K-dramas about entertainment industry face declining popularity

A new jinx has emerged within the Korean entertainment industry: Dramas about the entertainment world itself fail to capture audiences' attention.

Apart from the successful "The Producers" (2015), many works that have focused on the lives of entertainment and industry workers, such as "Shooting Stars" (2023), "Behind Every Star" (2022), "Imitation" (2021) and "Idol: The Coup" (2021) have failed to resonate with viewers.

This trend is often referred to as a "curse" within the industry.

They have not succeeded in eliciting empathy from the audience. They remain perceived as being in "a league of their own," unrelatable to the general viewer.

Sometimes, the reality depicted is stranger than fiction, which should theoretically make entertainment industry stories highly engaging.

The public's fascination with every move of celebrities is undeniable, as evidenced by the longevity of shows like "Omniscient Interfering View" (2018-), which has succeeded by capturing the bustling lives of staff behind the spotlight, thus emanating a very human and relatable essence.

Disillusionment with entertainment industry tales

Yet, despite the inherent interest, these entertainment-centric dramas continue to falter. Why do audiences shun these depictions?

It might be that while the surface-level glamour is appealing, the underlying stories of hardship, strife and the mundane realities that these workers face do not strike a chord with the general populace.

Or perhaps it's the presentation itself, which might still feel too detached or stylized to be genuine.

As the industry ponders this puzzle, the focus may need to shift from merely showcasing the world of entertainment to creating narratives that forge a deeper, more emotional connection with the viewer. Only then might the curse of the entertainment drama be finally broken.

Moreover, the portrayal of characters in these dramas tends to be unidimensional. Broadcast writers are always depicted struggling with job pressures, celebrities are tormented by rumors, and journalists often play the role of the villain, akin to the paparazzi.

Clichéd repetitive nature of stories

The problem does not lie with having celebrities as protagonists. For instance, the tvN drama "Lovely Runner" features Eclipse member Sun-jae as the male lead, and JTBC's "Frankly Speaking" paints a romance between a television presenter and an entertainment writer.

At a press conference, director Jang Ji-yeon of "Frankly Speaking" acknowledged the clichéd nature of entertainment industry stories, saying, "Broadcast station stories are not interesting. They're too specialized and have been overdone."

To overcome these limitations, Jang emphasized the need to expand the narrative scope beyond just the broadcasting world to include a variety of characters and events that enhance the viewing experience.

Analysts said dramas about the entertainment industry fail to target a precise viewer demographic. The older generation is uninterested in the melodrama surrounding stars, and younger viewers who are fans of idols or actors tend to consume content featuring their favorite stars instead.

"Those interested in the entertainment industry prefer the raw reality of actual showbiz to the fabricated versions in dramas," an industry insider said. "Real-life events, like a celebrity couple's divorce, tend to have a greater impact than similar events depicted in dramas."

Although the challenges within the entertainment industry can propel a storyline and lead to romantic developments, the repetitive portrayal of controlling managers, actor abuse, and conflicts among staff is prevalent, the official said.

"The entertainment industry feels too removed from reality compared to genres like law or medicine, which are closely related to our lives," he said. "Viewers end up feeling detached and are unable to immerse themselves fully. The perception of the entertainment world as a separate 'world they live in' also contributes to viewer discomfort."

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, a sister publication of The Korea Times, was assisted by a generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.