Dramas are a significant part of culture in South Korea, and have initiated a “Korean Wave”, or “Hallyu”, which is the spread of Korean culture across the globe. From historical and trendy dramas to melodramas, these captivating Korean television programs attract a broad and diverse audience.
OSUL has several books that are either based on dramas or have been turned into dramas.
Books turned into dramas in OSUL:
- 해 를 품은 달 (Hae rŭl p’umŭn tal) by 정은궐(Chŏng, Ŭn-gwŏl) (파란, 2011)
- This historical drama, which includes elements of fantasy, tells of the love story between a fictional king and a shaman, along with the numerous political conflicts that are encountered along the way.
- MBC Link
- 마녀유희 (Manyŏ Yu-hŭi) by 김수희 (Kim, Su-hŭi) (눈과마음, 2007)
- This novel is about the love life of a woman who is often called “witch” by her coworkers.
- SBS Link
- 압구정다이어리 (Apkujŏng daiŏri) by 정수현 (Chŏng, Su-hyŏn) (소담출판사, 2008)
- This novel follows the affluent and glamorous lives of the young elite in South Korea. The production of this tvN drama was unfortunately cancelled.
Dramas turned into books in OSUL:
- 마이 프린세스 (My Princess) by 손현경(Son, Hyŏn-gyŏng) (MBC 프로덕션, 2011)
- This romantic comedy is about a college student who discovers she is the descendant
of Emperor Sunjong, who was the last Emperor of Korea, and falls in love with a wealthy businessman. - 순종 황제 와 친인척 (Sunjong Hwangje wa ch’ininch’ŏk) by 지두환 (Chi, Tu-hwan) (A biography of Emperor Sunjong available in OSUL)
- MBC Link
- This romantic comedy is about a college student who discovers she is the descendant
- 선덕 여왕 (Sŏndŏk Yŏwang) by 류 은경 (Yu, Ŭn-gyŏng) (MBC 프로덕션, 2009) This historical drama is very loosely based on the life of Queen Seon Deok.
- 동이 (Tongi) by 정재인 (Chŏng, Chae-in) (MBC 프로덕션, 2010) This is another historical drama that is loosely based on another famous historical woman figure.
- 인현 왕후 의 男子 : 드라마 대본집 (Inhyŏn Wanghu ŭi namja : tŭrama taebonjip) by 송 재정 (Song, Chae-jŏng) (이 퍼블릭, 2012)
- This item is not a novel, but rather a screenplay of the historical/fantasy drama of the romance between an actress and a time-travelling man of the Joseon Dynasty.
- tvN Link
- 신사 의 품격 (Sinsa ŭi p’umkyŏk) by 박민숙 (Pak, Min-suk) (문학 동네, 2012)
- This drama is about the romantic and professional lives of four men.
- SBS Link
Book in OSUL about Korean dramas
- East Asian pop culture : analysing the Korean wave edited by Chua Beng Huat and Koichi Iwabuchi (Hong Kong University Press, 2008)
DBpia articles about Korean dramas (OSUL login required)
- Genre Analysis of Korean Television Dramas Popular in Asia by Sooyeon Lee (Korean Society For Journalism And Communication Studies, 2005).
- A Korean Phenomenon TV Dramas Take on a Life of their Own by Kang Myoung Seok (The Korea Foundation, 2007).
- From Individualism to Nationalism – The Socio-cultural Meanings of TV Historical Drama Queen Seon Deok by Sujeong Kim (Korean Association for Broarding & Telecommunication, 2010) (This article is in Korean, with a summary in English)
- Feminism in the Nineties’ South Korean Prime-Time Serial Dramas by Jinhee Cho (Research Institute of Asian Women Sookmyung Women’s University, 2004).