'Whistle-blowing' dramas all the rage

By Kwon Ji-youn

When writer Im Sung-han hinted that she may retire from scriptwriting with the close of her current drama “Apgujeong Midnight Sun,” industry insiders and viewers alike seemed glad to see her go ― Im’s writing they said had bordered on deranged, and her work had evoked very little sympathy among audiences.

So it’s no surprise that whistle-blowing dramas such as “Angry Mom” and “The Superman Age,” which draw on the perplexities of today’s youth, are holding court. More and more viewers are turning their backs on sensationalism as they progressively seek to identify with the characters and their struggles.

One particular scene in MBC’s “Angry Mom” made headlines for depicting the collapse of a school building, which was suggestive of the ferry Sewol tragedy that claimed more than 300 lives in April 2014.

Prior to the collapse, the school’s president had been informed that water leaks and crevices in the walls of the new building could pose a threat to the students, but the board had disregarded all reports. Five students and the father of one were killed and many more were injured.

Even as the building began to cave in, no evacuation orders were given, just as none were allegedly given aboard the ferry Sewol as it sank in waters off Jindo Island in South Jeolla Province.

“Angry Mom” has received plaudits for its meticulous portrayal of school violence and the corruption that ensues in the operation and management of schools.

“I don’t want to live here (in Korea) anymore,” says Kang-ja, portrayed by Kim Hee-seon. Kang-ja’s daughter attends such a school.

In fact, dealing with school violence has become something of a trend on local television ― KBS’s new drama “Who Are You ― School 2015” attends to the disputes and rivalry among schoolgirls during one of the most tumultuous stages of their lives.

In MBC’s “Don’t Make Her Cry,” actress Kim Jung-eun takes on the role of a mother who has lost her son to school violence.

“I hadn’t given school violence much thought, but shooting this drama made me aware of how serious an issue this is in reality,” Kim said at a press event last month.

Cable network tvN’s “The Superman Age” speaks to a slightly older population of students as well as job-seekers. The protagonists, despite having supernatural powers, have failed in their attempt to develop a mobile application and need to pay their investors back. So they resort to bioequivalence testing, which has been attracting young college students who are in need of pocket money despite concerns about a long list of potential side effects.

“Admittedly, as finding employment gets harder, college students who need money for tuition or living expenses take part in risky part-time jobs like clinical testing,” the production crew said. “It’s a fairly common experience these days, and so it appears many viewers have found the episode particularly identifiable.”