How have K-dramas changed your perception of American television?

Bubblefaerie expressed exactly what I wanted to say! To me a tv show  is supposed to tell a story; but if the story never ends, it’s not really a story anymore, and instead becomes a never ending commentary. I don’t want to have to wait 10 years to see the climax of the storyline. Or worse, never know how it ends. I stumbled onto Asian dramas about four years ago, and was so happy to finally find a place where storytelling is an art, with proper plot arcs (though of course some do this better than others). I started watching them even more heavily when a whole bunch of new Western shows I liked were cancelled after the first season. I got gun shy because I never knew if the show would last, so why bother watching if I’ll never know what happens? I pretty much exclusively watch Asian shows now, for these reasons. Plus I feel there is more variety in the stories because there are always new shows coming out! The best part now is that I can see the actors I’ve become familiar with perform in different roles/characters, and can truly appreciate their talent and versatility. 

 bubblefaerie:

Like a lot of people have said, the biggest difference between American TV and Asian dramas is the length. There have been plenty of shows that I really liked for the first several seasons and continued watching long after I felt they were no longer that good.  I also think there have been many shows that are only enough story for one season but are dragged on for many, like Heroes. Another huge issue I have is that a show gets cancelled halfway through a season and just never finishes. It's left where the show ended when it was cancelled, even if there was a cliff hanger. It makes me hesitate to watch something new. These are actually problems that I had with American TV before I started watching dramas, but what happened is that I realized there was a different way to do shows. Sometimes I do wish there was a second season of a drama I really liked, but I like that I get a full story in 16-24 episodes so that I can at least have closure.

 Otps4Life:

Well for me American shows have the worst fanbases,that's the main reason I turned to kdramas,and shows from other countries.....Like tvd for instance,those ship wars were no joke.....Fan's shipped those characters with everyone....Even shows like Supernatural that wasn't even romance had terrible shipwars....*Coughs Destiel and Winchest* The romance which is my favorite genre be on point in kdramas....You actually see chemistry,it's not just about sex but slow burn romance.....That's mainly why I'm like fuck American shows,give me kdramas...... I don't have a problem with over 50 episodes as long as they don't drag.....One thing about kdramas that I don't like it the stiff kisses.....I ain't talking about no tongue kiss,but at least give us actual kisses...If you watch kdrama mature movies then you know most of the actors know how to kiss,they just don't in kdramas-.-

I also forgot to add that American writer's like to keep going instead of ending the tv show....I'm using Supernatual again as an example...Supernatural is already at S13 I think....It's like okay when is this show ending-.- Like how many season's do ya'll need?? How do ya'll know if the actors wanna move on to other thing's,they just trying to stick around of fan's.....The only American show that I still watch is Elementary....There's no romance *tho I do ship Joanlock super hard* therefore the fanbase is awesome...... They don't drag out,because every episode they dealing with a new case.....Lucy Lui and Johnny have fantastic chemistry......The last thing when it comes to tv shows that get canceled after 1 season,it pisses me off......Like the Secret Circle,and The Messengers were both great shows but ended in 1 season-__-I hate cliffhangers......I feel like when a tv show first airs,you should try to give the last episode a descent ending.....So if it's canceled it won't leave us at a wtffff how ya'll gone end it like that xD.....Kdramas doesn't cancel shows,even if ratings are bad....They just end the drama early.... Moorim School shouldv'e been 20 eps but we only got 16 instead,which still made me angry tho,but the ending was good......

I started watching Korean TV because I was injured and stuck on my couch for 2 weeks, I flicked through all the channels and there was literally NOTHING I wanted to watch, I kept flicking and KBS World was showing Love Rain, I couldn't look away, everyone was so pretty, it was beautiful and funny, everyone had stories - I went looking for the next episodes on youtube and a whole world opened up to me.  

But before that, I didn't watch any television at all for 4 years before I started watching Korean dramas.  I like them because there's almost always an equal number of men and women characters, they all have stories and they usually work together for something.  I stopped watching English speaking television because i got sick to the eyeteeth of listening to men talk and only seeing women as sidekicks who have no friends and no story arch outside of their relationship to the lead man, what ever that may be (mother, sister, girlfriend, co-worker, friend)

So I don't think it's changed my perception, I think it's opened up options

I've been watching Asian dramas since I was young and grew up watching Asian dramas. Most of the American shows I watch are comedy, police procedural or superhero franchises so I don't have much experience with American dramas, but with the little I know, here are some reasons why Asian dramas are so much better than American ones.

Chemistry: I've recently watched the American TV show The Librarians and was so shocked when the two leads kissed in the first episode. What?! They didn't have any build up or any chemistry whatsoever and they just plop a kiss scene at the end?! The two characters have literally just met and now they're kissing?! I mean, I don't mind that in real life, but can you actually fool me into shipping them first? That's one of the reasons why I enjoy Asian dramas more. It's slow and relaxing and you can squeal about them holding hands or going out on a date at some amusement park because they mean so much more.  Every interaction between the leads are much more meaningful and in my opinion, scenes don't have to be leading entries to episodes seasons later - like in Criminal Minds - they can just be a brief moment of joy.

Tropes: Is there really no other trope that you can put in to strengthen/destroy the characters' relationship? I guess I've just gotten used to the idea of 'pure love' or whatever it is Asian dramas try to sell. It's not even like I'm mad at the actual cheating bit, I'm annoyed at how repetitive it is. Okay, I know there are some drama tropes that are actually super overused in Asian dramas as well (i.e. birth secrets, long-lost children, etc.) but at least they actually hint about it and not drop it like a bomb.

Social representation: American TV shows fuss about racial equality and not having enough cast members of a certain race. Asian dramas really can't go far with that since Asia isn't really much of a racially diverse continent. Instead, I can get excited and be so proud of Korean dramas like Witch's Court showing a gay sexual assault case because it was on KBS which is national TV and that really shows their improvement in accepting the LGBTQ+ community. I can learn so much about a country's culture and perception of social issues through dramas, and each country really has their own unique genre that they like their TV shows to be about.

Character variety and development: Male leads in Asian dramas are amazing. I feel like there's really not much variety in American shows. Most of the time the male characters are alpha males who are possessive, or socially awkward nerds. Male leads in Asian dramas are not scared of showing their vulnerability, not scared to cry or express their emotions. Because they're so short (I know, 50 episodes should be considered long, but American shows unnecessarily extend their shows to more than five seasons), the character development is obvious and you feel like you're on a journey. You feel like you are accompanying the emotionally unstable girl and watching as she grows into a strong woman.

Details: Asian dramas put so much detail into every single aspect and it shows. I feel like the reason why I love Asian dramas so much is that I can notice these little details and because of them I have come to appreciate the drama so much more. For example, Japanese drama Kahogo no Kahoko has a little clip at the beginning of each episode of Kahoko transitioning from a baby to an adult through her clothes; the drama started with her wearing baby clothes and ended with her in office clothes. Taiwanese drama Attention, Love!'s script does such a beautiful job describing first love and unrequited love that even as it started going bad towards the end I kept on going. It's the little things that make me remember them and want to rewatch them: the little moments of cuteness or the shit that went down that shocked me so much.

Lighting: The lighting and the production and the costumes and every single little thought that go into producing a show. Asian dramas do it so much better. Asian dramas have a camera filter for every genre, and they do so, so much for the show. Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-Joo was bright and colourful; Tunnel was dark and sinister; Because This is My First Life was mellow and calm. This is the standard for Korean broadcasting channels. Netflix does this quite well, but when it comes to cable TV, America needs to catch up on their production techniques.

That's it for now, 'cause I can't really think of anything else. TLDR; goodbye American TV.

Edit: wow, I wrote a lot for this. If only I can write essays like this. XD

1 - I think western shows drags too much. Almost tv show has another season if it has a good response, some goes for 5~10 more seasons. This is good if the plot is good, but I think after some time you feel tired. Also kdramas usually have around 16-20 episodes, which makes the development faster. 

2 - Just one episode, 40min per week is too little. When I got into dramaland and discovered they had 2 hours of drama per week I felt in paradise. I think this makes it more addictive. Also, western shows have around 20 eps per season, and then you have to wait another year for more. It is kinda frustrating waiting for so long.

3 - The plots. I feel kdramas make shows about real life more than westerns, which anyone can enjoy and relate. I think because they put they give the leads story priority. If you have seen some show as CSI, Criminal Minds... you can see the leads are secondary, the case is the priority (I think you don't have to follow all the story). I also think kdrama has some really creative ideas for dramas. 

4 - As the drama is more focused on the plot, an asians are more reserved about sexuality, less sex scenes. This sometimes is frustrating, but I think sometimes is good. Some western shows have so much sex scenes that you forgot why are you watching. I feel the same about action scenes, sometimes too much can be boring if there is too much. But I also think is too much the blur on dramas just because of a knife... I don't know much about korean tv laws, so if anyone wants to tell me more about this I would like to know.

5 - I think that asians have "the confession" thing. We can see in dramas that if you like someone, you have to tell them. I don't think we can see this in western shows... most of the scenes where a couple get together they just have a moment and then kiss... I found this pretty weird at first, because for me is so direct telling your feelings... I don't think westerns are like this.

5 - I think kdramas OST have much more identity. Western shows usually play random songs, most shows doesn't have a special OST. Kdramas have more connection, for the love, the sad, the brave moments that repeat a lot of times. 

I usually to really love western shows before watching dramas. Now I don't even feel interested about them anymore. I just watch Criminal Minds and Law & Order when I feel like it.

To be honest,  I cant compare two different things because when I saw my first K drama I didn't even understand why everything was so overreacting  and the romance was weird and the culture . But now I used it and it never changed my perception of the American television .

Well, I started watching asian or here specifically korean dramas like 6months ago. Before that I was pretty much an america/british-series-junkie....oh and Anime, but that's a different Genre.

Now the only thing I've been watching are asian dramas for the last couple of months and I started to appreciate them more than the other series I've been watching.

WHY?:

It's something different and I don't mean the story because there are lots of similarities in storylines in series. I mean the difference in culture and and personality. I've started to appreciate how people act around another, so diligent and careful. 

Also, touching has been lifted to a completely new level but that's the culture part here. In my country I wouldn't have a problem if I hugged a friend who is a guy and not a girl or touched his shoulder or hands or whatever. In Korean Drama - the DRAMA breaks out and it's kind of weird and oddly satisfying that they see touching as something quite special - very cute. ... and probably more hygienic xD 

Also the acting is very different. Sometimes for me it's too much and I start to cringe because it gets so cheese...that was the me 6 months ago - NOW I really feel so happy when korean actors actually overact sometimes like in screaming and confessing and making funny faces. It's just the whole thing together which makes it so loveable and sweet and a little bit more honest. 

I will watch american series again but I doubt they will touch me as much as asian/korean dramas do. Korean dramas really make me emotional and it's that kind of acting that really gets to you and that's something not every american/british series can offer...except Dr. Who but that's because I love Dr. Who and it made me cry several times.

I hope someone can relate to that and I didn't write a bunch of incoherent weird stuff that doesn't make any sense. 

:)