South Korea is a rather conservative country when it comes to some social issues. Whether it is mental health, drug use, the impaired, or even the LGBT community, generally these things are not discussed in polite company or ever on TV. This is why it always such a scandal when something about an idol or a celebrity comes out about one of these issues. Idols are supposed to be ideal members of society reflecting of the perfect ideal of what Korea can offer the world. So why are Idols starring in LGBT shows and movies these days?
Well, social issues have become more trendy in dramas in the last couple of years. Dramas about mental illness, like It's Okay, That's Love, have been coming out in recent years launching the discussion of these things from the shadows and into the primetime light. This year Extraordinary Attorney Woo is one of the nation's most popular dramas that stars an autistic character and has themes about autism and what that entails for the average Korean. This has no doubt opened doors to be able to tell any story that writers have not dared to tell before.
Social issue dramas have become a part of a cultural revolution that when paired with the international rise in popularity of webtoons with these plot lines and the preserving force of LGBT celebrities, such as Hong Seok Cheon, who have come out to fight for acceptance in Korea has created a perfect storm for LGBT stories to come to light in dramas and shows. Hong co-hosts Merry Queer, an up-in-coming reality show where Koreans can come out to the world through the show. It joins other reality shows such as Man's Romance which has gotten more reaction for how handsome the boys are than negativity.
Webtoons have always been popular in Korea, but even more so in the times of COVID as everyone suddenly had more time to themselves. And now these stories are being produced into web series, dramas, and movies. While there have been LGBT nuances and side plots without explicitly open relationships in dramas, such as Coffee Prince and The King's Affection. These are usually not the focus outside of a few movies, like Night Flight, that perform well on the festival circuit. Now they are the focus of dramas on TV for the whole family to view.
The drama Semantic Error is a prime example. This manhwa-based drama focuses on the relationship of an artist who has to work together for a dreaded group project with an engineer and falls in love. It is a typical frenemies storyline that isn't new to popular romantic dramas, but the LGBT nature is. The drama was ridiculously popular to the point of breaking records and even spawning a movie that's first screenings have already sold out in Korea. The drama stars two idols, Park Seo Ham from KNK and Park Jaechan of DKZ.
This isn't the only LGBT-themed drama starring idols coming out these days. Tinted With You was a 2021 drama starring Jun of A.C.E. and Unintentional Love Story is an up-in-coming drama starring Gongchan of B1A4. Outside of these, there are several LGBT-themed shows coming out in general. Where Your Eyes Linger is another popular drama that stars model actors. Why are idols starring in these dramas? Well, these idols are usually in smaller groups that need more exposure. The fans of these dramas will follow them after to shows leading to a spark in popularity for the group and the idol themselves.
Are you watching any of the shows mentioned? What do you think about idols in these dramas? Are they activists for change or just following trends to promote their groups? Let us know what you think below!
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