[Article] Korean dramas stream into America.

[Article] Korean dramas stream into America.
Cr. - Jane Han@koreatimes.co.kr

Korean fans hooked on American dramas, or “mideu” as they call it, know that it’s only routine to stay up all night with bloodshot eyes and at least half a dozen episodes queued up on the playlist.

Well, guess what? The love is becoming reciprocal as Korean dramas, too, are slowly starting to find their way into the hearts of American viewers.

“NCIS and CSI are good, but this is action drama at a whole new level. It’s one of those shows where you promise yourself ‘just one more episode’ and you end up watching the sun come up,” says Rick Stone, 32, referring to the KBS hit “Iris.”

A newcomer to the world of Korean drama, Stone admits the newfound hobby is beginning to take its toll on his work during the day.

On Hulu.com, an online portal that streams TV shows and movies, it’s easy to find people with the same addiction.



“The first Korean drama I watched was ‘Coffee Prince.’ I watched all 17 episodes within 36 hours... every episode ends in a way that you just have to keep watching,” Shannon Simmons wrote in her review of MBC’s popular drama starring Gong Yoo and Yoon Eun-hye.

Discussing the latest SBS’ smash-hit series “Secret Garden,” Allison Smith wrote, “It’s a perfect blend of romance, comedy and a little fantasy, but not too much to make it cheesy.”

“Secret Garden” and a handful of other Korean dramas are currently ranked among the top 200 most popular shows on Hulu.com, a site exclusively for users in the U.S.

Alongside Hulu.com, DramaFever.com and DramaCrazy.net are also among other popular sites that offer similar services to those that want a little Korean in their TV mix.

So what is it about the Korean shows are keeping American viewers hooked?

The PopWatch segment of Entertainment Weekly says it’s the different approach.

“You can’t enjoy a K-drama using the same standards as you would watch American TV,” it said in a recent article. “The plots tend to unfold slowly, and teenage characters seem shocked by things that the kids on ‘Skins’ wouldn’t even blink at.”

It goes on to say, “K-dramas can appear simplistic and downright campy to an American viewer, but they’re also fascinating and weirdly comfortable in a ‘movie-of-the-week’ kind of way. They’re also not afraid to whack you over the head with an important moral lesson or social critique.”