Korean TV series popular among Pinoys

(Choong-Suk Oh is the Korean Cultural Center Director and Korean embassy Counsellor)

“Pinocchio” is a TV series about two journalists seeking the truth behind social issues and the feelings budding between them. The show, starring Asia’s hottest stars Lee Jong-suk and Park Shin-hye, started airing in the Philippines over GMA-7 in July.

Korean TV series or the so-called Koreanovelas have been popular among Filipino audiences, which led to an increased interest in Korea as a country. Let’s discover Korea behind these shows.   

Tourist spots

Tourists can visit the popular tourist destinations in Korea through Korean TV dramas.

Jangsado Sea Park in the city of Tongyeong, Gyeongsangnam-do is the first on the list. Shaped like a snake, the entire island is blanketed in camellia flowers during spring. In the series “My Love from the Star,” Kim Soo-hyun’s character teleports with Jun Ji-hyun’s character to seek refuge after the latter’s supernatural abilities are exposed.    

If you want to witness picturesque scenery befitting a fairy tale, visit the island of Cheongsando, Wando-gun, Jeollanam do. The island’s endless fields of canola flowers mesh with the deep blue ocean to form serene sights that nurture the wearied soul. Lee Jong-suk and Park Shin-hye’s childhood scenes for Pinocchio were shot in this island, where the series “Spring Waltz” was also filmed.      

Scenes for the popular TV series “The Heirs” were shot at the Secret Garden in the city of Namyangju, Gyeonggi-do. This is where Lee Min-ho and Park Shin-hye spent the night next to a campfire.    

Korea’s broadcasting network is located at the KBS offices in Yeouido, Seoul where the TV series, “The Producers,” featuring Kim Soo-hyun and Gong Hyo-jin was shot. One of the show’s episodes was filmed in Everland, Korea’s top amusement parks.

Korean foods

Korean foods such as kimchi and bulgogi are depicted in Korean TV shows. An example is the Korean-style fried chicken (also known as chimaek, which is a combination of chicken and maekju or beer), which Jun Ji-hyun feasts on in “My Love from the Star.” In the show, Jun Ji-hyun’s character also enjoys instant-ramyeon and soju. Unlike its Japanese counterpart, ramen, Korean ramyeon uses hot peppers to add a little spice. Soju is a Korean liquor considered as the drink of workers rather than beer.

One of the classic Korean street foods is tteokbokki. It is a dish made of rice cakes mixed with eomuk, or processed fish. Tteokbokki is usually sold near schools and universities.

Another Korean favorite food featured in “The Heirs” is guksu (noodles). The most common example is janchiguksu, a noodle dish served in an anchovy broth. Bibimguksu or wheat flour noodles is also popular in Korea. Bibimguksu is usually served with boiled egg.

Koreans also enjoy grilled eel. The dish is featured in a scene from “Pinocchio.”

Gamjatang is a potato and pork-based soup, which is often consumed to alleviate hangovers. Park Yoo-chun and Shin Se-kyung enjoy eating gamjatang in the series “The Girl Who Sees Smells.”

Korean stars’ beauty secrets

Korean actresses look natural as if they are not wearing any makeup at all.

To maintain good skin, actress Jun Ji-hyun makes sure to drink plenty of water, get adequate sleep and exercise. Before going to bed, she takes a lower-body bath or meditates to relax, and regularly applies a moisturizing mask to hydrate and nourish her skin.

Gong Hyo-jin drinks enough water to stimulate her skin. She eats fruits and vegetables and avoids instant food. She says a positive attitude and smiling often are essential to maintaining good skin.      

A mother of two, Lee Young-ae uses camellia oil and moisturizer for her radiant complexion. Song Hye-kyo takes a minimalist approach to skin care. In “It’s Time for Hye-kyo,” her collection of essays, she says her secret to skin care is applying moisturizer every day. She gives her skin a break from makeup whenever she does not have a photo shoot. Known for her baby face, Ha Ji-won says she only applies minimal makeup to allow her skin to breathe. She applies gel masks daily, and eats fruits, nuts and yogurt with every meal.