Yvette Sario, Lorie Anniban and Maricar Aliten would rather watch Korean telenovelas than venture outside the home on weekends.
The stories are so unpredictable, so many twists, that you will never be able to guess the ending
They could be sitting in a corner or lying in bed or having dinner facing each other, their eyes glued to their mobile phones with the earphones plugged in, wrapped up in their own world. Occasionally, my roommates Maricar Aliten and Lorie Anniban would laugh their heads off, their eyes watery with mirth. They’re watching “Queen of Mystery,” a popular South Korean TV series. When they’re tuned out like this, there is no way you can call their attention, that is, probably unless you detonate a bomb in the room.
My roommates Lorie and Maricar who both work as accountants, are two of countless OFWs in UAE for whom watching English-subtitled Korean telenovelas is already a way of life. To say that they’re obsessed is probably an understatement. In fact, I would often hear Maricar say in jest, “Life gets in the way of my viewing habits.”
But, what makes these Korean telenovelas highly attractive to Pinoys? They’re a far cry from the often formulaic plots of Filipino drama series, is one.
“The stories are so unpredictable, so many twists, that you will never be able to guess the ending,” says Maricar who watches her favorite Korean drama series whether she’s on the Metro, on the taxi, while waiting in line at the malls, or even during office lunch breaks.
Yvette Sario, a roommate who works as a personal assistant, loves the fast pacing of Koreanovelas which cannot be said of many Filipino drama series (remember “Mara Clara” in which a missing diary became the basis for a year’s worth of episodes?)
“It really helps alleviate stress and loneliness. You can escape your problems even for just a few hours,” Yvette shares.
Another reason Filipinos get hooked on Korean TV series is that, their scriptwriters just seem to have a way of tugging at the heartstrings without being corny or over the top.
“When something romantic happens on screen, they can melt your heart even if there are no kissing scenes or sex scenes. You really get butterflies in the stomach,” says Lorie.
Jenny Marabe, who works as a cashier, is another flatmate who happens to be a Korean telenovela fanatic. Her favorite at the moment is “I’m Not a Robot”, a story about a man who is allergic to humans. Jen, who idolizes Korean actor Lee-Min-ho, says her taste in men has become “Koreanized” ever since she started watching Korean TV series.
“I started getting crushes on guys who look like Koreans. I started taking an interest in their culture, in their food. I started using Korean beauty products. I also want to visit Korea someday,” Jen says.
