Shanghai Daily news

The success of the MBC TV series "Dae Jang Geum", such a big hit with Chinese audiences these days, has provoked a debate over whether the TV costume drama from South Korea is better than its Chinese equivalents.
Despite the contempt felt by some for South Korean costume drama (varying from the belief that K-dramas are merely soap operas aimed at housewives to that they are not in the same class as the Chinese ones in terms of shooting or costumes or props), we can't close our eyes to the fact that the overwhelming majority of Chinese audiences love K-drama. This raises the question, where does Chinese costume drama fall short? 
I selected this topic somewhat grudgingly. South Korea was influenced by Chinese culture throughout most of its history, and since it could be said to be not as prestigious as China in terms of the length and depth of its history it is perhaps surprising that South Korean costume dramas garner such high ratings when broadcast in China. You could scorn their success as indicative of the human tendency to follow the herd. However, the format has increased in popularity, and the Chinese audience shows no signs of losing interest. The reason behind its success is worth pondering.
Let's take a look at "Dae Jang Geum". It tells the legend of Jang-Geum, a maid who became the only female royal physician in Korean history after living through palace coups and the ups and downs of her own life. The drama is not innovative, although the idea of using traditional Korean cooking to attract viewers is a novel feature. Attractive girls, love and intrigue, fantastic scenery and music - these elements were added to "Dae Jang Geum" and worked their magic, but after all they have already been used in various ways in many TV dramas.
How does "Dae Jang Geum" entice tens of millions of Chinese viewers? The following is a selection of viewpoints published on Chinese websites: "The overt contention and covert struggle in the royal kitchen where Jang-Geum worked reminds me of office politics" ; "Jang-Geum has the virtue of benevolence, and a personality not seduced by either fame or wealth"; "At first glance the TV drama seems like a lesson on Korean cooking. Actually, it teaches you how to conduct yourself in society. Instead of preaching, it educates you in a kind and informal way".
"Dae Jang Geum" is a breath of fresh air to Chinese audiences who are tired of the formulaic political intrigues and brutal murders of domestically-produced costume dramas. 
Chinese costume drama rose to prominence as a genre in the 1980s. Almost half of today's domestic TV dramas are of this type. While there are quality TV dramas among these works, for instance those adapted from the four classical Chinese novels (namely, Dream of the Red Chamber, Three Kingdoms, Journey to the West and Outlaws of the Marsh) which have garnered worldwide fame, what else do we have to offer?
Again and again we see an over-exposure of power struggles and absurd love triangles in domestic costume dramas. I have no intention of criticising their historical nature. What cannot be tolerated however is the distortion of history by these so-called "costume dramas".
South Korean costume drama has the merits of treating its history seriously and telling stories in a natural way. It is this which touches the hearts of so many Chinese viewers.

(Abridged and Translated by Rachel Hou from an article published in Jiefang Daily on October 8, 2005. Jiefang Daily is an official publication of the Shanghai Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China)