K-dramas' fresh take on fathers

Ha Jung-woo plays Ki Su-jong, an imperfect patriarch, in a scene from the tvN drama "Mad Concrete Dreams." Courtesy of tvN.

K-dramas are dismantling the archetype of the traditional patriarchs in favor of a more realistic figures who struggling and emotionally vulnerable.

Fathers in Korean dramas were long depicted as distant protectors, authoritative figures who silently bore the financial burden within traditional family structures. Today, broadcasters are abandoning this formula. The modern onscreen father is a flawed character who makes mistakes, misunderstands his own emotions and continuously learns.

This trend reflects a broader societal shift. While fathers still often shoulder much of household financial burdens, families have become more egalitarian .

Nnarratives of personal growth are now being applied to middle-aged men. In dramas such as "The Dream Life of Mr. Kim," "Mad Concrete Dreams" and "Cabbage Your Life," viewers see fathers facing their limitations. These protagonists struggle to communicate but also push forward and fight to save their marriages.

Ryu Seung-ryong portrays Kim Nak-su in the JTBC drama "The Dream Life of Mr. Kim." Courtesy of JTBC

Pop culture critic Jung Duk-hyun said centering a narrative on a middle-aged man's struggles is a calculated risk, as drama viewership remains predominantly female and tends to empathize more with women’s difficulties.

Even so, a market crowded with stories centered on women creates space for something different, and stories about middle-aged men are gaining traction.

Jung saw untapped potential for fathers' narratives in K-dramas.

"The story of a middle-aged man struggling to overcome a crisis can contain various genres," he said. "The approach blends genre conventions with compelling human drama or other genres. Middle-aged viewers will likely empathize with the difficulties of family providers."

However, the concept faces a challenge. Jung pointed out its surprising rejection by the middle-aged viewers it depicts.

"The stories are so realistic that they provide little escapism, and that may be limiting their ratings,” he said.

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