PAGADIAN CITY, Oct 9 (PIA) –Kwon Mee-yoo, Rachelle Lee in their article
published in the Korean Times on August 8, 2012, wrote that ‘hallyu” or the
Korean wave is gaining popularity in Southeast Asia and Latin America.
“A
variety of soap operas, from trendy shows to epic series, grace the small
screen from morning till night. The popularity of Korean TV dramas spilled over
the nation’s borders since the late 1990s, igniting ‘hallyu’ or the Korean
wave,” the article reads.
It mentioned that the biggest hit
of the first half of this year is MBC’s “The Moon Embracing the Sun,” aired from
January to March portrayed by Kim Soo-hyun and Han Ga-in. It depicted a love
story between a fictional king and a female shaman during the Joseon Kingdom
(1392-1910).
Further, the said soap recorded
an average viewer rating of 32.9 percent, which peaked at 42.2 percent for the
last episode.
It also boasts of its domestic
hit, saying rights were sold to several Asian countries including Japan, Hong
Kong, Singapore and the Philippines – and reached sales of over 200 billion
won.
Truly, the Philippines’ small
screens are captured by ‘hallyu’ through Korean drama like Jewel in the Palace
with Dae Jang Geum (2004), Boys Over Flowers with Ku Hye Sun, Lee Min Ho, Kim Hyun Joong (2009), Temptation of a Wife with Jang Seo Hee (2009), 49 Days with Lee Yo Won & Nam Gyu Ri, City Hunter (Siti
heonteo) with Lee Min Ho & Park
Min Young and Scent
of a Woman (Helena’s Promise), with Lee Dong-wook & Kim Sun Ah (2011).
Needless to say, ‘hallyu’ or the
Korean wave has wooed the romantic Filipino hearts while earning billions of
won for South Korea’s entertainment industry. (NBE/PIA9)