Historical topics have always been a strong forte for Chinese dramas, however, with K-dramas growing stronger and stronger, the competition is getting fiercer.
China once dominated the Asian historical dramas realm. However, historical K-dramas have been changing with time, and now proves to be a strong competitor. Below is a comprehensive comparison between historical K-dramas then, now, and their Chinese counterpart.
Length
In the past, historical K-dramas often ran extremely long, covering the entire life of one leading character. For example, there have been classics such as “Jumong” (2006), “Dae Jang Geum” (2003), “Dong Yi” (2010), and Empress Ki (2013), all of which consist of 50 episodes or longer.
However, historical K-dramas now embrace much more diverse tones, and can tell romantic stories, folk tales, or even tackle fantasy elements like nine-tailed foxes or zombies. For these drama series, the runtime is often shorter, with from 12 to 20 episodes, making them easier to keep up with.
Meanwhile, Chinese historical dramas can cover all sorts of themes, from palace dramas, martial arts, magic, to romance and more. The most common length falls between 30 and about 50 episodes, with notable mentions including “Eternal Love”, “Love Like the Galaxy”, “Love Between Fairy and Devil”, and “Goodbye My Princess”.
There are also recent dramas that take on a more serious tone and last from 70 to 100 episodes, such as “Empresses in the Palace”, “Ruyi’s Royal Love in the Palace”, and “The Empress of China”.
Topic
With an extremely long history and a lot of experience in historical dramas, Chinese historical dramas are extremely varied when it comes to topics. In fact, the historical genre can be said to be China’s strongest forte in the film industry.
From palace drama, family drama, business drama, to investigation, martial arts, cultivation, fantasy, and more, there’s no theme that Chinese historical dramas have not tackled. The Chinese market also produces a large number of historical dramas every year, so there’s no shortage for audiences who love historical dramas.
Meanwhile, due to various reasons, historical dramas have never been the focus of the Korean filmmaking industry. There are less historical works produced every year in Korea compared to China, and historical K-dramas have only become commonplace since after the 2000s.
In the past, historical K-dramas mostly focus on political battles amid royalties, before the topics expand to cooking, medicine, romance, and fantasy. While still exceptional, the history of Korean period drama simply hasn’t been as long as its Chinese counterpart, and so have not reached its full potential. Nevertheless, the script, story, and development of historical K-dramas are not to be under-estimated, with various strengths and unique features of their own.
Costumes
When it comes to costumes, Chinese historical dramas seem to be winning against Korean dramas. This is because Chinese history spans many dynasties, so the costumes are more diverse. The designers also have a bigger opportunity to unleash their creativity. It can be said that costumes and hairstyles are also what many viewers love the most about Chinese historical dramas.
Meanwhile, costumes in Korean period dramas are simpler, mainly two styles of hanbok, either in the Goguryeo or Joseon eras. The Joseon Dynasty is the longest in history, so the costumes and designs are quite similar. But the colors and textures of hanboks in Korean dramas are always changing, leaving a strong impression on viewers.
Makeup
In the past, the makeup style in Chinese historical dramas was usually heavy, sometimes even over the top, but over time, this has improved and changed a lot. Characters in Chinese historical dramas now have more suitable makeup looks.
Korean dramas, regardless of setting, modern or period, are always loyal to a natural, soft makeup style. This is also in line with the tastes of the domestic audience. Therefore, in terms of makeup, Korean and Chinese historical dramas are neck to neck.
The cast
In the past, lead roles in Korean historical dramas were often given to famous actors with a lot of experience. But now, young, even rookie actors have had more opportunities to challenge themselves in this genre, giving viewers more freshness.
In contrast, stars who lead Chinese historical dramas are often well-known actors who have been familiar with the audience to guarantee the works’ reputation. The opportunity for young Chinese actors to take on an important role in period dramas is not high, so the hierarchy in China’s entertainment industry is also very clear.
Source: dienanh.
