Newspapers Recently calls K-Dramas "Ripoffs"

FoolyDooly · Post by **FoolyDooly** » Jul 21st, '07, 14:01

Many newspapers are calling K-Dramas ripoffs nowdays. While I do not agree with name calling, I do agree that some creativity is running out.
Just to name remake of the drama, or drama based on other works done in 2007...

JuMong - Based purely on story told on Samguk sagi (History of Three States), Mythologic history book written around 13th century. (Therefore, was criticized by Koreans to be very historically inaccurate)
Manyuh YuHyi / Witch Yuhyi / Witch Amusement - Originally Korean Web-Novel
Hayan Gutop / Great White / White Tower - Originally J-Drama; heavily changed
Chun-e-JunJang / War of Money - Based on first season of Manhwa
Coffee Prince - Originally Novel
AirCity - based on some other countries' Drama work, and heavily changed
Shin Hyunmo Yangchuh / Modern Housewives - Partial remake of Original Hyunmo Yangchuh, "modernized" version.

Your opinion on this?

kobe23 · Post by **kobe23** » Jul 21st, '07, 14:15

My opinion on this is that you'll be hard pressed to find anything truly original. Even if something seems original, it probably has been done before many years ago and on different mediums.

DryRice · Post by **DryRice** » Jul 21st, '07, 15:17

If its a novel then i wouldn't call it a rip off but if the product is off another format from another country then its a copy i'd say.

Egg-chan · Post by **Egg-chan** » Jul 21st, '07, 16:57

Everything now a days is a remake, sequel or prequel.. everywhere (Korea, China, Japan, US etc....)

melonyhappy · Post by **melonyhappy** » Jul 21st, '07, 16:58

I don't think basing it off a novel or manhwa should be considered a "rip off". Basing it off something from the same medium, yes.
lol but.. kdramas are generally very similar anyways...

FoolyDooly · Post by **FoolyDooly** » Jul 21st, '07, 17:42

Especially now days, lot of woman's drama seems to have "cheating" as some sort of popular form. I don't know what this is recommending personally...

Tomorrowishes · Post by **Tomorrowishes** » Jul 22nd, '07, 16:24

FoolyDooly wrote:Especially now days, lot of woman's drama seems to have "cheating" as some sort of popular form. I don't know what this is recommending personally...

I see that too in a lot of dramas these days! There was/is "the person I love", "bad couple", "snow in august" and way more. I'm not saying that it's a side plot eithar. I suppose they're trying to connect with people etc. I think saying that it's a "ripoff" is too harsh. But it's agreed that everything has been made over and over again. Maybe I'm just crossing into the land of off-topic now.

marie_23 · Post by **marie_23** » Jul 23rd, '07, 01:50

FoolyDooly wrote:Many newspapers are calling K-Dramas ripoffs nowdays. While I do not agree with name calling, I do agree that some creativity is running out.
Just to name remake of the drama, or drama based on other works done in 2007...

JuMong - Based purely on story told on Samguk sagi (History of Three States), Mythologic history book written around 13th century. (Therefore, was criticized by Koreans to be very historically inaccurate)
Manyuh YuHyi / Witch Yuhyi / Witch Amusement - Originally Korean Web-Novel
Hayan Gutop / Great White / White Tower - Originally J-Drama; heavily changed
Chun-e-JunJang / War of Money - Based on first season of Manhwa
Coffee Prince - Originally Novel
AirCity - based on some other countries' Drama work, and heavily changed
Shin Hyunmo Yangchuh / Modern Housewives - Partial remake of Original Hyunmo Yangchuh, "modernized" version.

Your opinion on this?

Personally, I think everything in the world creative wise is rip off of something that once existed. I don't know how many times we have all seen the remakes of "Romeo & Juliet" and thought to ourselves how many times will they do this love story. However, remakes aka rips ( or what I like to call borrowed story ideas) can make for fun do over some times. The only problem I have is when people do update remakes and they come out really bad. Sometimes it's best to leave the original story idea alone. Then again I've seen drama/movies were a remake did a much better job then the previous original one.

Perfect example, take the Japanese recent remake of Hana Yori Dango it turned out pretty good. For me and allot of other viewers this remake was way better then it's predocessors.

Néa Vanille · Post by **Néa Vanille** » Jul 23rd, '07, 01:58

Well, considering that it is estimated that about 65% of Koreans cheat on their spouses, making cheating a central theme of Korean drama is actually long overdue. I am glad to see this social problem finally addressed and brought out in the open.

As for the ripping off, that newspaper obviously had some sort of issues with Korean dramas and is on the ever-popular KDrama-bashing bandwaggon. TV dramas are based off of mangas, movies, novels anywhere in the world, and basing dramas off of work done in other countries is not unique to Korea, either (one example I can think off the top of my head is the JDrama My Boss, My Hero, which was based on a Korean movie and of course a lot of Asian work is influenced more or less obviously by American products).

If to accuse any Asian, drama-making country of ripping off other people's ideas, it should definitely be Taiwan, by the way. All of their most popular dramas are based on Japanese mangas, which absolutely cannot be said about Korean dramas.

anhnie · Post by **anhnie** » Jul 24th, '07, 07:11

Néa Vanille wrote:Well, considering that it is estimated that about 65% of Koreans cheat on their spouses, making cheating a central theme of Korean drama is actually long overdue. I am glad to see this social problem finally addressed and brought out in the open.

As for the ripping off, that newspaper obviously had some sort of issues with Korean dramas and is on the ever-popular KDrama-bashing bandwaggon. TV dramas are based off of mangas, movies, novels anywhere in the world, and basing dramas off of work done in other countries is not unique to Korea, either (one example I can think off the top of my head is the JDrama My Boss, My Hero, which was based on a Korean movie and of course a lot of Asian work is influenced more or less obviously by American products).

If to accuse any Asian, drama-making country of ripping off other people's ideas, it should definitely be Taiwan, by the way. All of their most popular dramas are based on Japanese mangas, which absolutely cannot be said about Korean dramas.

I completely agree...a lot of popular Taiwanese dramas are based on Japanese mangas like "It Started with a Kiss"...this series really popular, even when ppl knew it was a remake, if it's improved or adds a fresher touch on the story, then audiences will still enjoy it b/c it'll give them a new spin on a story they already know and like.
Basing movies & series off of novels, mangas, comics, etc. is just a way to set great stories & literature to life so that ppl can enjoy it on a different level. That is why great literature and works from any culture are translated worldwide so that ppl of any culture can appreciate it. So every country in the world would take great works and remake it to better fit their own set of audiences and make it closer to home with their respective culture. Media and literature wont grow unless new improvements are born from respected older works so i think there's nothing wrong with kdramas being based on other works 'cuz all that matters is that in the end, we still love watching them. =)

princess_jime · Post by **princess_jime** » Jul 25th, '07, 19:27

It's interesting, the same thing happens with telenovelas here in Latinamerica.
The current trend is to sell the format of a successful soap to the neighboring countries, let's take "betty la fea" as example:
It was a HUGE success (with merchandise like dolls and cartoon spin offs, I've never seen anything like that happen with a telenovela before) here in latinamerica. The colombian production company sold the format to mexico where they made a remake (or "refrito" as we call them in spanish) which supposedly was also a huge success specially in the latino community in the states (IMHO though, the mexican version sucks).
But it doesn't stop there. The format was sold all over the world.
There's the now the slightly famous "ugly betty" that earned america ferrera an Emmy.
There's an Indian betty, a german betty, russian, spanish, etc.

It goes to show you that a good story is never too old to be remade, specially if it could reflect different cultural backgrounds but keeping the same spirit (we are all human after all).

It doesn't really matter if the story was "copied" or not, as long as the original is there, there's no need to worry, and the "copies" have a lot to live up to, because, if they are not of the same quality (or more) as the original, well, it's only a disgrace to the people that made the crappy copy, it doesn't affect the original at all.

Personally, I find really fun and interesting that there's different takes on the same story everywhere, one could read a japanese manga, maybe see the anime, maybe see the tw-drama or k-drama or j-drama or movie based on it... it's all good, you can compare, you can keep what you like best, you can make fun of what you don't like, there's entertainment in diversity!!!!

WroW · Post by **WroW** » Jul 25th, '07, 19:56

FoolyDooly wrote:Many newspapers are calling K-Dramas ripoffs nowdays. While I do not agree with name calling, I do agree that some creativity is running out.
Just to name remake of the drama, or drama based on other works done in 2007...

JuMong - Based purely on story told on Samguk sagi (History of Three States), Mythologic history book written around 13th century. (Therefore, was criticized by Koreans to be very historically inaccurate)
Manyuh YuHyi / Witch Yuhyi / Witch Amusement - Originally Korean Web-Novel
Hayan Gutop / Great White / White Tower - Originally J-Drama; heavily changed
Chun-e-JunJang / War of Money - Based on first season of Manhwa
Coffee Prince - Originally Novel
AirCity - based on some other countries' Drama work, and heavily changed
Shin Hyunmo Yangchuh / Modern Housewives - Partial remake of Original Hyunmo Yangchuh, "modernized" version.

Your opinion on this?

Sorry but I think we are in the best and most creative Kdrama year ever.
And if you count novels or manhwas as ripoff than there wouldnt be many original jdramas (just count the manga adaptions)...or there wouldnt be many hollywood movies (comic book adaptions or all the novel adaptions harry potter, Lord of the Rings and millions more). So I see no problem not inventing a new story as long as we dont go back to where Kdramas were a few years ago where most Kdramas really were the same.

groink · Post by **groink** » Jul 25th, '07, 22:54

WroW wrote:And if you count novels or manhwas as ripoff than there wouldnt be many original jdramas (just count the manga adaptions)...or there wouldnt be many hollywood movies (e.g. comic book adaptions or all the novel adaptions harry potter, Lord of the Rings and millions more). So I see no problem not inventing a new story as long as we dont go back to where Kdramas were a few years ago where most Kdramas really were the same.

I believe that, generally speaking, live dramas were at one point losing viewership to other forms of entertainment - especially anime. At least in Japan, that was happening.

Any TV executive will tell you that when planning your TV show lineup for the future, you must focus on two demographics:

- The folks who are watching your shows NOW.
- The folks who are watching something else (anime), and you want them to start watching your shows.

If you focus ONLY on the NOW people, you're basically digging a ditch for your TV network. The idea here is that the NOW people will eventually die - and I mean REALLY die in a physical sense. What you would then be left with is NO viewers.

Instead, what you should do is split your TV shows in half, addressing those two demographics. So for now, you can continue to produce those melodramas for the NOW viewers who are totally into that kind of thing.

In the last 10 years or so, there's been a huge boom in anime. And for quite a number of people, all they really watch is anime. So how exactly would you encourage anime viewers to start watching live dramas? Most of you may not comprehend this, but anime fans may have trouble watching live actors UNLESS they're familiar with the characters. In other words, they may have trouble watching something like Winter Sonata simply because they don't know the characters beforehand, and the characters are not animated-like.

So logically, the approach these days is to license stories from anime and comic books, and turn them into live characters. Then that way you start having this demographic get used to watching actual live human beings. You do this type of programming for a few years, and eventually the anime demographic will become the NOW demographic, and the TV execs will have to find out who the other demographic is. And this rotation of demographics will keep occurring every few years for infinity.

That's what all Asian dramas are faced with. We're in a period where anime and comic books has advanced so much that viewers prefer them over live TV shows.

--- groink

aniga64 · Post by **aniga64** » Jul 25th, '07, 23:01

What a silly thing to say! Every countries' media is lacking originality now days to begin with; They're all doing remakes . . . Look at America's The Departed, which did originally come from HK's Infernal Affairs; A lotta Asian (Taiwanese, Japanese, Korean) dramas're coming from manga (though they don't really seem to stick to the comic very much now . . .

). A lotta K-movies 'n J-movies're doing quite a few based on each other's (new Japanese TV movie Marathon based on K-movie of the same name, K-movie of a different title based on Crying Out Love, Center of the World, etc.) Speaking of Crying Out Love . . . that was based on a novel, and so was the Ring . . . (why even make American remakes . . . Why can't people adjust to reading subs 'n have American films waste money . . . ?

)

groink · Post by **groink** » Jul 25th, '07, 23:15

aniga64 wrote:Why can't people adjust to reading subs 'n have American films waste money . . . ? )

It has nothing to do with reading subtitles. It is everything to do with cultural identification. i.e. there are people who can't stand to look at Eastern Asians. You can't let a good story go to waste just because someone from the mid-west U.S. can't stand listening to Korean or Japanese. That is why every market will take the story and cast people that viewers will feel comfortable seeing and hearing. Let's face it - the world's prejudice. But we're not going to change that. There will be one story, along with 100 variations in the form of animation, comic books, movies and live TV dramas.

--- groink

nophankh · Post by **nophankh** » Jul 25th, '07, 23:29

like someone said earlier, the writer of the article must have issues with k-drama. Most movies are remakes of novels, short stories, memoirs of famous individuals. People that's how you get your movie and dramas. Entertainment is about recycling what we see and hear and interpreting it in our own way.

Every country does it.
Looking at the movies
George Lucas adopted Akira Kurosawa's movie, Forbidden Fortress for Star Wars.
Another Kurosawa movie, Yojimbo("bodyguard") was remade into a western American film.
You guys remember "the Good, the bad, and the UGLY" with Clint Eastwood; it was really influenced by Yojimbo. The feel of this movie mirrors Clint Eastwood's film.
Seven Samurai was remade in the US to The magnificent Seven."

Korean movie, "Ill Mare" was recreated to "The lake house" or something with Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeves.

Sassy girl is also going to be remade in the US.

Like I was saying, the writer was stupid. Pesonally, I don't consider getting ideas from a novel ripping off.

I don't understand why this writer is only complaining about K-dramas when he/she should be complaining about the whole international entertainment industry because they all do it. If you want proof, I can give you references.

Currently in the US, Catherine Zeta-Jones is starring in the movie: No reservation. This film is actually a remake of a 2001 German film called Mostly Martha.

People should stop pointing fingers as to which countries rip off more stories for movies and dramas, when every country does it equally.

Eziya Minamoto · Post by **Eziya Minamoto** » Jul 27th, '07, 00:01

The writer must be biased...many countries borrow each other's ideas...it's not ripping off.

sveta · Post by **sveta** » Jul 27th, '07, 00:35

groink wrote:
aniga64 wrote:Why can't people adjust to reading subs 'n have American films waste money . . . ? )
It has nothing to do with reading subtitles. It is everything to do with cultural identification. i.e. there are people who can't stand to look at Eastern Asians. You can't let a good story go to waste just because someone from the mid-west U.S. can't stand listening to Korean or Japanese. That is why every market will take the story and cast people that viewers will feel comfortable seeing and hearing. Let's face it - the world's prejudice. But we're not going to change that. There will be one story, along with 100 variations in the form of animation, comic books, movies and live TV dramas.

--- groink

Very true. My dad once attempted to watch a C-Drama about Genghis Khan, it is dubbed in Russian, and he told me once that he couldn't bear watching it anymore. He then proceeded by stating the reason, which is all of the cast is East Asian. I make a conscious choice not to watch romance comedy movies because i can't stand to see white male white woman pairing, nor do i like seeing white male asian female pairing. Although i can't stand SHakespeare, but since his time, i haven't heard of an original idea. Ah well, more enjoyment for me and less for them

goygakgoy · Post by **goygakgoy** » Jul 27th, '07, 00:51

True! In places like America where we are more tolerent, most Americans still have this mentality where they just don't want to see Asians in certain roles, especially good ones.

groink wrote:
aniga64 wrote:Why can't people adjust to reading subs 'n have American films waste money . . . ? )
It has nothing to do with reading subtitles. It is everything to do with cultural identification. i.e. there are people who can't stand to look at Eastern Asians. You can't let a good story go to waste just because someone from the mid-west U.S. can't stand listening to Korean or Japanese. That is why every market will take the story and cast people that viewers will feel comfortable seeing and hearing. Let's face it - the world's prejudice. But we're not going to change that. There will be one story, along with 100 variations in the form of animation, comic books, movies and live TV dramas.

--- groink

hacksign · Post by **hacksign** » Jul 27th, '07, 16:08

Which newspaper would actually write such things? I seriously don't care whether a newspaper writes an article extolling the virtues of or severely criticizing dramas because that in itself is not a news-worthy piece. If they were writing only to try to sell to their audience that dramas are a ripoff then they are either really low rated newspapers or in seriously need of an subject piece.

Secondly, if they actually called them ripoffs then they are in serious need of a dictionary and a class on film appreciation. A story, taken from any source, once put on film should be measured on their competence in that only. And if they think otherwise, they should start a campaign to revise the AFI top 100 movies to exclude all the "ripoffs". I mean, after all, from the top 10, The Godfather, Gone with the Wind, The Graduate, and Schindler's List were all based off a books. Also, Citizen Kane is just the story of William Randolph Hearst albeit a little changed. Oh, and after that, they can call for the cancellation of the tv series Heroes, seeing as how it is based off a graphic novel.

In conclusion, it seems like this newspaper has as little journalistic abilities as they have knowledge about the history of film. Even so, I doubt that they will go around criticizing the Harry Potter movies as a ripoff of the novels. After all, there must be a limit and they do want to keep their jobs now, don't they?

cuteangelika · Post by **cuteangelika** » Aug 1st, '07, 08:25

i dont think anything's wrong with "adapting", as long as the adaptation is even better than the original. That's why it is unfair to say kdramas are rip off -- say for example, Coffee Prince, yes, it is an adaptation of the novel -- but they've done it so nicely that it is worth not reading the novel anymore.. Rip offs are those imitations which are of low quality - ie, the fake louis vuitton bag that rip right in the middle when you open it so wide....

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