refer to the influence in mass media and images of characters and
personalities in media. Lastly, ideoscapes refer to the images in political and ideological
aspects. These scapes are drawn from the fact that globalization affects more than one
aspect of a nations life. The distribution of media and products from abroad largely
affects the cultural, economic, and political life of a nation.
The Hallyu phenomenon is considered to break up space and time by
transmitting messages through electronic media. It has been transmitting television
series, music, movies, and even trends to the Philippine industries. This phenomenon
can be closely related to Marshall McLuhans theory that the medium is the message.
According to McLuhan, there can be no globalization if it werent for media and
communications. The transmission of media and culture across Asia, and even the
world, can be linked to another phenomenon which is cultural imperialism. Cultural
imperialism can be viewed as globalization which results to homogenization of culture.
The Hallyu phenomenon is not just a simple transmission of media, but a symbolic
32

means of control. According to another model, which is the Uses and Gratifications
Model, the audiences respond to media to fulfill their needs, a purpose which may differ
from the producers purpose. The producers purpose may include domination in cultural
trends and profit-driven goal. Also, the successful penetration of the Hallyu
phenomenon in the Philippine industry is a proof that its ideals are a dominant culture.
Koreanovelas are the best way to attract audience with its place, culture, and
personalities. According to Griffin (2002), as audience members move in and out of
these imagine communities, they are given socio-cultural messages about place, status,
and the disjuncture between such imagine worlds and realities of life. The mere act of
consumption represents a convergence of global and cultural processes (Griffin, 2002).
The acquisition of koreanovelas is a proof that there is capitalism in the industry which
affects audiences in different degrees. It is not surprising to learn that koreanovelas are
a hit in the Philippines because according to World Values Survey, national and regional
identities still remain far stronger than a cosmopolitan identity. Filipinos will still prefer to
watch Philippine-made products or those from other Asian countries than the ones from
the Western countries. It gives a feeling of similarity and familiarity. According to the
same survey, US media only have the most transportability across cultural boundaries,
but are not the most popular programs. The worlds people spend very much more time
with their own media than with imported media (Tunstall, 2008).
Cultural proximity, as defined by researchers and experts, is the theoretical
contract which states that people are inclined toward media from their own culture.
According to Straubhaar, it is the tendency to prefer media products from ones own
culture or the most similar possible culture (2003). This theoretical contract is used to
33

explain how local and foreign media appeal to its audience. Moreover, cultural proximity
is evident when there is parallelism in media content and viewers. The media content
and viewers must share a similar space in cultural linguistic or geolinguistic
(Cunningham, Jacka, & Sinclair, 1999; Straubhaar, 2003). People would rather see a
film made in their own idiom than one with subtitle or even one that is dubbed (De Sola
Pool, 1997).
The phenomenon of Korean Wave or Hallyu in the Philippines is a manifestation
of how Filipinos are affected by cultural proximity. Filipinos seem to be inclined towards
familiar themes in Korean TV series which include family relations, romantic
relationships, and romantic comedy. This familiarity with themes and genres is called
genre proximity. Genre proximity draws its viewers to be hooked in watching a television
series. Moreover, there is cultural capital which shows similarity based on cultural
elements. Hallyu has successfully penetrated the culture of another Asian country which
is the Philippines. Cultural proximity is also viewed to be rooted from the notions of
imperialism. Studies suggest that it is a triumph of rich countries in migrating their ideas,
beliefs, and patterns to poor countries, or those which are inferior. This concept may
explain why koreanovelas shoot up the ratings of TV networks in the Philippines.
Filipino viewers are inclined to an ideal society which is projected in koreanovelas.
Filipino viewers tend to see koreanovelas as a representation of a higher class society
that Filipinos aspire.
Princess Hours, Lovers in Paris, and Boys Over Flowers are just some of the
examples of the koreanovelas that became a hit in the Philippines. These Korean
programs enjoyed immense popularity from its Filipino audience from all ages, sexes,
34

and social classes. Gone are the days when the Korean culture was considered alien to
Filipinos. Most Filipinos nowadays can easily name some Korean artists, and Korean
songs. Some would also tend to imitate their fashion, and even speak their language
(Kwon, 2006). With the help of various forms of media, the diverse cultures have the
chance to coexist with together. This would create new manners of experience and
meaning for all kinds of people. And as a result, media and cultural studies abound, and
are fast picking up on topics like global culture and identity, convergence and hybridity
(Flew, 2007). This has also become another topic of interest of the countries in different
parts of the globe (Shim, 2006; Kim, 2007).
According to the study of Ana Tan (2010) of the University of the Philippines,
Korean dramas, when translated and dubbed in Filipino, make it something of a hybrid
version of the Korean dramas, which the Filipino viewers patronize. It is presented in
her study that the process of adaptation involves changing a source text, which is in the
verbal language or source language, into a target text, which is in the new verbal
language or target language. The use of the language of the viewers has two-fold
effects. One, the viewers will be able to understand what the character is trying to imply.
Second, it has the context in which the viewers find a deeper connection with the
characters. It is also stated there that Filipino recreated the Korean characters as
Filipinos by altering their manner of speech. Since the Filipino language is similar to that
of Spanish, they have to be more aggressive, emphatic, and sarcastic in their delivery.
With this kind of alteration, these Korean dramas have become more relatable to the
Filipino audience on the level of both understanding and personal appreciation. She
stated that when Korean dramas are brought to the Philippines, they already carry
35

meaning assigned to them by their readers. But these meanings are still different to that
of the Filipinos since the languages used by the two countries are very different. They
had to renegotiate the meanings of the texts. Language remains to be the greatest
factor in understanding the text. Tan (2010) also mentioned that translated koreanovela
texts adapt Filipino cultural elements through the process of rewriting, which is
commonly referred to as translation. This is the time when directors and even writers
make changes to the linguistic, visual, and extra-textual elements of the original Korean
dramas so that it may produce a series that is similar to the local dramas in form and so
that it may be relatable to the local audiences. This contributes to the idea that it could
turn into the consistent high ratings and large fan bases of koreanovelas. Tan also
mentioned that the commercial culture of the Philippine television industry plays a part
in the kind of culture that is ultimately conveyed in koreanovelas. It is through this that
Filipinos are able to relate so closely to koreanovelas.

36

CHAPTER 3

FRAMEWORK OF THE STUDY

Theoretical Framework

Globalization is the spreading of social relations around the globe (Mann, 2001).
Globalization is defined in many ways and used as the context or angle in many
problems or issues concerning the modern worlds social researches. It is a major idea
that gives people the ability to think of the possibility of having a standardized cultural
norm. In this study, globalization is not just a mere lens of thinking, but it is the main
idea from which this study revolves around.
37

The idea of globalization is used in the study as the main factor that helps in
perpetuating hegemony. Hegemony can be described as influencing a society using soft
power, or without the use of force (Hopper, 2007). Cultural proximity and cultural
transfer are then considered as factors that promote the exercise of hegemony. With
globalization, cultures can be easily transferred to other cultures, and they are being
assimilated through the collaboration of the glocalized media products. Cultural
proximity explains that acceptance of foreign contents is attributed to the likeliness of
culture of societies that are geographically close to one another. As a result, the first
thing that the audience sees about the media product is not its foreignness, but the
familiarity present in the media products that have undergone the process of
assimilation.
Conceptual Framework

38

In this study, Globalization, koreanovelas, and the Pinoy Audience seem the
most essential of the concepts. It is through globalization that televisions open to other
options in programming which is primarily motivated on the broadcast of locally
produced shows. Hallyu is considered as a manifestation of globalization. The term
Hallyu did not even come from the Koreans, rather, it is a term coined by Chinese
another race which exercises supreme hegemony due to its large diaspora communities
around the world and its large globally-competitive industry in its mainland. Hallyu has
become a global phenomenon due to its wide audience share (Korean diaspora), the
faster information transfer in the present standards (internet and social media), and the
likeability of the media products (under the Hallyu category). It has become
internationally widespread, made possible by the contemporary multimedia and social
networking, but mostly through televisions (in this study), because it has the most
prevalent and effective practice of hegemony over its audiences. Koreanovelas are the
most annexing form of Hallyu in the Philippine context, which is possibly even more
affected by the cultural proximity with the Koreans, the Filipinos assimilative character,
and also the broadcast networks hunger for ratings. The Hallyu was able to penetrate
the Filipino audience through the koreanovelas.
In this framework, the Filipino audiences are affected by the Hallyu phenomenon
with effects brought about by the cultural proximity and cultural transfer factors. The TV
Networks mission to gain more ratings pushes their way to the media market for
acquisitions. Sometimes, they are directing themselves to the producers.

39

CHAPTER 4

RESEARCH METHODS

Research Design
According to Dr. Kenneth Harling (2002) from Wilfrid Laurier University of
Ontario, Canada, a case study delves into a contemporary phenomenon within its
natural setting. It is considered as mostly a qualitative research, though some make use
of quantitative methods in this kind of research. A case study is a research design that
uses and employs methodical ways in explaining an observable fact within the context
of real life. This research, a case study, employs the qualitative method in exploring the
Hallyu phenomenon in the context of koreanovelas in the local television programming.
The study aims to provide a thorough explanation of the continuous practice of
Philippine television broadcasting networks of acquiring and buying Korean dramas,
and the effects brought about by the trend in the kind of programming the networks
provide their audiences. This study is descriptive and exploratory in nature, since the
lenses are turned on how the continuous consumption of koreanovelas affect the
Filipino audiences, and if the said phenomenon signifies the possibility that the
Philippines is strongly affected by the globalization of South Korea and its media and
cultural products.

40

Sources of Data
With this being a case study, the sources of information consist mainly of detailed
data with rich content regarding the topic at hand. The researchers gathered data
regarding Hallyu phenomenon, the communication theories that were used in this study
such as globalization, and other relevant facts, from previously existing academic
studies like theses, dissertations, and literary sources. The essential and important
information regarding the process of acquisition of koreanovelas by TV Networks and
the Philippine television programming practices were mainly gathered data through indepth interviews with key persons who are very knowledgeable about the said topics.
Since ABS-CBN and GMA 7 (and TV5) are among the top local television networks in
the country, they are chosen by the researchers to be the main and primary source of
information, through the key persons, who are as follow:

Wilma V. Galvante Entertainment Head of TV5; former Senior Vice President

for Entertainment for GMA Network Inc.; the one who conceptualized the
phenomenal singing contest, Ang Bagong Kampeon in RPN 9, the personality
search Starstruck in GMA 7, and Artista Academy in TV5.

Rachel Simon Acquisitions Manager of ABS-CBN; MA in Development

Communication in University of the Philippines Diliman; former Marketing
Specialist for Cable Box Office Shows and Systems; former Channel Officer for
Dream Satellite TV.

41

Aside from that, a certified fan of Korean dramas also shared her insights regarding
the influence of K-pop in her life as a Filipino, and how the said influences affect her
behavior toward Korean culture. This helped the researchers gain more insights
regarding the audience perception and viewing preference.

Sheila Balunso A koreanovela fan. She is third year student from the
Faculty of Arts and Letters of the University of Santo Tomas, majoring in
Sociology. She started watching Korean dramas in 2006, at age twelve. Since
then, she became enthusiastic about koreanovelas, and has developed an
inclination toward South Korea and its culture.

Data Collection and Gathering Techniques

The researchers made use of three different data-gathering techniques:

Key-informant interviews Important data and information are collected through

interviewing key persons who have deep knowledge regarding the topic. Since
the study delves into the process of acquisition of koreanovelas, the researchers
deemed it fit to interview key persons such as TV Networks programs acquisition
heads. A koreanovela fanatic was also involved in the data-gathering process of
this study. The informant is dedicated supporting Korean dramas, and has also
developed a fascination about Korean culture.

42

Archival research and studies The researchers also resorted to the use of
previous dissertations and theses to further understand the Hallyu phenomenon,
or the so-called Korean Wave. The information and data gathered are based on
the published works of other researchers such as Yan Zhou from the Shandong
Jianzhu University, Mirza Jan from Gomal University, Montira Tada-amnuaychai
from Chulalongkorn University of Thailand, Thao Emilie Do from Turku University
of Applied Sciences, Doobo Shim from National University of Singapore, and
others. The theses and dissertations used to collect data involve topics about the
hallyu phenomenon, history of Korean pop culture, globalization, cultural transfer
and proximity, and background on koreanovelas in the Philippines, and other
relevant subjects.

Data-Analysis Technique
The study made use of the qualitative technique by conducting interviews
among key persons who are knowledgeable about the Hallyu phenomenon in Philippine
television, and also among those who are into K-Pop, particularly avid viewers of
koreanovelas in the Philippines. This is to present an understanding on how the hallyu
phenomenon affects the viewing and viewership of koreanovelas in the Philippine
television industry. This will also present the factors which motivate television networks
in continually airing koreanovelas in the Philippines. This study is supported
by testimonies of key persons in the television industry in the Philippines, and other

43

relevant facts from previously existing studies like theses, dissertations, and literary
sources.

INTERVIEWS
WITH KEY
PEOPLE

THESIS

LITERARY
SOURCES

Scope and Limitations

Despite the aim of the researchers to provide as many information and
insights as possible regarding the Hallyu phenomenon in the Philippines, this study's
focus is limited to the television media channel, ABS-CBN, GMA 7, and TV5 in
particular, and is not extended to other platforms such as radio, print, or internet. The
main focus of the study is also limited in the sense that it covered only the time period
from the official arrival of koreanovelas in the country to the present, and did not extend
prior to that, which might have added insights about Hallyu. This study tries to explore
the possible implications of the globalization of Korean culture and products through
koreanovelas, especially to the culture of the Filipinos, but fails to study further its
effects in the economic and political aspect, and is centered in the Philippine context.

44

The knowledge gained regarding the processes involved in the acquisition of Korean
dramas could also have been limited in a way that only information and data provided
by key persons, through the interviews conducted, were used in this study.

45

CHAPTER 5

PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS, AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA

Presentation of Data
ABS-CBN
ABS-CBN or Alto Broadcasting System-Chronicle Broadcasting Network is a
Philippine-based multi-media conglomerate. It is the countrys largest integrated media
and entertainment company. It was founded on June 13, 1946, becoming Asias first
commercial television broadcaster. At that time, Manila Broadcasting was the giant
Philippine network with DZRH as the top station. James Lindenberg partnered with the
brother of the former president, Elpidio Quirino, Antonio Quirino, to try television
broadcasting. Although they only had small amount of money, they were able to put up
ABS, and had imported 300 television sets. The very first full-blown broadcast took
place in a party at Tony Quirinos home. That broadcasting channel was known as
DZAQ-TV Channel 3. On September 24, 1956, the Chronicle Broadcasting Network
(CBN) was organized by Don Eugenio Lopez. The following year, he was able to
acquire ABS from Quirino and Lindenberg. It was only in 1967 that the corporate name
was changed to ABS-CBN. Don Eugenios son, Geny Lopez saw the potential of TV to
reach the massive audience across the whole country. In 1960s, the ABS network
became the leading radio industry, and started featuring numerous journalists. By that

46

time, the network was able to produce shows that became huge hit. It was the first
network in the Philippines, and in Southeast Asia, to start the color broadcasts, making
it the most advanced facility of its kind in Asia. However, the network suffered a setback
when it was taken by the government during the time of Martial Law. Geny Lopez, the
owner, was imprisoned and held in trial for five years. The station was returned to the
Lopezes after the People Power Revolution, and was then rebuilt.

ABS-CBN enjoys high ratings, and it now offers high quality shows to its
audience, not only in the Philippines, but also abroad. The station is currently headed
and managed by Eugenio Gabby Lopez III as the Chairman of the Board, with Charo
Santos-Concio as its fifth president. SkyCable, the number one cable service provider,
is also owned by ABS-CBN. It also owns Star Cinema, which produces films and
movies. The station is now located at Sgt. Esguerra Avenue, Mother Ignacia Street,
Diliman, Quezon City. For the Filipinos abroad, they can now watch ABS-CBN shows
through The Filipino Channel (TFC). The most recent service that they offer is iWantTV.
Through internet, people can watch the episodes that they missed. ABS-CBN also
manages nine other cable TV channels, which also provide news and entertainment
programs, and target different niche market.

GMA 7
GMA Network, Inc is one of the leading broadcasting companies in the
Philippines. It was founded by Robert La Rue Stewart in 1950 as Republic Broadcasting
System (RBS). It first went on-air in 1950, and DZBB was the first radio station to use

47

phone patch for live interview. It ventured into television in 1961 and began
broadcasting in Channel 7. When the country was placed under Martial Law, Stewart
was forced to let Felipe Gozon, Menardo Jimenez, and Gilberto Duavit took over the
network and renamed it to GMA-7. Through this acquisition, the network was able to
broadcast in color. It was able to produce remarkable shows like Uncle Bobs Lucky
Seven Club, Dance Time with Chito, and Lovingly Yours. After Martial Law, the station
was restored to some of its original owners. GMAs goal in 1990s was to reach
audience internationally. Through the Rainbow satellite, GMA 7 was able to air shows
not just in Asia, but also in America. GMA Films was also launched in 1998, and has
been producing films since then.

GMA also owns media-related businesses like film production, record publishing
and distribution, program acquisition, audio-visual production, and new media. GMA is
the only Philippine Media Company to have won the Peabody Awards for excellence in
Journalism (2000 and 2010). To better reach out to millions of Filipinos across the
globe, they created GMA Pinoy TV, Life TV, and News TV International. GMA is
currently under the management of Atty. Felipe Gozon, the Chairman of the Board.

TV5
TV5, formerly known as ABC 5, is a major Filipino commercial television based in
Novaliches, Quezon City. It is headed by business tycoon, Manuel Pangilinan, who also
owns the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT). It was first supervised
by Chino Roces, owner of the Manila Times. He then founded the Associated

48

Broadcasting Corporation, its first studios located along Roxas Boulevard. ABC started
operating radio and television services in the year 1960 until it was forcibly shut down
during the Martial Law period. After the People Power Revolution, Chino Roces made a
successful representation with former President Corazon Aquino for the restoration of
the network. ABC inaugurated its new studio and began test broadcasts in 1992. Fidel
Ramos, under Republic Act 7831, granted the rights to operate, and in the same year, it
went on nationwide satellite broadcasting. Tina Monzon-Palma served as the Chief
Operating Officer, and with her, ABC earned the reputation, The Fastest Growing
Network. The network began producing local versions of foreign shows like, The Price
is Right and Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. In 2003, ABC was acquired by Antonio
Tonyboy Cojuangco Jr., former chairman of PLDT. The new campaign, Iba Tayo!
emphasized the new lineup of the network, and as more distinct and new compared to
their competitors. Cojuangco announced its partnership with MPB Primedia Inc, a local
company backed by Media Prima Berhad of Malaysia as part of the long-term strategy
to make the network more competitive. However, Christopher Sy, the CEO of MPB
Primedia, resigned due to differences in management style. ABC signed off in 2008 but
aired a countdown to its re-launch under its new name, TV5. Media Prima announced
that it divested its share in TV5 and sold it to Manny Pangilinan. Since then, TV5 has
become a household name.

Programs Acquisition Department and Media Markets

Television networks have a Programs Acquisition Department which is

composed of members who are in charge of acquiring and purchasing foreign television
49

programs from media markets. The Programs Acquisition Department basically chooses
shows which will air in a television network. According to Kristine Gabriel from the
Programs Acquisition Department of ABS-CBN, programs are acquired through keen
analysis of the global content trends, with the presumption that it will provide variety,
new experience, and affinity among local audiences. Moreover, Gabriel said that the
division plays a vital role in addressing the need for a balanced program mix of genres
and content through its acquisition of compelling dramas, entertaining movies, thrilling
formats, and engaging animations.

For TV Networks such as ABS-CBN and GMA 7, it is important to know what is

out there, and what programs and shows are available. According to Rachel Simon,
there are three considerations in acquisition, namely, competitors, local landscape, and
trends outside. Keeping up with the global trends in television program is essential, and
one way of doing so is by acquiring shows and programs from other countries. Through
this, the networks not only get to participate together with the whole global media
industry, but it also helps local networks learn from foreign broadcasting companies.
Programs can be acquired by going directly to the producers of the shows themselves,
and making deals with them. In the case of acquiring Korean dramas, it is usually done
through media markets. Media markets are where programs are sold and bought by
broadcasters, and are usually held in conventions both local and abroad.
Representatives from the Programs Acquisition Department of television networks join
and bid in media markets to buy rights over programs. It is a popular practice to dub in
local language acquired programs for the purpose of better understanding and larger
audience scope, especially of non-English programs. Also through the media market,
50

not only do local networks acquire foreign programs, but they also get to showcase the
works of the Philippine television and media industry, which are also up for acquisition.
Media market generally serves as the event where broadcasting companies from all
over the world meet to see what other companies offer, and to show others what they
have to offer themselves.

Programs start at a very affordable price in media markets until it gains

popularity. Television networks usually buy seven titles or even more to have a broad
list of choices of which could gain and sustain audience reception. Television networks
usually have two to three years of rights over the program before it is brought back to
the media market for bidding and selling. The yardstick of television networks in
determining what programs to air are new viewers. It is important to note that viewers
age every year and their preferences differ depending on age bracket. Other television
networks consider engaging in media markets as an experiment to test what kinds of
programs might be a hit to local audiences. According to Wilma Galvante, They
(audience) dont know what they want until they see it. Rachel, on the other hand, said
that they (Programs Acquisition Department) also check Asian sites and press releases
to inform themselves about what is wanted by the audience.

Koreanovelas have been acquired by television networks since 2003, GMA being
the first network to air a show entitled Endless Love: Autumn in My Heart which became
popular in the country. Koreanovelas provide original soundtracks when sold in media
markets making it more appealable to audience because of it sets a new trend. Also,
television networks consider original soundtracks as souvenirs. The top reasons why

51

television networks buy koreanovelas are one, it trends in the media market; and two,
there has been a wave of Asianovela in the Philippines. Asianovelas started when ABSCBN aired a Taiwanese television series entitled Meteor Garden. It has gained and
sustained Filipinos interest in other Asian media products. The rise of Meteor Garden
was followed by the series of Endless Love in GMA.

MIPCOM, MIPTV and Asian TV Forum

Media Markets are where programs are traded by broadcasting companies all
over the world. Each broadcasting company across the globe sends representatives to
buy the rights over the chosen programs. This is where they find new programs to
acquire, in different formats and genre. Networks also use this opportunity to find
possible partners, learn more about the media industry, and understand the trends.
MIPCOM and MIPTV are anticipated events in the media and broadcasting industry.
The MIPCOM community is a gathering of different broadcasting networks all over the
world to choose the potential shows that will be aired in their respective countries. Some
of the known companies to participate in the these events are Warner Bros., CBS
Studios International, 20th Century Fox, Disney, HBO and Sony Pictures Television,
and other famous international networks. Europe also has participants, together with
America. Countries from the Asia Pacific also join these events, for it provides
opportunities to learn about new programs that are available in the media market.
African and Middle East networks also participate and buy shows in this media market.
Drama, Fiction and Scripted Formats are the usual formats bought by the companies.

52

The next highest genres being bought are Documentaries and Factual, Kids & Teens,
and Non-scripted Entertainment. There are over 1,200 participants in Asia and 460 of
them are considered buyers. This includes South Korea and the Philippines. Some of
the Korean networks that participate in the media market trade include here are KBS
Media, SBS, and Arirang, while Philippines has ABS-CBN and GMA. These gigantic
networks of both countries negotiate and talk about the possible programs that could be
sold and bought.
Asian TV Forum is a media event organized by Reed Exhibitions held in
Singapore. This is where TV program distributors, film distributor, etc., gathers from all
over the globe to open their latest media products in the market. It is a platform to buy,
sell, distribute and even co-produce. This is where some of the most famous
koreanovelas were sold and are still sold, like the internationally-successful drama,
Jewel in the Palace. This is annually attended by the biggest networks, not only in
Asia, but worldwide. The Philippines participates in this event, as well as South Korea,
and continues to be the platform of acquisitions and showcase of media products.

53

The television outputs in the Philippines are managed by the broadcasting

network moguls and the networks decide on what to produce and what to air. In
opposite to the trend in Korea wherein independent media production outputs can
create their own programs and sell the airing rights to the Korean broadcast media
network afterwards, Filipino audience, in this context, cannot create what they want to
see, but rather, simply choose.
The Filipino audiences are reached by the koreanovelas through the local
television stations (dominated by the Philippines Big Three ABS-CBN, GMA, and
TV5). In consonance, the local soap opera produced by local media are produced with
parallel distinctions with the locally-aired Korean media products. These processes are
being practiced, occurring, and perhaps, evolving in a certain media market wherein the
broadcasting companies of each geographical region sell the airing rights of their
programs to other regions. This globalized system is inspired by the concepts of cultural
transfer, cultural proximity, and the hegemony of globalization per se.

Koreanovelas
It all started with the Jenny and Johnny love story. The tragic but heartwarming
story of Endless Love (Autumn in My Heart) that brought tears to the eyes of the
Filipinos and caught their romantic hearts started the so-called Hallyu phenomenon in
the Philippines. It was in 2003 when GMA 7 aired the first ever Korean drama to be
shown in Philippine TV. It was an attempt to rival the outstanding popularity of Meteor
Garden, a Taiwanese drama that was aied the same year by another giant in Philippine
54

TV, the ABS-CBN channel. Meteor Garden was acquired by ABS-CBN after hearing
news about how it was all the rage in Hong Kong. The race for Asianovelas was then
opened, but it was Endless Love (Autumn in My Heart) that started the Korean fever in
the country.
According to Wilma Galvante, who was then with GMA 7 when the Korean Wave
started in the country, the acquisition of koreanovelas was the result of an effort to
provide the audience something new that they might like. In simple terms, it was an
intelligent experimentation. With the sudden boom of Endless Love, ABS-CBN, on the
other hand, acquired Lovers in Paris, the networks first koreanovela. Just like Endless
Love, Lovers in Paris became a hit as well. According to Rachel Simon of ABS-CBN,
acquisition of foreign programs is recognition of the trends outside, and koreanovelas
can be considered as a window to the world. However, in the end, acquisition is still
business. The cost of acquiring koreanovelas should not outweigh the cost of local
production, because advertising-wise, local productions post more opportunities and
prospects for the network to earn.
Koreanovelas are said to be more distinct, with strong characters from whom the
story was built around. Usually, koreanovelas are short (lasting only around twenty
hours), having only few characters, with definite endings, and are complemented with
the right merchandising. In choosing programs to acquire, they must have good values
like love and respect for family, and Korean dramas are strongly equipped with such.
The key to having the desired balance in koreanovelas, as shared by Rachel Simon, is
by having a female scriptwriter, and a male director. Through this technique, emotions
transcend in the drama, balanced with the well-positioned lens of man.
55

Koreanovelas are usually more watched by the female population, ages 20 to 40.
The biggest watching population is during primetime, where koreanovelas are usually
placed. According to Rachel Simon, koreanovelas affirm values and uplift the human
spirit. The core story of Korean dramas always, and will always, revolve around
romance. For Rachel Simon, there is a 60-70% guaranteed rating if a Korean drama
has a good story, good-looking actors, shows positive values, and has strong
characterization.
There are three core elements in koreanovelas: romantic thrill, rising from the
ashes, and success and triumphs. These make koreanovelas very appealing to
Filipinos, because Filipinos like dramas that replicate real life with pain and suffering,
jealousy and deceit, but also give hope, and the give the audience the romance and
love story that they always look for. Koreanovelas are complete package. They have all
the necessary elements, and are inspirational, entertaining, and provides escapism after
a long days hardwork.
AIRED
ABS-CBN

AIRING

UPCOMING
1. A Thousand

1. A Love to Kill

1. You're Still The One

2. Boys Over Flowers

3. Cinderella's Sister

2. A Gentleman's
Dignity

2. Great Doctor

4. City Hunter

3. Rooftop Prince

3. Can't Lose

Days' Promise

5. Dream High

4. Protect the Boss

6. Equator Man

5. Glory Jane

7. First Love

6. Thorn Birds

8. Forbidden Love

7. Love Rain

9. Four Sisters

8. To The Beautiful

10. Green Rose

You

11. Heartstrings

9. I Miss You

12. Helena's Promise

13. He's Beautiful

10. Ooh La La

14. I Am Legend

Couple

56

15. Lovers
16. Lovers in Paris
17. Marry Me, Mary!
18. Marrying a Millionaire
19. Memories in Bali
20. My Fair Lady
21. My Girl
22. My Girlfriend is a
Gumiho
23. My Princess
24. Oh Feel Young
25. Only You
26. Perfect Match
27. Princess Lulu
28. Princess Hours
29. Promise
30. Pure Love
31. Save the Last Dance
for Me
32. Secret Love:
Sungkyunkwan
Scandal
33. Something About 1%
34. Spring Day
35. Endless Love: Spring
Waltz
36. Stained Glass
37. Sunshine of Love
38. Rooftop Prince
39. Three Brothers
40. Two Wives
41. Three Dads with One
Mommy
42. The Truth
43. Wedding
44. Which Star Are You
From
45. Wonderful Life

GMA 7

1. 18 vs. 29

1. Smile, DongHae

2. All About Eve

2. The Princess' Man

57

1. The Greatest
Love

3. All For Love

2. Tamra

4. Attic Cat

3. Big

5. A Rosy Life

4. Queen & I

6. A Second Proposal

5. Padam Padam

7. Be Strong, Geum
Soon!

6. The Innocent
Man

8. Beautiful Days

7. Arang and the

9. Big Thing

Magistrate

10. Bright Girl

8.

11. Cinderella Man

My Husband Got
a Family

12. Chil Princesses

13. Chuno: The Slave
Hunters
14. Coffee Prince
15. Come Back, Soon Ae
16. Couple or Trouble
17. Cruel Love
18. Dal-Ja's Spring
19. Dating Now
20. Devil Beside Me
21. Dong Yi
22. East of Eden
23. Endless Love: Autumn
in my Heart
24. Endless Love: Winter
Sonata
25. Endless Love:
Summer Scent
26. Friends
27. First Love of a Royal
Prince
28. Frog Prince
29. Foxy Lady
30. Full House
31. Funny Wild Girl
32. Game About Love
33. Glass Shoes
34. Good Luck
35. Gourmet
36. Guardian Angel
37. Hello, My Lady

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38. Hotelier
39. House Husband
40. Hwang Jini
41. Into the Sun
42. Irene
43. IRIS
44. Jewel in the Palace
45. Jumong
46. Last Romance
47. Le Robe de Mariage
48. Lee San: The Wind of
The Palace
49. Lie To Me
50. Love in Heaven
51. Love Letter
52. Love Story in Harvard
53. Love Truly
54. Money War
55. My 19 Year Old Sisterin-Law
56. My Husband's Woman
57. My Love Cindy
58. My Name is Kim Sam
Soon
59. My Strange Family
60. On Air
61. One Million Roses
62. Queen Seon Deok
63. Romance
64. Sad Love Song
65. Sassy Girl: ChunHyang
66. Sakurano
67. Secret Garden
68. Shining Inheritance
69. Snow Angel
70. Snow White, Sweet
Love
71. Stairway to Heaven
72. Starry Starry Night
73. Sweet 18

59

74. Sweet Spy

75. Temptation of Wife
76. The Baker King
77. The Legend
78. Wanted: Perfect
Family
79. Witch Yoo Hee
80. Yellow Handkerchief

TV5

1. Black and White

2. Cheer up on Love
3. Don't Cry, My Love
4. Fireworks
5. First Wives' Club
6. Flames of Desire
7. Glass Castle
8. Good Wife, Bad Wife
9. Golden Bride
10. Hero
11. High Kick!
12. Likeable or Not
13. Love You a Thousand
Times
14. My Wife is a
Superwoman
15. Oh Su Jung vs. Karl
16. Pink Lipstick
17. Runaway
18. Smile Honey
19. Time Between Dog
and Wolf
20. What's For Dinner?
21. White Tower

As shown in the table above, there have been a total of one hundred forty-six
(146) Korean dramas aired in the country by three local networks namely, ABS-CBN
(45), GMA 7 (80), and TV5 (21)---all free channels. This means that from 2003 to 2012,
more than fourteen koreanovelas were aired each year. On the average, at least one
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koreanovela airs each month. There are five koreanovelas currently airing in GMA 7
and ABS-CBN simultaneously. As of now, there are eighteen koreanovelas ready to be
aired this 2013 by both channels.

Audience
Since 2003, many Filipinos have developed a liking for koreanovelas, and later
on South Korea itself and its culture. Shiela Balunso shared that as a koreanovela fan,
she has developed a strong fascination for the country of South Korea, and its culture.
Having been a fan since 2006, she stated that because of koreanovelas, she learned
about South Korea, and now practices Korean habits such as bowing the head to others
as a form of respect. She also admitted that she now eats kimchi, a very popular
Korean dish. Koreanovelas have good production value, and the Filipinos like that about
them. According to Rachel Simon, MA of ABS-CBN, one of the impact of the popularity
of koreanovelas in the country when it comes to the audience is that the Filipino
audience developed a good sense of what a quality show with good production value is
and now thirsts for the same when it comes to shows produced locally. Korean dramas
are very well-packaged and are of high quality when it comes to the technical aspects of
the show. Most of the koreanovelas, if not all, are made in high quality materials.
According to Sheila Balunso, though good-looking actors encourage her to watch the
dramas, she explained that the story must still hook her and capture her interest,
otherwise, she stops watching the drama even if Lee Min-Ho is the lead actor. As a
Filipino audience, Sheila Balunso looks for the same quality that she sees in
koreanovelas in Filipino shows, which she admitted as lacking in the sense that the
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stories are somewhat clich, unlike in Korean dramas that have interesting twists and
good endings, though not necessarily with happy endings, as some Korean dramas
ended with the protagonists dying, as in the case of Endless Love. Wilma Galvante
explained that the audience likes koreanovelas because Korean dramas provide the
audience well-packaged shows with good musical score, scenery, strong characters,
arresting story or plot that includes love and romance, and values that Filipinos always
want present.

Koreanovelas VS Latinovelas
Before koreanovelas, there were Latinovelas2. Latinovelas, or more popularly
known in the Philippines as telenovelas, are soap operas and dramas coming from Latin
American countries, such as Mexico. These telenovelas, such as Marimar and
Rosalinda, became a hit in the country, and the Filipinos went crazy over these soap
operas.
Telenovelas, as compared to koreanovelas, are much longer, going for around
one hundred twenty hours or so. Telenovelas are considered to be more passionate
than koreanovelas. Each scene is filled with emotions and passionate in every angle.
Telenovelas usually have many characters, and accordingly, subplots. Filipino dramas
and soap operas can be considered as based on these Latinovelas.

Latinovelas and telenovelas are used interchangeably

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Koreanovelas and Latinovelas VS Filipino Dramas

Drama is the number one format in the television industry. For Filipinos,
primetime is considered to be the hour for dramas. According to Wilma Galvante, local
soap operas still have large fan base. Filipino dramas can be considered as between
koreanovelas and Latinovelas, lasting for about sixty hours. According to Ms. Rachel
Simon, Filipinos like gradual progression of the characters. It is necessary to present
local dramas in a linear setting so that the Filipino masses would be able to understand
the story, and that the establishment of background is important for the audience to get
around the characters and understand them, and the situations they are in. Ms. Rachel
Simon explained that Filipinos are discriminating when it comes to actors, and they want
good-looking actors to grace their TV screens. Because of that, Filipino dramas usually
star actors and actresses with face value to easily attract viewers. The same goes for
their preference regarding koreanovelas and Latinovelas. As compared to Latinovelas,
Filipino dramas are considered to be lighter in feel, although generally, they are also
filled with intense emotions. On the other hand, as compared to koreanovelas, local
dramas seem to be heavy, as Korean dramas are very light in approach. Filipino
dramas can then be considered as the balance between Koreanovelas and Latinovelas.

Programming
Koreanovelas, indeed, have become a part of a typical Filipino household.
Korean dramas are being aired on TV every day, from morning to afternoon to
primetime. However, both GMA 7 and ABS-CBN acknowledged that the programming

63

still has to have local shows, because Filipinos will always love Filipino dramas. Korean
dramas just delivers a different viewing experience to the audience from their usual fix
to provide variety, and an all-Korean lineup will not work for the Filipino audience, but
ultimately, the key to reaching out to the audience successfully is right timing.

Analysis and Interpretation of Data

Our findings have included that the general factors considered by Filipino
television networks in the acquisition of globally competitive Hallyu materials are the
good production value, duration, the romantic content, the good packaging and
merchandising, the balance in gender empowerment, and the kin-oriented approach of
the koreanovelas. Globalization is not cited.
With the presence of performing arts schools for every broadcast company in
South Korea, the honing of homegrown talents, writers, directors, and television
production people is easier and more effective. Also, the production of media products
are seen far away from halting since the industry is growing, and with the play of
globalization, the Koreans are getting more ideas to enliven their artistry. The written
literature combines with the excellent technical execution puts up a plausible television
production. Also, as acting evolved as a profession in Korea, the television production
becomes iconic emblems of their character and branding as a nation.
The romantic content of their contemporary literature is presented lighter
compared to that of the Latin soap operas because they wanted to present a different
atmosphere of calmness to their viewers. It is seemingly presented in a manner wherein
64

the audiences who are engrossed with their lives are not going to be occupied again by
the thoughts brought about by heavy drama which is iconized by the passionate
Latinos. Passion for Latinos. Calmness for Korea.
With South Korea being a key player in the global economic scene, it is expected
that the nation has improved in their patterns of promotions. They have been setting the
trend in other industries along with other East Asian, such as China and Japan, even
before the Hallyu phenomenon term was coined automotive, mobile technology,
computer among others. These maximized the potential of the entertainment industry of
Korea since the said industry mostly resides on acceptability. Since the Koreans are
also setting trends in global living conditions, they can easily set trends in the global
entertainment setup.
Gender empowerment and the family-oriented projection of the koreanovelas are
manifestations of the Asian ideals of long-standing values. It is emphasized that Asians
are very particular with their values, however, Korea, the Hallyu, in particular, has
captured a sphere of audience which sees the importance that Koreans have placed
into their productions. Thus, projecting the values and seeing these values as if they are
endemic to the Koreans.
All of the subjects are pertaining to the concept of globalization being the
instrument of Korean Hallyu to infiltrate the minds, the culture, the trend, and the living
patterns of the audience specifically, in this context of academic research, the
Filipinos. The Koreans treated globalization as a way of promoting their country and
their cultural endemics. Hegemony is not necessarily planned, however, due to the

65

growing responsiveness of the international audience to the Hallyu phenomenon, it

seems precedent that Korea planned such ascendancy in the entertainment industry.
The result which is the current stature of the Korean Hallyu phenomenon is a result of
the Koreans treatment of globalization and another important view on the concept of
globalization the Filipinos. Assimilative character of the Filipinos is evident in our
practices which are based from Hispanic and Western influxes. Filipinos view their
practice of assimilation as manifestation of cultural transfer for further development.
This is the Filipino view on globalization thus, the phenomenal Hallyu. However, this is
not the reason per se.
Based on the data gathered by the researchers through in-depth interviews with
key persons, it is shown that koreanovelas are acquired by Philippine TV networks not
only because it provides the audience a different viewing experience, but mostly
because the large following of koreanovelas give the networks high ratings, thus, more
opportunities to generate income. Prior this study, it is uncertain whether koreanovelas
are acquired because of the globalization or if globalization happens because
koreanovelas are acquired and aired locally. Simon emphasized that the koreanovela
acquisitions thread started after hearing about it abroad, and learning about how it was
starting to become popular worldwide. This led to the acquisition of koreanovelas. Thus,
the acquisition is an effect of globalization, and not the other way around. However, it
may be possible that the continuous acquisition of foreign materials, particularly Korean
dramas, further the globalization. With the world becoming more and more integrated,
more so because of internet and social media, it has now become easier to reach and
be reached by the outside world. Everything has become global.
66

Now, the Filipino audiences, the ones who felt a new entertainment experience in
the Hallyu phenomenon through the koreanovelas, are more eager in both search and
reception of new trends in television viewing.

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CHAPTER 6

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Summary of Findings
When the koreanovelas opened the door for the Hallyu phenomenon in the
Philippines, it brought about changes in the local media industry. The Philippine TV
industry then has just experienced the sensation that was Latinovelas, which can be
considered as not too different from the local shows. With the arrival of Korean dramas,
which then was a totally new experience for the Filipino audience, the local media
industry found a way to provide a different kind of entertainment for the audience. This
paved way for the local broadcasting networks to open up to new styles and concepts
when it comes to creating programs and dramas. From the lengthy soap operas that
usually last for years, they have adopted the way Korean dramas are made fastpaced. The Filipinos, though, moderated local dramas and balanced it between the
Latinovelas and koreanovelas (now lasting for about sixty hours). Korean dramas have
good production value and are of high quality, which the local industry tries to emulate,
in spite of its timeworn technological facilities for television production. The
koreanovelas became a new model for a developed Filipino production standards.
The Hallyu phenomenon indirectly affected the growth of Filipino taste in
television viewing. After the viewing experience they had with koreanovelas, which is
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considerably different from what they are used to, the Filipino audience now prefer wellpackaged shows that have good production value that shall suit their modern and
developing lifestyle thriving on a fast-paced system of life processes. This can mean
that the Filipinos are very assimilative and open to new trends brought by the Korean
soft influx, especially those which promote better ways of living in a contemporary,
modern, integrated, but culturally-related world. The exploration of Korean tradition
became an interesting topic for Filipinos since the Koreans have presented us, through
their television productions, a state-of-the-art, sophisticated, yet value-oriented way of
living.
The onset, surge, and continuous reception of Korean media products acquisition
is an effect of globalization. The onset of Korean media products started when the
Filipino broadcast networks purchased shows which were priced less-expensively by
the Korean producers in the media markets to try something new in the primetime
program block roster. The surge ensued as the audience enjoyed the new genre and
ratings occupied the Filipino capitalists in the broadcast industry. The continuous
reception is a result of growing scrupulosity of Koreans in their art of entertaining and
the thirst of Filipinos for new ways living both in the context of general culture and
television programming. In this setup, it is seen, and as affirmed by Wilma Galvante,
that Korea gains more than the Philippines in the context of entertainment industry.
Moreover, Korea sets a trend which originates from their innovativeness, artistry, and
evolved passion. Koreas hegemony over its Filipino audience was instigated by
koreanovelas but the whole Hallyu phenomenon which made Filipinos interested about
everything Korean was brought about by the rings in social media, internet, and Filipino
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corporations and organizations who bank on Korean media products and icons for
endorsement and promotional purposes such as Monde Nissin Lucky Me (Koreaninspired product offerings), Spring Films (Korean-descent Kimmy Dora as the lead
character in their hit first movie offering with the same name), Bench Clothing Line (Lee
Min Ho as prime endorser for this season) and the Philippine government (Psys
Gangnam Style as the theme of the Department of Healths Iwas-Paputok campaign)
among others. Koreanovelas promote Korea as a whole.

Conclusions
After rational deliberations of the findings, the researchers have come to
determine the following conclusions:
1. As explained by Rachel Simon, in spite of the Filipinos fondness of the
koreanovelas, Filipinos will still look for something which originates from their
own.
2. Entertainment industry is a great springboard for purposes of branding and
positioning of a nations cultural identity, as explained in the book of Stanley
Baran entitled, Introduction to Mass Communication: Media Literacy, and
Culture.
3. The television networks are occupied by the ratings since income generation is
the highest of each of the broadcast companys priority, as emphasized by key
interviewees, both media practittioners.
4. Screenplay and plotting is the core of all television dramas.

70

5. Globalization is a fundamental driving force for all the development and evolution
in the entertainment industry as proven by the emergence of international media
markets (Simon, 2012).
6. Koreanovelas serve as stimulation for movements in the Philippine entertainment
industry to develop the prevailing casual and outdated systems in media practice
and production.

The acquisitions process is wholesale risk-taking which necessitates good

product placement and considers right timing, present or potential relevance of the
show to target audience, and the reception of the target audience which is definitely
unpredictable.

Recommendations
In relation to the widely accepted Hallyu phenomenon in the Philippines which is
best manifested in the airing of acquired koreanovelas, this research suggests the
following recommendations which will be helpful to scholars of humanities and social
sciences (i.e. Advertising, Media Studies, Political Science, Diplomacy, Sociology, etc.)
to fully understand the process, the implications, and the future of media product
acquisitions in the Philippines.
The researchers suggest to the broadcast industry that:
1. An extensive study on the Filipino media products being acquired and aired in
different regions around the globe be done;
71

2. Extend the study regarding the Hallyu phenomenon on other media platforms
such as radio, internet, film, advertising, and others;
3. A further study on the practice of producing Hallyu-inspired Filipino media
products (local adaptations) which promote Filipino socio-cultural content;

To the future researchers/academe:

4. A study be done which includes the internal effects on South Korea when their
media products are being patronized by non-Korean audience since the study of
communication is two-way and the emphasis of this study is on the side of the
Filipinos;
5. A further study be done on the media market how it becomes politicized by the
dominant networks of each participating country or region, etc.; and
6. Conduct further research on the cultural effects of the Hallyu phenomenon as a
whole to the politico-economic conditions on the grass-root levels of the countries
where the Korean wave continues to surge.

72

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Appendices

Interview with Wilma Galvante

INTERVIEWERS: What motivated you, then, or the company, GMA, to import
Koreanovelas or adapt the Korean dramas?
WILMA GALVANTE: Like all networks, dapat may awareness of what's trending, what
has become popular. You do not confine yourself with what you just have. Otherwise,
maiiwanan ka. Actually, ang pinakauna talagang masyadong nag-trend ay yung Meteor
Garden, diba, that was like 2004. So, Taiwan siya, diba. Pero galing siya ng Taiwan,
hindi siya Korean-produced. So we are watching it, tapos meron nang wave of
Asianovela, kasama doon yung manga, yung ginagawa ng Taiwan, tapos gumagawa
yung Korea. And we strarted our research and we also go to markets. Alam mo yung
markets? Ito yung mga television markets where broadcasters from all over the world
gather to sell their products and other broadcasters, to buy products. Before the
Koreanovelas became popular, there were the telenovelas. Nandyan si Marimar, si
Rosalinda, Mexican yon, tapos merong.. basta Latino. Kasi factory talaga sila ng
telenovelas eh sa worldwide malaki rin naman talaga ang latino communities tapos they
sell these. So we were seeing, we were buying that kasi popular. So what do you do?
You buy it and then you dub it. Ang pinakauna nga noon si Marimar. Marimar aired on
Channel 9. When Channel 9 was no longer the Number 1 network, it was airing
something in the afternoon, where, nakakapagtaka kasi may rating sila. Why our
viewers flocking at this network at this particular time? Iyon pala yung Marimar. Even
Channel 9 didnt realize they have something in their hands na ang lakas-lakas.
So, kanila na yung Marimar - nag-pickup yun! That was the start. We also realize as
producers that your soap operas should not be that long. Kaya kasi naappreciate kasi
maikli eh. There's a definite ending. Before that, what did we have? Yung mga soaps
natin, very long ago, there was Flor de Luna, there was Mara Clara. Yung Mara Clara,
unang-una, limang taon na hinahanap pa rin nila yung diary, diba? Oo! So, hindi natin
alam, but we were already happy. Our viewers are already happy with that. We weren't
changing it, biglang nagkakaroon ng ganito. Aba, nagugustuhan ng audience. So,
nagkakaroon... syempre umaadapt tayo. Then we started also locally ng mga dramas
naman na may ganun kaya nagkakaroon na ng mga soaps. Andyan na yung Pangako
sa'yo, andyan na yung mga... Sana'y Ikaw na nga, ikaw lang ang mamahalin, mga
ganun. Naglaban-laban yan.. But soaps that were, 2002-2004, ganyan yan. And then,
suddenly may Meteor Garden. Meteor Garden, that they aired.. late night ba yan? After
ng school? Pero inair din nila later. Ganon. So, nagtetrending siya. And I guess the
Koreans are also quick on the pickup. And then they started producing their own. But
the way they produce it is also phenomenon kasi inaaral nila eh. Inaaral nila, diba.
77

Talagang formulated naman talaga ang soaps anywhere whether it is a koreanovela,

telenovela, an american soap.. yung soap.. yung genre ng drama series. formulated
yan. there's always characters around whom you build the drama, you build the love
story, the deceit, the conflicts, ganun. Ang koreanovela, it is distinct kasi kaunti lang sila.
Again, it is the telenovelas na laging nakasituate sa kanilang ranch, villa, mga hacienda
nila. Ang dami daming characters, diba, as against, siguro, meron ding India. Pag india
cast of thousands plaagi yan. Eto, iikot ang storya sa limang tao and then they give you
the scenery, and they give you the love story, and they give you the look that's very
modern, the look na simple, then they give you the music, yung score, it's a complete
package. very well-produced and people loved it. so, they started with that and then
they went into their epics. Kaya nagkaroon ng Jewel in the Palace, Jumong, Donghae,
SeonDeok. Jewel in the Palace is the most phenomenal kasi worldwide even in America
pinanood yan. So, bakit? Nagluluto lang sila, diba? Pero unique din naman ang food!
The way Koreans prepare their food, diba? Ang daming plato, ang daming sineserve na
mga ganyan mga bowls pero ang kaunti ng laman pagkatapos healthy siya and
merong.. complete food siya.. Simpleng simple. But the way they meticulously prepared
it, tapos nandun yung love story - competing for the love of the prince. Lagi! Pero get
something and revolve your story around that. Put a love story always, diba? So,may
selosan, may trayduran - competing for the love of the king tapos nilagyan na nila ng
"eto gagaling ang prinsipe dito". Ang ganda. And then the look. Napanood niyo yung
Jewel in the Palace diba? Ang laki ng tirintas nila sa ulo nila. There was a time lahat ng
mga babae sa China, sa Hongkong, ganun din yug look nila. So, nakakatrend sila. Now,
look at the simple love story. Yung mga hapon, nakita mo sila. Yan ang nagpauso ng
mga hikaw na chandelier. Little things and how do they grow that also. They
complement it with the right merchandising. So every soap has an OST. Original
Soundtrack na album na nakapackage na maganda. Kpag binuksan mong ganyan,
ayan na ang pictorial nila Lee Min Ho. Mga kalove story niya.. at may lyrics na ng kanta.
So binigay sa iyo. Yopu have a souvenir of the series tapos complete yun with
merchandising, mayroong mga bags. Ang ganda nila magpackage. We also do that
here, but, not in the scale na nagawa ng Korea kasi worldwide. Kapag pumupunta ka
ngayon sa market, imagine mo ang World Trade, isang malaking-malaking ganun - may
mga ganun. Tapos all broadcasters are there and you shop for titles. Ang mga booth ng
lahat ng mga studios at production outfits ng Korea, pila! Kahit tayo nakapila. Naguunahan tayo. Una, mura lang yan. Now, it will go up to hanggang $15,000 per hour. So
an hour of show is like 40-45 minutes of materials. It will cost you from $15,000-$20,000
per episode. So everyday...although hatiin mo yun kasi 30 minutes, pero i think nga
nandoon na yun eh 13,000 per 30 minutes. Ganun kamahal. Binibili. They started at
3000, 5000, 2000.
INTERVIEWERS: Since nabanggit niyo po kanina yung trending, nagstart po tayo with
78

Meteor Garden, parang noon po ba naisip niyo na kumuha.. I'm triyng to assume na
nilalabanan ng GMA yung Meteor Garden, so since galing po yun from Taiwan, kaya po
kayo kumuha sa Korea?
WILMA GALVANTE: Oo. Tsaka kaunti lang naman yung Taiwan eh. Kaya nandoon
yung ano, kaya nangyari yung sila Jenny, Winter in my Heart, tapos ayan na sina Kim
Sam Soon, Coffee Prince, at ayun binili na. Pero ang ABSCBN bumibili rin. Unahan
kami. Pag nasa ano na, we go straight tapos we deal there. We have a new title, eto.
And then, when they sell you, they sell you a title that's very strong, but for you to be
able to get this title you have to get five more that's not really very strong.
INTERVIEWERS: Mas magaling po kumuha ang 7 kumuha ng Koreanovelas?
WILMA GALVANTE: Siguro, kasi nakukuha yung mga epic. Unahan eh. Unahan din.
Unahan. Ibang klaseng bilihan yun eh.
INTERVIEWERS: Audience po. Sa audience, kumuha tayo ng show, ano po ang
nangyari sa FIlipino audience, aside from the litle details? Naapektuhan po ba nung
pagkuha natin ng Koreanovelas yung vieweing pattern ng Filipino audiences ng local
shows?
WILMA GALVANTE:It became part of your program grid.
INTERVIEWERS: Tapos nawala po ang mga Latin?
WILMA GALVANTE: Oo. Nalaos sila. Pero iikot yan! Baka bumalik sila. Ang huli nilang
ginawa ay yung nilocalize nga si Marimar, tapos nilocalize na si Rosalinda. Pero to air a
dubbed telenovela, hindi na.
INTERVIEWERS: Tapos nawala po ang mga Latin?
WILMA GALVANTE: Oo. Nalaos sila. Pero iikot yan! Baka bumalik sila. Ang huli nilang
ginawa ay yung nilocalize nga si Marimar, tapos nilocalize na si Rosalinda. Pero to air a
dubbed telenovela, hindi na.
INTERVIEWERS: What is the yardstick of reception?
WILMA GALVANTE: Basta popular na popular kasi may new viewers pa rin naman eh.
Laging may new viewers yan. Especially for animes and cartoons. Bat mo inuulit-ulit?
Lagi namang may bata. Yung 2 yr old ngayon, 3yo na siya. Laging ganun. HIndi
79

nawawala yung bata. Kaya magandang negosyo ang bata.

INTERVIEWERS: Sa Temptation of Wife, kasi una po siyang inair afternoon, tapos
bigla po siyang nagprimetime?
WILMA GALVANTE: It rated better in the afternoon. Noong inulit na hindi na masyado.
tsaka kumita ka na ng doble doon. Yung Temptation of Wife, ang tagal na noon sa
library eh. HIndi mo rin alam eh. Kung ano ang kakagatin ng tao eh. Nung nasa library
na siya, maeexpire na siya, i-air na natin to. When you buy a title, you can only hold
onto it for two years I guess. 2 yrs 3 yrs with two runs. Tapos noon, pag hindi mo
ginamit, ibabalik mo na sa may-ari hindi mo na magagamit, so i-air mo na. Tapos, aba,
nag-rate siya. Ganda-ganda. Mas violent nga yung Temptation of Wife local eh. Kasi
yung Korean version, nakakatawa pa nga siya eh. Pero, itong local natin, talagang
sobrang tanga-tanga ni Angeline. Hindi ganoon yung Koreanovela. Favorite ko yung
Baker King kasi pandesal lang ginawa nang contest. Tapos may drama na siya sa
buhay niya tapos may love story siya. Pag ginawa ko yan sa TV5, si Derek Ramsay
yan. May pandesal at pawis-pawis.
INTERVIEWERS: Pero ang first po na naglocalize ng GMA ay Stairway?
WILMA GALVANTE: Full House ang unang nilocalize
INTERVIEWERS: Factors po kung bakit po?
WILMA GALVANTE: Taas ng rating noon, si Jenny. Kasi malakas yung Willie that
time. Tanghali siya ng Channel 2, natatalo niya yung pasok ng Eat Bulaga kasi nauuna
si Willie. Natatalo yung Eat Bulaga. Lagyan kaya natin ng drama? Lagay natin to. Aba,
pinanood. Minsan din hindi mo alam. The audience. They don't know what they want
until they see it. Parang sa pagkain diba. Hindi mo alam. Kung masarap yan subukan
mo. Ngayon ikaw kung nagooffer ka ng marami lagay mo. Pero it is not whim. Ano din
yun, intelligent experimentation din yun. Kasi alam mo, dito, itong produkto ko baka
magustuhan ito ng housewives. Malamang, kasi yung content niyan ganyan. Yung
viewers niyan housewife din. Edi ayan, nabawi mo ang audience. Hindi ganong kadali,
pero madaling ikwento.
INTERVIEWERS: Nafifeel niyo po ba yung I am part of shaping Philippine culture as
Wilma Galvante?
WILMA GALVANTE: Personal? Ako kasi trabaho lang walang personalan. No, I am
part of Philippine television history. Yes, you're going to me now dahil sa Koreanovela. I
80

started with Channel 9, I started as PA.. 30 years na ako sa negosyo. Nagtatrabaho na

ako 1982. Ah hindi. Earlier. Nag-PA pa nga ako sa Miss Universe eh.
INTERVIEWERS: Nandoon yung culture. How much do we put culture in
consideration?
WILMA GALVANTE: Culture? Lalo na sa mga dramas na ginagawa natin, it's
important. Values of Pinoy is very important. Although, pinapakita mo yung uso, yung
mga ganun, we always go back to the values. We always go back to respect of family.
Respect of ano, and then, iyong true love.
INTERVIEWERS: True love?
WILMA GALVANTE: Romantic talaga yan. Huwag na nating lokohin ang sarili natin.
Hindi ka naman manonood ng sine kung hindi mo gusto yung artista at sino yung
kasama niya dyan. Laging iyong yung tanong diba? Bakit ba kahit Superman nilalagyan
mo ng love story?
INTERVIEWERS: Will you agree Maam na Asians in general are more on the emotions
compared to those in the West? Halimbawa, Americans po? Since Latins are emotions
din.
WILMA GALVANTE: Oo. I will agree kasi yung mga sci-fi, yung mga espionage, yung
mga ganun, US yan. Western. Pero may mga love stories din. Matitindi. Mga Nicholas
Sparks.

INTERVIEWERS: Ilang oras po yung viewing time niyo po ng tv?

WILMA GALVANTE: I don't watch tv eh. I read. Oo. And then I watch quickly. Ganun
lang. Pero ngayon, para umupo ako't manood?
INTERVIEWERS: May sinubaybayan po ba kayong Koreanovela?
WILMA GALVANTE: Koreanovela? Ano ba? Kim Sam Soon. Kasi gusto ko yung romcom eh. Diba? Malakas yun eh. Pero yung ginawa yung local ni Regine, inexagerate.
Kim Sam Soon, inexagerate talaga doon si Regine. Pangit. Si Regine naman kasi,
ganoon ang gusto sa kanya ng audience niya. Pagdating sa acting niya, pagdating sa
mga soaps niya, or movies niya. Diba meron siyang parang comedy na style? Hindi
pwedeng serious. GInawan namin si Regine ng serious. Yung Forever in my Heart.
Yung siya, saka si Richard, saka si Ariel Rivera. Ganda na ng casting noon, diba? Hindi
pinanood. Ayaw manood ng audience kapag nagi-English siya. Magaling siya mag81

English pero nafe-fake-an yung iba. Okay yung i-wacky mo siya. Alam naman niya yun
eh. Ganun siya. Yung bargas! Pero para kung halimbawa, yung sa sosyal, laking
mayaman, pinanganak, hindi hindi tatangapin.
INTERVIEWERS: Meron kayong image sa Filipino audience noong Filipino actors and
actresses. Ngayon po sa mga Korean actors and actresses, sino po kaya yung
considerable as icons?
WILMA GALVANTE: Oh diba si Lee Min Ho, diba? Anong ginawa ni Lee Min Ho. Dami
na rin eh. Pati anak ko noong nagpunta ko ng Korea, hanapin ko daw. Naku, my
daughter. Hindi ko naman siya nakita. At pati sa medyas nandoon siya.
INTERVIEWERS: Wala po ba kayong partner sa channel sa Korea? Parang yung sa
nagproduce po ng Boys over flowers?
WILMA GALVANTE: Wala. Iba. Kasi they sell eh. Iba yung system sa Korea, ang
nagpoproduce ng mga dramas nila independent producers and then they sell it to the
networks. Tsaka at the same time, the networks, KBS, mga ganyan, Korean
Boradcasting, they also produce. Yon. So you have to know everybody. Tingnan niyo
yung ginawa sa KOrea kasi maganda ang gobyerno nila, diba? So yung mga epic, mga
DongHae, Jewel, sige , you do it in this province. Iset-up mo yung set na yan.
Pagkatapos, iiwanan mo yung set kasi tourist attraction na siya. Susunod, hindi mo na
pwedeng gawin dyan, sa province na yan. Dito na sa susunod. Meron nang
Koreanovela tours. Tour! Saan mo gusto pumunta? Kasi sa Korea naman marami
namang palasyo eh.

INTERVIEWERS: Ano po sa tingin niyo, paano naaapektuhan ang viewers ng pagiging

exposed sa different social media? Kasi po parang magdadownload na lang sila?
WILMA GALVANTE: Kaunti lang yun. Mas marami pa rin ang nanonood sa tv, kasi pag
nagdownload ka, Drama Crazy.net, pumupunta ba kayo doon? Lahat ng Koreanovelas,
nandoon lahat. Pero naka-subtitle. Mabibili mo nga sa Metrowalk diba yung may
subtitle? Minsan nga iba yung sinasabi eh. Pero, hindi ko ginagawa yun ha. Hindi mo ko
makikita sa Metrowalk. Mas pinapanood sa tv. Mahirap lang kasi, like yang mga
Koreanovelas na yan, pero hindi mo na siya pwedeng isama sa International Grid. So
pang Philippine territory area lang. So pag nagpunta ka halimbawa sa Pinoy
households sa US, mayroon silang subscirptions a TFC or sa GMA Pinoy TV, hindi na
kasama sa grid yung Koreanovela kasi hindi kasama sa, hindi na pwede yun.
Hanggang dito lang.

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INTERVIEWERS: So you do not agree po na naiiba na yung pattern or taste ng Pinoy

sa kung ano ang gusto nilang makita sa tv?
WILMA GALVANTE: Naiiba! Kaya hindi ka pwedeng maiwanan ng what's trending.
You have to know kung ano ang nagugustuhan ng audience. And you'd also give that to
them at the same time you're busy, you're quick, you dont stop thinking out of the box of
what should be the next best thing for the viewers. Simple ano like a talent search,
diba? How many talent searches do we have? Dami. I started Starstruck for GMA in
2004, kasi walang artistas ang 7. Kaunti. So let us do Starstruck. What will make this
different? Sikat na ang Idol noon. Even before that, ginawa ko na yung Bagong
Kampeon, talent search, pero naiiba yung treatment diba? Bagong Kampeon is like Idol,
talent search, pero iba na. Ininvolve mo na yung audience. Audience na yung
nagsasabi kung sino winner nila hindi lang a set of judges.
INTERVIEWERS: Maam, you think it is also the difference of the entertainment
produced in Philippines and in Korea?
WILMA GALVANTE: Nag-aaral sila. Lahat ng netowrks doon may sariling academy.
KBS may sarili siyang academy. MBS may sarili siyang academy. Lahat sila nag-aaral.
Dito lang naman sa Pilipinas yung feeling ng nanalo ako ng contest, diva na ako. Kahit
sa US, diba? Para ka makapasok sa tv as an actor and actress, nag-aral yan. They
have universities for acting, for singing, for dance. Dito lang wala. So, ito yung kaya ko
ito ginawa. Pero ang hirap. Ang hurdle ko dito, binabago ko yung mindset ng tao na
workshop lang ang acting. Akala mo pag nag workshop ka marunong ka na. Dapat pagaralan mo yan. Yung performing arts dito, kasi marunong akong kumanta, nag-aral siya.
Well, magenroll ka sa Center for Pop Music. Dito, you're a singer, you feel you are a
singer, okay. Enroll ka sa performing arts, but I will teach you how to be a performer.
Because when you sing, you act. You act the song. When you dance, you act. You
have to know your body, you have to know the industry you're getting into. You have to
know acting. So, complete yun. It's a course. It's a course na 3-months na pag-aaralan
mo talaga. School yung concept hindi workshop. So, binabago ko yung mindset. Like,
with you, nag-aral kayo, enrolled kayo, gagraduate kayo, sabi niyo general. Pero it's
good na nakapagproduce kayo ng sitcom, variety, kayo-kayo. You know how to mount
it. So, afterwards, you still do not know the business of television. This school is a
specialty school na for career traininig talagang sigutrado kang gusto mong maging
producer. Tuturuan kita maging talagang producer. I'll teach you the business of
television, the language of television, paano ka maging EP. Alam mo at the end, dalawa
yan eh, gusto ko ba maging producer o director. Inisip ko yan noon nung PA ako. Kasi
pwede ako maging director. Magaling din ako maging director kung yun ang pinili ko. Eh
hindi. Gusto ko maging producer kasi I want the bigger picture. Kasi mas maganda yun.
We own the product. We are the producer. You're the executive producer. Pero going
83

there, ang dami. PA, Segment Producer, lahat-lahat, script, even production design.
You enter a broadcast company, you enter a production outfit, you start as a PA. That's
fine. But you know, where you're going. Ngayon may PA pumapasok, tatlong taon na
siyang idiot board! Ilang taon na siyang wardrobe kasi wala yung mindset sa ito yung
big picture. Ang this is where I'm going. Iyon ang gusto kong itulong sa industriya.
That's why I have this school. But that's just one of the classes. Also, in scriptwriting.
Kasi alam ko yan ang laging kulang. Kapag meron kang magandang idea, hindi mo
naman alam kung paano isusulat. So I have a scriptwriting course for, si Roy Iglesias,
ang head ng scriptwriting. Magaling.
INTERVIEWERS: So, yan po ang, it started as your vision, and halimbawa, Pilipinas
lahat ng station mayroon ng schools, it will be credited to you...
WILMA GALVANTE: Sana. Oo. Or sana wag na, sana i-enroll na lang dito. Kasi ganun
din. Nakita ko rin yun eh. Sa bawat network may talent center but your core business as
talent center is to give jobs to your talents na. Pero developing them, dapat mong ioutsource. Mas maganda kung i-outsource.
INTERVIEWERS: Will it work po kaya sa Pilipinas yung gagawa ng drama tapos
ibebenta na lang sa network?
WILMA GALVANTE: Oo. Ngayon kasi complete yung setup ng ABS at GMA na
inhouse. They manage to produce their own shows. They are fully equipped with
manpower, facilities and talents. It's TV5 that's not yet fully equipped with manpower
and creative talent. That's why ngayon meron silang mga line producers. Pero slowly,
bubuuin din nila yung capability nila to be able to produce their own and program their
own without getting from independents. Isa lang ang nagsusurvive. TAPE.
INTERVIEWERS: Matagal na po kayo sa industry, aside from Marimar, ano pa po ba
ang phenomenal? Way back? Ano po yung phenomenal na hindi galing ng PIlipinas?

WILMA GALVANTE: Marimar. Iyong Meteor Garden. Iyong nagre-rating, hirap tapatan
eh, diba? Jewel in the Palace. Sobra. Late night yun pero idedeliver sayo ang rating ang
laki.
INTERVIEWERS: Yung mga 1980s po? Noon, RPN9 era?
WILMA GALVANTE: Wala. Iyong. Sana yung Japan or China. Yung mga lumilipad na
ganun. Pero hindi sya eh. Parang film. Hindi siya ganung kinagat ng audience.

84

INTERVIEWERS: Similarities po ng Filipino and Korean productions?

WILMA GALVANTE: Laging merong love story, laging merong young love team,
romantic love team. It's family. Extended family. Madalas may bata. May biyenan.
Tapos, may love triangle. It's ano eh, the way they replicate life diba? Pero told to you in
a parang romantic way with music and ano.
INTERVIEWERS: Hindi po light sa Koreanovela.
WILMA GALVANTE: Oo. Doon namamatay! They don't mind killing the main actor.
INTERVIEWERS: In FIlipino productions po ba, do we mind na mamatay yung bida?
WILMA GALVANTE: Ayaw namin eh. I'm now consulting for TV5. After this Artista
Academy, we're doing a soap with Sofi and Vino already. And Nora Aunor and Cesar
Montano. So ano ba yung title. Shinushoot na to sa Benguet. Yun ang unang scene
pero pupunta rin ang scenario, pupunta siya ng Manila. Never Say Goodbye ang title. In
the end, may mamamatay. Ayoko naman maging spoiler. May twin picks, you can't do
that everytime. Halimbawa sa Marimar, ang request ng tao ay pagkamamatay si Katrina
- talagang patay. Sa kasamaan niya, diba. So talaga ang instruction, patain yan. Todotodo. Binugbog na siya, nahulog na siya sa mountain, nahulog tuloy-tuloy, nahulog siya
sa tubig, kinain na siya ng buwaya. Patay. Alangan namang mabuhay pa diba?
Pumapalakpak yung tao doon sa kasamaan niya. Eto siguro ngayon, gagawin nila
siguro ito kay Glaiza.
INTERVIEWERS: Kayo Maam have you ever seen yourself in a...
WILMA GALVANTE: Kontrabida role? Every day!
INTERVIEWERS: In a Koreanovela character? All About Eve, parang nakarelate po
kayo sa character?
WILMA GALVANTE: Hindi naman gaano. Hindi. Kasi me, as a producer, I just know
my audience. Not with that I am stuck with the character. That's not the way to produce.
When you produce, you produce whatever it is you will mount. It is because you know
your audience will like it. And you know your audience. You know what they like. You
know who they are. You know where they are. You should know the best time they want
to watch. Who watches at this particular time? Ganoon.

Interview with Rachel Simon

85

J:
Do you remember the first Koreanovela na in-acquire ng ABS-CBN
Entertainment?
R:
I have to check though ah, Ill be very honest. I just joined the team five years
ago. So Im not sure kung ano talaga yung first Koreanovela that we acquired. Ang alam
ko the first Asianovela was Meteor Garden which started it all. If my memory serves me
right, I think it was Lovers in Paris, the first Koreanovela that we acquired.
J: What do you think motivated the company to acquire Lovers in Paris or Meteor
Garden?
R: Kami naman kasi with Acquisitions, theres always the recognition with the trends
outside. In this type, landscape, you need to be very sensing of what the change in
landscape, the change of the viewers taste na nagkakaroon ngayon here and outside. I
think Meteor Garden came at a time wherein sometimes kasi the trends or the biggest
hits can come from a simple feedback. I remember si Sir Enrico Santos, I think, uhm not
sure if he came from Hongkong or basta ah he heard about this Meteor Garden which
was the rage na daw in Hongkong and other countries. So sinabi lang, can you take a
look at it. Pinahanap yun. Kasi at that time distribution of Asian dramas were not yet
theres no structure to it. Hindi pa siya kasing lakas as before. So pinahanap siya, and
then ayun, they tried it. Tinignan if its something that would work. Eh nag-hit. So I think
after that sumunod naman and to be fair naman to GMA also they started din naman
yung Korean trend, yung Stairway to Heaven ganyan. So kami naman, at that time I
think, we were in Korea also, there was this drama called Lovers in Paris so at that time
we were very challenged in the ratings. Ill be very honest, that was I think in 2004. So
we wanted to change it, tignan natin if theres something new. They came across
Lovers in Paris. So they tried it. I think ang sabi pa nga nila, nakailang change ata ng
timeslot ang Lovers in Paris. So ang taya nun was kababalik lang from Korea, sabi ng
Head of Acquisitions namin, look, theres this drama, very core, pero hindi ganuon
kagwapuhan ang lalaki but its very core female. We should look at it. I think kina Tita
Cory, kina Maam Charo take a risk, tignan natin then on the original timeslot I forgot
lang i-search nyo nalang what was the original timeslot naging hit. And then sinabi
nung Head of Research namin move it to another timeslot, I think closer to primetime,
if that stands, hit na yan dirediretso na yan. And that was it, dirediretso na nga sya
when they changed it to a different timeslot (J: The same with Meteor Garden na gabi
from hapon.) In Acquisitions kasi you should always be mindful of what is working
outside and mindful of the new trends. So hanggang ngayon, ganun pa din naman
kami. Were not focused on Koreanovelas, were not focused on just the Asian dramas
alone. We look, lahat yan, sisilipin mo talaga yan because the big hit could come from a
simple program anywhere in the world especially now.
86

J: So yung sinabi nyo po na nauna kayo sa Asianovela, and yung GMA nagstart lang
duon sa Koreanovela inisip nyo ba at that time yung audience or its just trial lang
talaga?
R: It was both. In any programming decision naman, its a combination of factors eh. Its
the trend outside, its the local landscape what your competitor is offering, what you on
your own is offering, the local productions that you have. Yon. Everything is 50-50. Taya
naman lahat, especially when youre introducing a new trend.
J: Paano po kayo naghahanap ng Koreanovelas, how do you look into the story? How
do you look into the characters? How do you decide in choosing the Koreanovela and
the market diba po, you have your media market, and then merong you have to buy this
but you have to buy the other titles as well.
R: Ah yah, binabalanse siya parati.
J: But how do you choose?
R: Would you believe that its a 50-50 risk. The competition is very tight these days,
minsan rumor pa lang, bumibid ka na. Ganun siya katindi. But of course you look at the
plot, you look at the would you believe were stalkers, were lurkers in most Asian
sites. Ganun kami, we have a whole team just looking at the different press releases,
sino na ang na-cast for a particular drama, ano yung plot ng drama, is it something that
we wouldthat we can air in our channel, if yes what particular timeslot (morning,
hapon, gabi), then we bid. We make a bid for it, for everything is 50-50.
J: General theme po, parang napapansin nyo po sa lahat ng kinuhang Koreanovelas ng
ABS-CBN, the most common theme.
R: Core female, its always targeted towards core female. Though the highest rating
ones are those that can transcend between the youth, the core females in their 20s,
30s, 40s, and of course the males.
J: Ano po yung mga titles
R: Lovers in Paris, My Girl, kita mo, both female yun and the housewives can relate.
City Hunter is not phenomenal but it was successful on our end because we managed
to capture the illusive women in market. Action. So dumagdag siya, well Boys Over
Flowers was of course phenomenal din for us. Uhm what else, uhm those that affirm the
human values or uplift the human spirit. Uhm Green Rose, ang ganda ng storya nun
87

thats why we adapted it. So the original one, in its simplicity yung ganti ng api. (J:
Very Filipino yung ganti ng api) Yes, ganun naman eh. If you will notice if youve seen
many Koreanovelas din, the core story is really the same Cinderella story, coming out
of the ashes, ganyan success, triumph in times of adversity, but its actually in the
mounting na lang na nag-iiba and of course the characters that they play. But at the
core is really a good narrative, strong characters were looking at for, ah the romantic
thrill that they never fail to deliver. So those are the core elements that we look for in a
Koreanovela and then ibabangga mo yan siyempre. Anong kabangga nya sa ABS-CBN.
For example, for next year, what is the latest drama of ABS-CBN and how can you
complement that to the local dramas of ABS-CBN, may kaparehas ba ng theme o wala.
We started a new trend in the morning which is yung Two Wives back to back with
Please Be Careful With My Heart. So now were looking for those types of drama.
(J: Parang malakas tapos light.)
D: So ano po sa tingin ninyo, paano ginagawa ng mga Koreano na gawin siyang iba
kung meron naman pala tayo dito sa Pilipinas na parehas na istorya.
R: Last September, I had a parang dinner with SBS and this is what they said to me,
sabi niya they have a unique combination that the scriptwriter is babae but the director
is lalake. So if you will notice this is also the difference between the local dramas and
the Koreanovelas, ang lalaki sa kanila is angat na angat, very strong male character,
pumoposisyon siya, uhm pumapantay siya sa local female. Why? Because the eyes
behind the lens is lalake. Then they told me, Rach do you know that the most
successful Korean dramas sabi nyang ganyan, the women behind it are the loneliest
women actually. Sabi nyang ganyan. Secret Garden and Tempatation of Wife ba, I
forgot you just research it, the scriptwriter is a lonely divorcee woman. So nagtatranslate
yung longing niya kasi ang nakakatuwa nga diyan, you ask them the
Korean men that were partners with, Oh are you really like that romantic? and then
tatawa lang sila they said hindi, hindi kami ganun. Kasi nga, nagtatranscend, nilalabas
ng Korean women yung longings nila, yung dreams nila dun sa drama and plus the fact
that the director is lalake. Its a perfect combination na tumatayo yung buong characters
ng babae at ng lalake.
J: What makes it different to the Filipino novels, kasi wala tayong formula na ganun na
kailangan ang nagsusulat babae ang lalake ang nagdidirek
R: Well ano kasi, tayo kasi we always say that were halfway between a Koreanovela
and a Telenovela (pertaining to Latin American dramas), were short and as
conservative as the Koreans but were not as long as the telenovelas, were halfway.
88

We give them more passion than the Koreans in terms of our depiction of the local
dramas.
J: Kung titignan nyo po ngayon yung market, mga gaano katagal yung Korean trend,
yung Asian trend, yung pagdating ng mga Koreanovelas sa Pilipinas.
R: Uhm actually I really cant say kung hanggang kelan talaga sila but to us as long as
they keep on churning out good stories and they are reasonable through the ** and ** in
terms of acquisition and they deliver the ratings of course well continue to acquire. To
me for the past five years, its been peak and varies, hindi na rin siya katulad before na
100% they churn out success. So merong hits and misses din naman, as always
because nafafatigue din sila, their boiling at creating at the peak pero theyre trying to
come up with new ideas as well. For us, no one can tell how long we will continue to
acquire Koreanovelas but yes, for as long as they give strong stories we will continue.
J: How does the Koreanovela affect the viewing pattern, the attitude/behavior of the
Filipino audience na nakabase din po of course you do research if these people watch
the Koreanovelas or not?
R: I think there really needs an in depth research as to how it affects but I think off hand,
once the Filipinos get a taste of the Koreanovelas, they now wanted the local dramas to
be fast. Kailangang mabilis, gone are the days that you can air for three years diba.
Thats the instant impact to local dramas. Uhm well the fact that they now appreciate
good quality production value of our local dramas. Nakikita nila the Koreanovelas are
HD, ang ganda ng set, ang ganda ng lighting. So on our end naman we try to, as you
can see in our dramas naman, we try to match as much as we can the uniquely
elevated level of production quality when it comes to our dramas.
J: Kung may itatapat po na drama ang ABS-CBN sa Koreanovela, ano po iyon?
R: Surprisingly, our greatest hit so far when it comes to distribution of our dramas
outside the Philippines, the one thing that will open market for us, the one that will open
the door for us is Pangako Sayo, Jericho and Kristine. Because the Head of Acquisition
is also the Head of Distribution, when were outside we also do both na rin eh. We
acquire and then we sell. So nakakatuwang isipin like for this year we went to MIDCOM
its the parang trade, media market. Meron dalawa kasi parati in CANNES(?), you can
research it SNEAKTV(?) and MIDCOM. And our telenovela partners, the biggest ones,
the TV GLOBO, TELEMUNDO, AZTECA, TELEVISA, nakakatuwang marinig they said,
you know what ABS-CBN, in Asia, after the Koreans, sabi niyang ganyan, no one can
say anything about the Koreans kasi andun na sila eh, they paved the way diba. But
89

after them, to us when it comes with the narratives, to the storytelling, its you, the
Filipinos particularly ABS-CBN dramas. To us, you are the next in line after the
Koreans. So dun mo makikita that we can never, we might not match the quality or the
HD quality of the Koreans but we do recognize that when it comes to storytelling and
narratives its us after the Koeans. Pangako Sayo, Malaysia is acquiring 900 hours from
us for ACTOMALAYSIA (?) which is like the biggest BPH operator in Malaysia. Vietnam,
Cambodia (J: Pangako Sayo). Halo na yon but pag tinignan mo kasi historically, if we
go into a market, even yung mga Kazakhstan, Afghanistan, yung mga ganong
countries Pangako Sayo would open the doors.
D: Can you describe na lang po the process kung same lang po siya like kungwari
parang kukuha ako ng bundle, like kukuha ako ng Boys Over Flowers pero kukuha din
ako ng hindi ganong kataas na nagrate sa kanila
R: We as much as possible try to deviate from that kasi nga, uh, we always tell them
that it also has to make business sense for us to continue to acquire Koreanovelas but
yes, it is a business reality that if you want to get a title, especially a good good title, it
usually comes bundled with other lemons. So yun yun, part siya ng business reality.
They will tell you, if you want to get this title, you have to get two, three, or four more.
But to us kasi, it will always come down to the numbers also if we can recoup it even if
its uhm if the cost is equivalent to the cost of producing a local drama then we will
prefer producing a local drama than acquiring Koreanovelas because the local dramas
will always rate higher and will always deliver advertising revenues even if the ratings
are not as high. Its preference. (J: Sa ABS-CBN?) Yes, I dont know to others but for
us, advertising wise, laging mas mataas ang load ng I mean kung apples to apples lang,
generally, the local dramas will get better advertising use.
J: Ah for the advertisers, pag yung feedback, parang tipong, dahil Filipino, does it follow
na dahil Filipino yung gumaganap or the Filipinos are producing the show, do Filipino
audience see themselves, does it actually follow kasi minsan diba pag Koreanovela dun
pa nila minsan nakikita yung, they see, are you that kind person Maam na nakikita nyo
yung sarili nyo na I like this character, for example All About Eve, theyre working
R: I think you have to take away kasi the peripherals for that, it will always come down
to the plot and the characters regardless, for example ah, if its an apple to apple
comparison of story, of course the drama which has a better plot, which has a better
subplot, stronger narrative and stronger characters will always rate better regardless
yan if its Koreanovela or its a local drama. Sa amin kasi the numbers come into play
because were in Acquisitions, if a supplier is forcing us to acquire a big package
compared to a and its entirety with the local drama then we will go duon sa local
90

drama. Because the local dramas will have the more opportunities to sell, there will be
more opportunities with the creative execution for the advertisers, pwede kang mag
product placement, pwede kang mag intro special but you cannot do that for the
Koreanovelas. But if youre asking me which one would rate better, it will still boil down
to the story. So kasi like for example, Hanayori Dango, yung Meteor Garden, tatlo na
yun, from the Taiwanese version, Japanese version, and the Korean version, why do
they rate so well? Because the characters are strong, at its core, the story is about a
Cinderella girl and she changed this spoiled brat boy to become a responsible man who
will fight for her. Ganda ng transition, so yuon, kahit ibangga mo sa local drama yun and
I think binangga nga before diba, hindi tatayo yung local drama. (J: Ano po yung
pinangtapat?) I forgot na yung pinangtapat pero at that time, I remember, parang Hole
in the Wall was making it big in GMA. Yun yon, that was the trend. So we needed to pull
the stop, so we said okay Boys Over Flowers in 6PM, duon siya which is a very sacred
time for us because it gateways towards the primetime.
J: Prior to the arrival of the Asianovelas in particular, ano po yung phenomenal sa ABSCBN?
R: The Rosalinda, si Fernando Carillo was just here diba. I think the Telenovelas were
at it.
J: Ano po yung last before yung Meteor Garden.
R: The heart stopping talaga was Rosalinda iyon yung uuwi talaga lahat ng tao para
manuod ng Rosalinda. The Thalia phenomenon at that time.
D: On the theory of glocalization naman po, how do you determine naman kung ano
yung i-a-adapt natin sa mga Koreanovelas na yan.
R: I think we go back to the story, for example, Green Rose, pwedeng pwede mo yang
i-adapt. Ganti ng api, laging ganun, yung rise from the ashes. The people are looking for
heroes kasi, theyre looking for its a catharsis effect eh, diba because life is hard
they want the dramas that theyre seeing on tv to really demo their pain, their suffering.
They want good values that will uplift them in their day to day lives. So, hahanap ka
nun. Combination yun eh, actually theres no science to it sa totoo lang. What can be
true today may not be true tomorrow so it could be as simple as My Girl diba. My Girl at
that time because I think during that time they were searching for a good vehicle also for
Kim Chiu and Gerald Anderson. Or it can be as heavy as Green Rose for Jericho, isa
pa yung kay Angel Locsin and Sam Milby si Jillian, cook siya, Only You diba. Pero
kasi titingnan mo din kung how far can you stretch it, what are the other subplots that
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you can add to it. Kasi of course Koreanovelas are just 20 hours long, theres nothing
much to go around it diba. So theres that consideration, how can you broaden it. One of
the successful ones lately was Nasaan Ka Elisa, Donda Esta Elisa, we were in the
market and everyone na nasa international market, everyone was raving about theres
this Chilean drama, Donde Esta Elisa from Chile ah from a small country like Chile. It
was number one at that time. What Telemundo in the States did was they adapted it,
may adaptation yan for the US market. So sabi namin, wow its something different,
kakaiba, tara lets try it.
J: I remember Bastat Kasama Kita (Judy Ann and Robin) dun sa Nasaan Ka Elisa.
R: Parang ganon, its parang who done it eh. Its the new trend. (D: Parang Pretty Little
Liars) Parang ganon. Tapos na yung Cinderella ka lang, darating si mayamang lalaki
mai-inlove sayo. Gritty, the new ones now are gritty, maaksyon. So sabi naming lets
try, so we tried. Honestly, when kasi before we air any drama, pinapaFGP naming yan,
nagpapa focus group discussion kami. So the initial research finding was not so good,
hindi nasakyan. So it took a while bago siya before we took the risk also to air it. What
the FGD failed to capture was that there was the youth and the connection seeker
market who would latch onto the drama after the core female. So at that timeslot which
is the last timeslot when everyone from the middle class and the upper market pauwi pa
lang, the working class, pauwi pa lang ng bahay plus the youth the students na nagaaral, yun ang napapanuod nila and it was something different. So they latched onto it,
so it became successful for us. So ganun siya, its a combination of (satters?) and
talagang minsan right timing din, if we launched it way way way earlier it may not have
been that successful. Temptation of Wife, to be objective about it, at its core ang galing
nung story nyan, ang ganda nyan. Kaya tignan mo kahit pangit si Marcel dun sa
Koreanovela diba. Ano sya eh, ang trend ngayon is people are talking about marriage
and infidelity.
D: Opo, parang ang sabi din nung ininterview naming yung sa GMA, parang nasa
library lang daw po yung Temptation of Wife so parang nung nagka trend na parang
ganon tsaka nila nilabas. Parang ma-eexpire na.
R: Ganun. Combination of patterns talaga, actually that drama was also offered to us
but it came with a package and it was so so so expensive. So we chose to walk away
from it. Ganung lang. Two Wives now, ano na yan, it was screened from old old (?). We
said lets change the game in the morning, change the landscape, alam mo naman tayo
diba, especially for channel 2 hindi kami pwedeng kung ano lang, yun lang. We try as
much as possible to try new trends. So we said okay anong ano natin, Please Be
Careful With My Heart sa umaga, kailangang postehan ng isang Koreanovela sa
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umaga. Dito kami, hanap screener, hanap hanap screener. Kita na namin yun, present
sa management, contact SBS, look theres this new block in the morning we want to try
it out, can you give this to our district. Yes. Now its so successful for us and now also
the other networks are buying the same genre kasi biglang nag trending siya sa umaga
eh diba. Ganun lang, its always a combination of factors, minsan din its also about the
stars diba. O naghahanap si star ng ganitong drama, ganito yung gusto nyang tipo.
Meron ba? Anong ma-sa-scan nyo sa market? May ganon, hahanap ka din for them,
diba. But it always has to be a good story that will stand and as much as possible that
will appeal to the mass market especially if it will air on primetime.
J: Sabi nyo nga po it will all boil down to the plot, yun po bang Please Be Careful With
My Heart ay patterned sa Koreanovelas?
R: Its not patterned per se but I think that there was a cautious effort din to deliver
something light in the morning. Kasi the timeslot dictated it, di ka pwedeng magheavy
drama in the morning diba siyempre umaga palang yan mabigat na sa ano. We just
want the housewives to feel good while theyre cooking, while theyre sending their kids
to school. So, lahat naman tayo inspired by one idea or the other diba. I cannot
confidently say that the template is from Koreanovelas, pero there was a cautious effort
to deliver something light, romcom. Maiba naman from the other dramas. Pero yang
drama na yan, to me ah, if you put that in the afternoon primetime it might not have
worked as strong kasi iba din ang viewers ng hapon tsaka ng primetime. They would
look for more over the top, mga sampalan ganyan, they are looking for in-your-face. In
the same way yuon pag nilagay mo sa umaga di rin siya mag-ra-rate. Sometimes also
the timeslot dictates it.
J: How can you differentiate the Asianovelas or the Koreanovelas in particular and the
Telenovelas?
R: The Koreanovelas are shorter, they are more into the nuances. Ang mga tingin, ang
mga alam mo yon, the actions diba, the mounting. Sometimes ang simpleng I Love
You ay maantig ang puso mo by the shot, by the lighting. Perfect example of that is
yung Lovers In Paris scene na humiga sa pool si Vivian. Slow mo, when she couldnt
ahhh. When si Carlo couldnt say that mahal na niya diba, yun, yun ang perfect
example of a mounting. Simple lang yon, pwede yong.. we could have done it but the
Koreans have a flare to be fare to them, they have a flare to the bigness and the
romantic thrill, kayang kaya nila yun because its a woman scriptwriter and its a male
director. Ganun siya, its short, strong characters, good values well its short 20 hours
lang so tapos ka agad in 20 hours. Those that are on primetime ah of course there are
long koreanovelas with 50 to 60 episodes like Two Wives diba. Pero iba kasi yung
mounting ng ganon, they are more onto the studio shots compared to duon sa mga 20
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hours lang. The Telenovelas are longer, mas passionate naman yon, if you see the new
ones, yung mga outtakes, may pumping scene, nagpakita ng boobs, laplapan kung
laplapan, ganun mainit kasi ganun sila as a nation, as a people. The Latinos are hot,
passionate over ano diba. Compared siyempre to 20 hours, a 120 hours of Telenovela,
maraming characters, baranggayan, daming subplot because they need to sustain.
Kaya ang Koreanovelas will never work in a Latin America setting. They tried eh, sa
Paraguay and the other they tried I think theyve also tried adapting but its just too
short to adapt it into 120 hours kasi duon naman pahabaan. Ang gusto nila mahaba,
tayo lang naman dito sa Asia ang gusto ng short or ng diba. Now, where is the Filipino?
Nasa gitna ka ngayon, youre about nasa 60 hours as compared to the 20 hours and the
120 of the Telenovelas. We are about 60-80 hours, hindi ka kasing ikli nila so marami
ka ring characters, you have subplots but not as long and as dami as the Telenovelas.
Nasa gitna ka, hindi ka rin yung magdampi lang ng labi like the Koreanovelas kiss na,
hindi pwede sa tin yon. Satin mga ano rin tayo, expressive, descriptive tayo so in that
sense mas passionate ka naman sa mga Koreanovelas and pinapakita mo talaga. Over
the top, kasi sa totoo lang the masses might not be able to understand the nuances.
Kahit ano pa man ang sabihin mo, sometimes, yung mga tinginan na ganyan, hindi mo
alam ang sinasabi pero mata lang, it can only be sustained for 20 hours. Gawin mo yun
all throughout sa 60-70 hours every now and then na puro nuances ka lang, hindi ka
mag-ra-rate kasi people are looking for in your face. Linear storytelling tayo, ganun lang
tayo, sa kanila kasi kaya nila yun eh (non-linear). Tayo hinahain mo, if you will notice
bakit mo kailangan lagi na may childhood kasi ang hinahain mo sa kanila youre setting
the table for them sa characters ganito sila nung bata sila, para paglaki nila nakakabit
na yung viewer sayo, alam na nila yung pinagdaanan, what is the motivation, bakit
gusto mong maging matagumpay. So lagi kong sinasabi, ayan na naman sila laging
may pagkabata, laging ganun, but its also dictated by the market the mass viewers
diba. Sad to say, of course, I mean the majority of the Filipinos are uneducated. So you
also have to communicate to them the story in the ways that they can understand. So
hindi pwede satin yung mga hanging na hanging na cut to cut alam mo yung na-fast
forward, nag backtrack na nama, nag fast forward. Kami, even if we preview something
we ask, naintindihan ko ba yun? E kung ako nga hindi ko naintindihan pano
maiintindihan ni Aling Maria diba na tindera sa kanto. Ganun kami, so, ikaw as a Filipino
drama, you have to set the table for them but it cannot be as long as the Telenovela
because the mass viewers din naman natin gets really tired, they lose attention. Ayaw
din nila na masyado ka ng lugmok sa kahirapan, ayaw nila yon, yung tipong one month
na silang lugmok sa kahirapan di pa rin di ba, hindi, you have to give them relief as well,
so yung 120 hours ni Telenovela na ang tagal tagal na nilang mahirap, hindi na pwede
satin yon. Satin is gradual progression in the characters,papakita mo yun. Pero hindi
siya kasing short ng Koreanovela na hindi mo na ineexplain kung saan nanggagaling
yung motivation, ano sila nung pagkabata, or alam mo yung mga back story.
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D: Diba po sa atin determined yung length ng buhay ng teleserye sa ratings, sa kanila

pre-determined na.
R: Sila kasi, 20 hours whatever happens 20 hours, they might cut it short siguro 16, 18
for the Koreanovelas. Telenovelas kahit anong mangyari 120 hours talaga sila. Tayo
kasi of course we tally break din, there will always be back stories in any content that
we offer, thats why even with the Master Chef, its a reality show, its a cooking show,
but you need to give them the back story, hindi mo kakapitan eh. Sino ka? Bakit kita
kailangang panuodin sa araw-araw. Sometimes iyon din kasi yung hindi naiintindihan
din ng ibang viewers those na naiintindihan din naman namin yun because we are so
kind these days were so into the weve seen the Koreanovelas, weve seen the
Japanese drama, the Hollywood drama, youre exposed to how others are doing it but
tayo kasi gumigitna tayo we try as much as possible to cater to the local audiences plus
the Filipino audiences who are on TFC plus the non-Filipinos we sell to. So gumigitna
ka sa lahat and sometimes the needs are not the same. Iba ang pangangailangan ni
Aling Maria dito as opposed to Mrs. Maria in TFC diba as opposed to Senyora Maria in
the Latin America. So dun ka sa gitna parati.
J: Yun pong panggitna ng mga Filipino, do you think it will bring us into the same level
ng Koreanovelas ngayon or Hallyu phenomenon.
R: To me its a good thing kasi obejectively speaking, nandun na si Koreanovela eh,
template na nya yun eh bakit ka pa makikipaglaban sa kanya sa 20 hours template of a
movie like feeling diba. There are other countries especially the Malay countries in Asia
which are looking for our dramas so we cater to those naman and we deliver a different
experience than a Telenovela and a Koreanovela.
J: The light, the heavy, and the moderate. Kung tayo po ay moderate, sabi po diba ah
ang Koreans naghanap na ngayon o dahil binigay natin sa kanila yung short, we want
the shorter stuff now. Pag po kaya tayo, ano yung gugustuhin ng ibang tao pag nakita
nila yung mga Filipino dramas na ginagawa natin?
R: They always tell us we have good looking actors and actresses compared to the
others. Nagagandahan sila sa atin honestly plus of course the story, kasi modesty
aside, we can say that for the other countries the highest rated dramas in their channels
for the foreign acquired ah are usually ABS-CBN dramas. I forgot which country it was
in South Africa at the times of World Cup, nagalit ang mga African housewives because
they pre-empted an ABS-CBN drama for World Cup. Ganon na tayo, may following na
tayo. The Malaysians are after us din naman. Why? Because if they want to launch a
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new channel and they want to target the Malaysian housewives, they make Filipino
content in their channel to make it work. (Cultural Hybridity) Halos kaparehas ka kasi.
Yes this is from Indians and Muslim culture in Malaysia, Indonesia, ganon diba. Pero,
coated it with a good story, youre sensual but not bastusin, you have good looking
actresses diba. So we cater to them, they would always look for Sino yan? Ang ganda
nyan Kristine Hermosa, nako gandang ganda talaga sila. Bea and Angel Locsin. Si
Angel sensual pero hindi bastusin.
J: Culture. Nafeefeel nyo po ba that you are shaping culture? You are shaping Filipnio
culture?
R: For the Koreanovelas?
J: Because you are in the programs acquisition, you are trumping globalization in the
Philippines. Nafeefeel nyo po ba yon? Yung you are part in shaping the culture.
R: I think regardless if you are in acquisitions, for as long as you are working in media
especially in ABS-CBN you are like a beacon of light to everyone, you are the key
keeper of information. More than just an institution, more than just entertainment
company to them, you are an institution for public service. Im not sure if youve also
heard of the speech of our chairman Sir Gabby, but to us its a calling. Its a very
stressful job Im telling you, stressful talaga, but it can be one of the most gratifying
especially when we sit down and do market research and theyd tell us you know what
ABS-CBN compared to the others they see you as a beacon of light for them. Youre
delivering hope to them through your programs, through your Sagip Kapamilya, through
your Bantay Bata, through your news. Yes we are shaping, totoo naman yon, we have
an impact. I think more than (?), in times of calamities its the best testament of how we
are impacting the nation thats why we are so careful as well with what we show and
with what we put on air every time whether its a local drama or foreign acquisitions, it
goes through the rigid research and deliberation.
D: Gone are the days po na kung sinong artista lang yung bumebenta parang sa kanila
lang natin ibibigay yung programa?
R: Stars come and go to us. Stars come and go but the content, the message that you
bring to them in terms of your dramas and programs, those are that matter.
D: Ito po yung nagbago sa landscape ng entertainment, content based na po?
R: Research. Research guided. Im not sure about the others.
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J: Hindi na tayo Claudine Barretto forever.

R: I dont know with the others but when I joined ABS-CBN, it has one of the best if not
the best research team in the Philippines. We are so guided with what we put on air,
every time yan. Theres market segmentation, we get information at the end of the year
of the state of the Filipinos, broken down into the demographics, broken down into the
territories. I can tell you the needs and the wants of the Filipinos in Canada or
somewhere in Africa or in Middle East, hindi magkakapareho yun. But we are always
guided by that because we cater to them, we give them hope, we need to answer their
need because yes theres digitalization, everyone is on mobile, tablets and all but tv will
always be the number one mode of entertainment so far ha, and probably in the coming
years because dictated by the economy as well. Hindi naman lahat kaya ng iPad or
computers diba.
D: But how do you think the social media changed the landscape of tv programming in
the Philippines and especially yung acquisitions po natin. (J: May Korean influx na din
sa social media.)
R: Pag may feedback, alam ko agad. Alam ko agad kung gusto nila yung serye or hindi.
But we are also being warned also not to rely too much on Twitter, Facebook kasi its a
small portion lang of the entire 100 million Filipinos. Kung nagtrend ka sa Twitter so
what? Yes, dati pag nag trend ka sa Twitter okay ka big deal yon but wala its just a
small percentage of the entire universe of Filipino viewers. It would just make your job a
bit easier because now you get first hand information of available contents outside, you
can aggregate the contents, trends, programs in Asia, Europe, America, you get direct
feedback also of what youre showing on air. Sometimes nga we get the newest snip of
the Koreanovelas sa mga Korean fans on our Facebook so we tell them hey ano tong
drama na to Ive seen two or three people asking about it. Pero siyempre you also have
to manage that because its a niche market. Those that are online are very niche
market. But it kinda makes your job easier but at the same time also mahirap din kasi
pag ayaw din nila you also get instantaneous feedback diba.
J: Anything pa po na sa tingin nyo makakatulong sa amin.
R: Lagi akong tinatanong, why do you continue to acquire Koreanovelas. Are we putting
down the Filipino dramas? They always ask me that. To me, to us as a programmer, the
Koreanovelas will always just be a complement to our local dramas. So for ABS-CBN,
and in the Philippines we only have one tv household, sa isang pamilya usually may
isang tv lang so we need to cater to everyone. We need to cater to everyone a complete
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program portfolio and that means having Asian acquired content for us. Its not just you
know, its not just for Koreanovelas alone diba. Weve shown Meteor Garden, weve
shown Hana Kimi, there are Taiwanese, Chinese dramas that we are also looking into
but for foreign acquired content will just serve as a complement because it delivers a
different experience to viewers. Hindi naman pupwedeng araw araw sampalan tayo sa
local dramas diba. Iba naman, maiba. Pag 4 or 5 pm diba. Complementary, for as long
as they deliver good ratings, they give us reasonable prices, then we will continue to
acquire. On the other hand, we also see it as an opportunity for our Filipino viewers to
you know, its a window to the world, to other cultures diba, totoo naman yun because
the Koreans really put their dramas as the key initiative in fostering Tourism in their
country. When they want to enter into any country whether in business, for example for
Samsung, LG, they always tie it together with content. Tayo ganun din ang ginagawa
natin, it is always tied with content diba. So to me the Filipino viewers get different
experience, they get to see different cultures, they get to experience something
different. So yun, we will always continue to acquire for as long as they deliver and they
answer the need of the local viewers.
D: What can we learn from the Koreanovelas?
J: That in the end, take out everything, to us the story should stand on its own. Core
story, you need to understand your audience. Actually kami din naman ganun din
naman, we need to understand the audiences. They are just so lucky kasi yung local
housewives nila duon has the same needs and wants of a local Filipino housewife.
Kumbaga, yung local market nila is pretty much the same from the market outside of
Korea. Yon, but at the end of it, tanggalin mo yan, lighting, production value, its the
story. Kami dito when we say in the morning yung Oh napanuod mo na ba, napanuod
mo na ba?, yung ganon.. May kilig, hindi nawawala parati sa kanila yon. We
always tell them that for the stories to stand, it should have strong romantic thrill,
totoong romantic story, pag yung characters good looking actors and actresses, sa
totoo lang din lang pag pangit ayaw talaga namin especially sa ABS-CBN crowd,very
discriminating tayo. Ayaw namin ng panget, mag-aano kami sorry wag yan. Story, good
looking actors, those that affirm the human values, the poitive values, and strong
characterization. Yung apat na yun. If its there then probably meron kang 60 to 70%
guaranteed good ratings.
D: Ratings pa din po talaga ang lahat.
R: Its a ratings game. Everyday. In this business people are as sponged of information
and you always need to have content appreciation and its very difficult. Playing in the
mass market is very difficult, very competitive.
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J: But very gratifying.

R: Thats much I can tell. You always get the sense of, may sense of accomplishment.
The next day lumabas ang ratings, ganda ng ratings. We, personally, may vested
interest in the dramas we acquire. So tuwang-tuwa na kami pag mataas ang ratings.
Para sa amin its more than the numbers. Shucks we got it right. Nakuha mo yung
panlasa nila kung ano yung hinahanap nila sa hapon. Thats the business, yun yung
sinasabi namin sa lahat. This is always a calling and it should be your passion coz its
so dreamy, hindi lahat ng tao nakaka Kami umuuwi kaming umiiyak talaga kami sa
pagod. Coz when you get it right people are talking about, Hoy ano ba yang Two Wives
na yan? Sila ba talagang magkakatuluyan? Pag pinag-uusapan ka na, matutuwa ka
na. .. Ang ganda ng feeling kasi alam mong you got it right. Kasi sa Koreanovelas
talaga gone are the days na you can preview filed episodes before you can bid. Ngayon
rumor pa lang, unahan. Talagang tatauhan mo yung the Korean network. Nakabantay
ka. Dadaan ka lang, Hi, I heard this new drama. Were interested. Pag sinabing Oh
yes, we can discuss now. di ka na tatayo dun. Tatawag ka na sa boss mo, Boss punta
ka dito si-sign ka ng kontrata. You need to bid. Hindi mo alam yung storya, theres only
one liner kung ano yung characters nila. Taya, City Hunter was like that. Yung bago ni
Lee Min Ho, grabe yon it almost went to GMA. We had to move heaven and earth just
to get that. Pero parang after nun parang gusto kong sabihin Dyusko, ini-stretch nyo ng
ini-stretch yung drama nakakainis kayo. There are dramas na tatayo because of the
stars alone. Vivian will always make it on ABS-CBN, may affinity yung housewives sa
kanya eh.
D: Pero like do you have partners like SBS kungwari?
R: Youre partners with everyone. Kung sino yung makapagbibigay sayo ng content.
Ganun, unahan sa market and who can bid the highest. But for us we always have a
threshold. Di ka na lalagpas sa presyo na yan. Pag lumampas ka sa presyo na yan,
okay na.
J: Anong pinakamahal na binili ng channel 2?
R: Boys Over Flowers at that time was at the premium. Premium na yun. I can say
because of competition, Safe (soon to be aired) is one of the highest now.
D: Would you acquire, like kungwari ang GMA is mahilig sa yung Korean history like
Queen Seon Dok, Jumong.

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R: It depends. Like we tried with Sungkyunkwan Scandal, its working now. Yung secret
lang sa hapon is costume pero kasi maganda yung storya. Yung historical kasi, by
nature talaga, for ABS-CBN not so much. Totoo yun, not so much. It has to be the
contemporary.
D: Thank you very much po Ms. Rachel.
R: Thank you. Good luck ha!

Interview with Sheila Balunso

SHIELA: Ako po si Shiela Balunso mula sa 3SCL, 18 y.o., avid fan ng mga
Koreanovelas since 2006.
INTERVIEWER: Sino pinakasikat na lalaking Koreanovela actor?
S: Si Lee Min Ho. Kasi ang gwapo niya Kuya.
I: Mga ilang KOreanovelas na napanood mo?
S: Marami na po yun, simula Grade 6 ako. Kasi nag-umpisa po yun sa Jewel in the
Palace tapos Jumong. Endless Love naman po hindi ko po napanood yun. Ganun po
yung madalas kong pinapanood, the Legend. Mga ganun.
I: Sa isang araw mga ilang oras ka nanunood ng Koreanovela?
S: Kasi po sa hapon kapag wala akong klase, so thirty minutes yun tapos sa gabi thirty
minutes din. So, 1 hour pag Koreanovela. Ayoko po kasi ng sa internet lang. Tsaka
gusto ko po may Tagalog. Sa bahay lang. Sa tv. Mas feel ko tsaka mas ramdam.
I: Pero saan mo nalalaman yung Koreanovelas? Upcoming ganun. Kasi diba usually
[pag avid fan alam niyo yung lalabas pa lang?
S: Hindi kasi ako yung ganun na umaano talaga pero kapag may paparating pa lang
katulad ni Jumong, yun talaga yung sinesearch ko kasi about history. Mapapanood ko
sa tv tsaka ko pa lang po isesearch.
I: Sa tv mo unang nakikita?
S: Opo. Hindi ako nakikiisa doon sa mga nagiinternet.
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I: Ano pinakagusto mo sa Koranovelas?

S: Ayun. Gusto ko kasi yung pinapanood ko na koreanovelas na Jewel in the Palace,
Jumong, Princesses' Man, yung nirereflect nila yung culture talaga ng Korea na
nacocpompare ko. Unlike in the Philippines, doon tayo sa social phenomenon na lagi na
lang pinapakita, yung lagi na lang ganun, napaka-cliche na, wala nang bago na laging
happy ending. Unlike some koreanovela, may matutututnan ka kahit hindi mo culture.
Maeengganyo ka na aralin yung Korea in a way.
I: Tapos ano, bukod doon, I mean, sa mismong packaging ng Korranovelas?
S: Yung mga costumes ang colorful, tapos yung production.
I: Mas magaling sila?
S: Opo, mas magaling sa pagcreate ng story, quality, ganun.
I: Gwapo si Lee Min Ho kaya ka nanunuod ng korenovelas?
S: Hindi. Pero nagstart yan kasi sa Boys over Flowers pero kahit naman ganun,
nagustuhan ko siya after ko manood ng Boys Over Flowers. Nagustuhan ko si Lee Min
Ho kasi maganda yung story. Pati City Hunter. Kahit gusto ko yung artista pero ayoko
ng story hindi ko pinapanood.
I: Kung mayroong palabas na Pilipino na maicocompare mo sa Koreanovela, ano yun?
Generally
S: Noong una kong nakita yung Amaya, parang sabi ko , bakit parang... Okay to kasi
ang galing kasi nagkaidea sila ng gumawa ng ganun na parang Jumong na may history
type.
I: Iyon ang kinocompare mo?
S: Opo. Tsaka yung... kaso ayoko po yung mga koreanovela na ginagawang local. Kasi
ampanget ng pagkopya pero yung pinakamagandang napanood ko na adaptation yung
Temptation of Wife. Pinapanood ko pa rin siya. Tapos yung parang pinakapanget po
yung Coffee Prince.
I: Anong mga practice... may ginagawa ka na ba ngayon na napulot mo sa mga
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koreanovelas?
S: Yung culture nila na yumuyuko, minsan nagagaya ko na po. Haha. Tapos yung
katulad noong sa Boys over Flowers na may kimchi, diba gumawa sila doon ng kimchi.
So sabi ko, matikman nga yung kimchi na yan. So nagustuhan ko naman siya kasi
medyo maanghang. Tsaka yung ano ate... basta merong ganun yung sa SM diba may
Korean na restaurant. Kumakain ako doon. Iyong kapag may... may street food... sa
Lie To Me yata yun tapos sinearch ko sa internet tapos hinahanap ko kung ano yung
Korean food na yun tapos pati yung sa movie na My Sassy Gurl diba kung saansaan
sila kumakain ng cast doon so nakakita ako ng Korean restaurant nakita ko yung food
na sinasabi so tinry ko kung masarap talaga.
I: Kung may drama sa Pilipinas aside from binanggit mo na pwedeng ipalabas sa ibang
bansa (kasi sa Korea pinapalabas dito nagiging international, naiitntroduce tayo sa
culture ng Korea), ano yung palabas sa Pilipinas na pwedeng ipalabas abroad para irival yung culture na Korea na hindi "ancient" kasi yung kpop modern kasi siya.
Pagtabihin mo yung kpop at Jewel in the Palace, magkaiba sila. Meron ba from
Philippines na pwedeng ipalabas sa ibang bansa na pwede silang makarelate? Ganun?
S: Yung Sana Maulit Muli alam ko napalabas na yan sa Thailand or Indonesia. Yung
kay Kim Chiu at Gerald Anderson. Yung ganung quality. Kasi wala pa po ako talagang
nakikita na sobrang sinubaybayan kong teleserye. Kasi meron akong napanood pero
nakalimutan ko na.
I: Sa tingin mo, yung pinapalabas bang mga koreanovelas are acquired dahil sa inyo,
sa preference ng viewers, or sila yung nagdidictate hanggang sa magustuhan niyo?
S: Sila po. Kasi inaadvertise nila ng inaadvertise, tapos yung fact na... Halimbawa, yung
the Princess' Man, may nakuha yung award na ito yung Best Television Program in
Korea parang yung achievement na yun pag nalaman ng mga Filipinos "Ay parang okay
to ah kasi may award na nakuha to"
Kasi karamihan ng pinapalabas sa GMA na Koreanovelas may mga awards na. Pinipili
nila para siguro kapag para nalaman ng audience na eto yung awards na nakuha ng
particular koreanovela mahahatak niya yung audience na mapanood yun kasi may
quality na. Nanalo na sa international chorva.
I: Social impact? Bakit siya sikat?
S: Kasi tingin ko, mayroon tayong hilig sa underdog. Mga Pilipino mahilig sa underdog
tapos naalala ko si Jang Geum sa Jewel in the Palace siya yung kawawa nung una
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tapos naging bongga. Siya yung pinakamagaling magluto agad tapos parang diba
makikita natin madalas sa Pinoy dramas na may mahirap may mayaman. Sa Korea
naman parang umiikot sila sa mahina to malakas. Parang ganun yung labanan nila.
Tapos diba yung Jewel in the Palace parang yun ang pinakauna ang theme na
pinalabas nila sa Philippines, so yung mga Filipinos nagkaroon sila ng parang culture
shock. Diba ginaya na nila yung buhok ni Jang Geum.. mga nanay sa kantu-kanto.
I: May sinalihan ka bang group or fans club.
S: Ay wala po. Hindi ako sumasali sa ganun.
I: Bakit parang ayaw mo?
S: Kasi po kahit ganito ako ka-fan, mas gusto ko yung Filipino. Kasi sa tingin ko po yung
mga korenovelas na yun, mga ganoon kagandang koreanovelas, pwede siyang
magamit ng mga producers as an inspiration na makagawa ng ganon kagandang
production.
I: Alam mo yung Irene?
S: Feeling ko pumatok siya kasi it talks about women empowerment. Tsaka sa pagadvertise talaga.
I: Naniniwala kang part ka ng madla o mas matalino kang viewer?
S: Both. Kasi may times din na kahit napapangitan ako naeenganyo akong panoorin.
Kasi yun ang trend ng society so parang sasabayan mo rin pero nandoon yung
pinapanood ko siya kasi icicriticize ko yan tapos gagawa ako ng review sa internet.
Ipopost ko halimbawa ang chaka-chaka.
I: Ano yung last na ginawan mo ng review?
S: My Sassy Girl.
I: Okay, salamat.
S: Salamat din po.

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