Pinoy vs Korean dramas: Film industry insiders share observations

MANILA, Philippines — Last April 9, Filipino director Jose "Joey" Javier Reyes posted compelling questions on Twitter: “Just wondering because I want to know your thoughts: WHAT MAKES KOREANOVELAS SUCH FAVORITES FOR FILIPINOS? What makes them DIFFERENT?”

This was followed by director Erik Matti's controversial post about Korean dramas last April 14.

Just wondering because I want to know your thoughts: WHAT MAKES KOREANOVELAS SUCH FAVORITES FOR FILIPINOS? What makes them DIFFERENT? #direkasks

— Joey Javier Reyes (@DirekJoey) April 9, 2020

The daily top ten most viewed on #Netflix shows us how our movies and tv are doomed in the future. K-drama galore. Faux cinderella stories with belofied actors whiter than white. And it’s all about love in the midst of this pandemic. ????????????????

— Erik Matti (@ErikMatti) April 14, 2020

"The daily top ten most viewed on #Netflix shows us how our movies and tv are doomed in the future. K-drama galore. Faux cinderella stories with belofied actors whiter than white. And it’s all about love in the midst of this pandemic," Erik said on Twitter, for which he became a top trending topic that day and garnered nearly 4,000 replies.

Kapuso creative writer Suzette Doctolero recently offered an explanation.

In a lengthy Facebook post, Doctolero said the reason why Korean series and movies are more popular than their Filipino counterparts in the Philippines is because of Filipino colonial mentality.

Filipinos find local series and movies “cheap” because they love imported ones, the screenwriter said.

“Aminin na natin. Utak kolonyal tayo. ‘Pag gawang imported, gusto natin. ‘Pag gawang pinoy, cheap na agad ang tingin natin. Kaya masa lang talaga ang nanonood. Masa lang ang kakampi naming,” Doctolero wrote.

“Yes. Malaki ang dapat iimprove pa sa paggawa ng pelikula at soap opera dito sa Pilipinas (like, government support? Na wala pero mayroon sa Korea, malaking budget, censorship) pero mas malaki rin ang dapat baguhin ng Pilipino sa psyche o kaisipan natin,” she added.

Doctolero explained that the works of directors Brillante Mendoza, Matti and Jay Altarejos are good, but Filipinos do not watch those directors’ movies.

“Noong pinanood ko ang pelikulang THY WOMB ni Brillante Mendoza, pito lang kami sa loob ng sinehan. Pero ang ganda ng pelikula! Si Eric Matti ay matino naman din talagang direktor at mahusay sa biswal pero madalas ay wala ring nanonood sa movies niya lalo na nitong gumawa na siya ng mga movie na makatotohanan,” she said.

“May pelikula si Jay Altarejos na matapang at nagbibigay ng real na pagtingin sa nagaganap sa lipunan pero hindi maipalabas kasi banned at censored ata,” she added.

She also added that ABS-CBN and GMA 7 numerously tried to level up its content, but viewers seemed to not want to watch those series.

“Maraming beses na rin ang soap opera (mula sa GMA at ABS) na nagtangka na itaas ang level ng content pero mga nag rate ba? Pinanood ba??,” she said.

“Hindi lang ngayon ito problema. Maski noong panahon nina Ishmael at Brocka ay wala namang nanonood sa mga matitinong mga pelikula nila. Para mabuhay, gumagawa sila tuloy ng mga movies na “bakya” o pang masa, para tumabo sa takilya. Hindi rin namang kumita sa takilya ang marami pang matitinong movies noon na ngayon ay considered the best na sa Philippine cinema,” she added.

She said the same is true in the Filipino indie scene (independent film industry) where numerous movies are good but they lacked support from the viewing public.

“Ang daming indie movies na maganda rin ngayon pero pinapanood ba?? Patay gutom pa rin ang indie film making ano ba. Puso na lang talaga ang reason kaya gumagawa pa sila ng movies,” she said.

Doctolero admitted that Filipino moviegoers wanted to watch the same comedy movies like Vice Ganda’s movies for them to laugh.

“Kasi ang totoo.. Mas papanoorin ang movies ni Vice, di ba? Kasi marami ang gustong maaliw at matawa. Mas papanoorin ang series na may sampalan at kabitan di ba kasi ang tataas ng mga ratings. Nag rate ba ang mga soap na nagtry mag level up? HINDI!” she said.

“Akala ko ba ay gusto ng maganda, bago at matinong panoorin? Bakit hindi ito pinanood? Hanggng dakdak lang kayo. At dahil limitado ang audience (masang Pinoy) naming mga Pilipino film makers and soap opera workers kaya limitado rin ang budget (laban sa pang hollywood level budget ng Koreans, na 15x times more expensive, kasi may world market na sila) tapos nagagawa pang ikumpara?? Paano ma-aachieve yun kung wala namang nanonood at masa lang?” 

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