MELODRAMATIC AND FORMULAIC: THE GLOBAL APPEAL OF KOREAN TELEVISION DRAMAS A Thesis submitted to the FAculty of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences of Georgetown University in partiAl fulfillment of the requirements for the degree off MAster of Arts in CommunicAtion, Culture and Technology By KAthryn Grace HArtzell, B.A. WAshington, D.C. April 16, 2019 Copyright 2019 by KAthryn Grace HArtzell All Rights Reserved ii MELODRAMATIC AND FORMULAIC: THE GLOBAL APPEAL OF KOREAN TELEVISION DRAMAS KAthryn Grace HArtzell, B.A. Thesis Advisor: MAtthew Tinkcom, Ph.D. ABSTRACT International fervor for KoreAn pop culture has constituted a contra-flow against Western mediA hegemony. Since 1997, the global rise of South KoreA’s entertAinment industries has come to be known as the KoreAn WAve, or Hallyu. Contra-flows—subaltern cultural exchanges that move in opposition to Western hegemonic mediA (Thussu 2007, 11)—Are complex, under-investigated, And controversiAl in their importAnce as they exhibit what Arjun Appadurai describes as “disjunctures between economy, culture, and politics” (Appadurai 1996, 33). In contra-flow, cApitAlist power structures are insufficient to understAnd why mediA texts are disseminated across borders, cultures, or lAnguage. This study expands on the investigation of the KoreAn WAve by examining one of its central entertAinment exports—KoreAn dramAs—for their exhibition of hybridized and glocAlized genre conventions. I employ a multimethod approach to both estAblish the cinemAtic lAnguage through which KoreAn dramAs tell their stories and to test the sAlience of this framework with non-KoreAn audiences. First, I anAlyze five KoreAn dramAs populAr with English-speAking viewers—utilizing a close reAding—for their use of a melodramAtic narrative mode. In this close reAding, I also perform a critique on the hybridized genre signifiers which position KoreAn dramAs within A schemA of subgenres. These subgenres resemble film genres of Hollywood and other national cinemAs. Second, I conduct a survey of KoreAn dramA fans living iii outside of South KoreA. Respondents describe genre as one of the most importAnt factors in deciding which shows to wAtch. The findings of this study suggest that the use of a variety of genres codes in KoreAn dramAs gives audiences multiple plAces to find familiArity, and the melodramA structure helps viewers follow the story. Even with barriers of lAnguage and culture, genre acts as a bridge for understAnding and enjoyment. iv The reseArch and writing of this thesis is dedicAted to A greAt number of people, but in particulAr my thesis advisors Dr. MAtthew Tinkcom And Dr. DiAna Own for your help, patience, and encouragement. I could not have undertAken such a lArge project without you. Thanks a million! Katie v TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................... 1 CHAPTER 1: HYBRIDIZATION OF GENRE IN CONTRA-FLOW .......................................... 6 The Problem of Genre ................................................................................................................. 7 Genre Theory ........................................................................................................................... 7 Framing Theory ....................................................................................................................... 9 Culture Flow .......................................................................................................................... 11 Genre and MArketing ............................................................................................................. 15 Contra-flow and the KoreAn DramA .......................................................................................... 18 EntertAinment MediA Flows into KoreA ................................................................................ 19 The KoreAn WAve—KoreAn Pop Culture Goes Global ......................................................... 23 KoreAn WAve MediAscApes ................................................................................................... 26 Genre HybridizAtion in KoreAn DramAs ................................................................................ 29 StAtement of Purpose ................................................................................................................. 34 CHAPTER 2: I KNOW THIS STORY! HYBRIDIZED GENRE CONVENTIONS IN KOREAN DRAMAS ...................................................................................................................................... 35 Method 1: Close ReAding .......................................................................................................... 35 Close ReAding Objectives ...................................................................................................... 35 Texts ...................................................................................................................................... 35 Defining the MelodramAtic Mode ............................................................................................. 38 MelodramA: My Mister .............................................................................................................. 41 CharacterizAtion ..................................................................................................................... 42 FormAlist Elements ................................................................................................................ 45 HybridizAtion ......................................................................................................................... 47 Framing .................................................................................................................................. 47 Action/Adventure: HeAler ......................................................................................................... 48 CharacterizAtion ..................................................................................................................... 49 FormAlist Elements ................................................................................................................ 52 HybridizAtion ......................................................................................................................... 54 Framing .................................................................................................................................. 57 RomAntic Comedy: BecAuse This Is My First Life ................................................................... 58 CharacterizAtion ..................................................................................................................... 60 FormAlist Elements ................................................................................................................ 62 HybridizAtion ......................................................................................................................... 64 Framing .................................................................................................................................. 68 Crime, Mystery, and Thriller: Signal ........................................................................................ 68 CharacterizAtion ..................................................................................................................... 70 FormAlist Elements ................................................................................................................ 75 HybridizAtion ......................................................................................................................... 78 Framing .................................................................................................................................. 81 HistoricAl and SAgeuk: Moon Lovers: ScArlet HeArt Ryeo ....................................................... 81 CharacterizAtion ..................................................................................................................... 83 FormAlist Elements ................................................................................................................ 86 HybridizAtion ......................................................................................................................... 90 vi Framing .................................................................................................................................. 93 Close ReAding Key TAkeAwAys ................................................................................................. 93 CHAPTER 3: GENRE AND KOREAN DRAMA VIEWING BEHAVIOR ............................... 96 Method 2: KoreAn DramA Survey .............................................................................................. 96 ReseArch Questions ............................................................................................................... 97 Hypothesis ............................................................................................................................. 97 TArget PopulAtion .................................................................................................................. 98 SAmpling ................................................................................................................................ 99 Survey Design ......................................................................................................................