05-07-2025
Why do people get addicted to Korean dramas?
A friend once told me about his teenage daughter's fascination with Korean drama after spending hours watching TV series during the summer holidays. She was able to learn some words, make Korean friends online, and even develop a taste for their cuisine. One day, she informed her father that she wished to study in Korea. The father was not keen on this but was able to negotiate with her to go on a holiday with the family during the summer. Upon reaching Seoul, she indulged more in the culture, dressing in the local traditional dress, the 'Hanbok' with its vibrant colours, and sipping different types of tea. She became more fluent in the language and was able to have a conversation with the hotel staff and sellers in the market.
This made me wonder why some people become addicted to Korean dramas. I got my answer when I came across a South Korean historical drama called Empress Ki, which tells the story of Ki Seung-Nyang, a young girl from Goryeo, now South Korea, who witnessed the murder of her mother by the soldiers from Yuan ' now China ' after being captured to be sold as a slave. Nyang, disguised as a boy, ascends from rebel fighter to palace maid after being taken to the Mongol‑ruled Yuan court as a tribute woman.
At the palace, she wins the favour and love of Crown Prince Toghon Temür by saving his life, eventually becoming his consort, and, through intelligence, loyalty, and resilience, rising to the rank of Empress Consort of the Yuan dynasty. I must admit that I binge-watched many of the 51 episodes that blend romance, ambition, loyalty, and epic historical spectacle. We see characters developing as they face different difficulties. At times, I wonder if the protagonist is a good person or if some of her actions were as evil as those of her enemies. Was she justified in using people to achieve her goals, even if that meant destroying lives and properties? So what made me hooked on the series? The series starts with a scene from the middle of the story and then goes back in time so when you see the three main characters in 'present time' you assume that clip was from the final episode so you expect that they will survive all the beating, the torture and the assassination attempts, but the final episode would shock you as you discover that the creates outsmart your predictions and close the show with an epic ending.
Like many Korean series, 'Empress Ki ' provides exceptional storytelling and smart twists making the viewers alert and guessing how the events would evolve. The traditional clothes of the different characters reflect their social status. The show dives deep into the psychology of human interaction, how alliances are made and broken, and how the thirst for power and wealth makes people change their values and principles. In short, the series provides, along with entertainment, a journey through the culture and history with intense action, fighting and epic performances from all lead characters, even the young ones who were able to exhibit complex emotions.
