TV viewers enjoy watching shows that depict everyday life
REFLECTING the many hardships of modern life, TV producers are rolling out a number of new programs that capture the stresses that many people encounter every day and strike a familiar chord with viewers.
KBS2's new office drama, ‘I Don't Wanna Work', is a comic mockumentary illustrating the ills of Korea's competitive working culture by following a group of employees working for a fictional stationery company in Korea.
The series, which kicked off earlier this month, features characters who are all too familiar in Korea's office culture - managers who are worried that they'll be usurped by talented newcomers, employees who don't know who to side with when their bosses feud, to name just a couple.
Korean viewers watching ‘I Don't Wanna Work' will often find that the episodes are so realistic that they're like a recap of their day in the office, as the characters are shown stressing out about disrespectful new employees and work-related phone calls that ring well after office hours.
Scenes throughout the show, like honest interviews with the characters, make it closer to a documentary than a drama, making it easier for viewers at all stages of their careers to empathize with.
Cho Na-eun, the producer of the series, said she conducted extensive research to make the drama as realistic as possible.
“We met with labour attorneys and went onto the mobile app ‘Blind,' where office workers share information, to create these episodes about the office,” said Cho. “We want viewers to feel like they aren't alone in dealing with difficulties in the workplace.”
A new program from MBC also speaks to the “average Cho” by addressing the stresses of finding a home in Seoul's merciless real estate market.
Last month, MBC kicked off its new reality series, ‘Where is My Home'. If previous programs about real estate centred on renovation and remodelling people's homes, ‘Where is My Home' puts the focus on addressing the struggles of those without property.
Celebrity hosts Park Na-rae, Kim Sook and other stars do the legwork instead of their “clients,” who are just regular viewers from different socioeconomic backgrounds looking for new rental homes.
The stars divide themselves into two teams, and go on an exciting search for a property that meets a host of criteria - and of course, a budget - set by the clients. The clients are rewarded with some money at the end of the show to help with moving costs.
Like with ‘I Don't Wanna Work', there are plenty of elements that viewers can sympathise with in ‘Where is My Home'. Episodes show the stars having to resort to proposing apartment rooms in basements and properties outside of the city to meet their clients' budgets, something not unfamiliar to recent college graduates or young employees.
Director Lee Yoon-hwa said she got the idea for the program based on her experience of looking for a rental home.
“Though we were doubtful at first whether audiences would be interested in the realistic process of house hunting, the responses have thankfully been good,” Lee said.
“I think it's also because we offer information on real estate, which is something people find difficult [to understand].”
“Although we will show homes of different price ranges in diverse locations, we will focus on introducing rental properties, taking into account most people's feelings about the real estate situation.”
The strategy to appeal to viewers by making TV programs that address mundane concerns and chores is not an entirely new one. Many of Korea's longrunning reality programs capture the day-to-day lives of regular people, rather than the fabulous lives of celebrities.
On SBS' ‘Baek Jong-won's Alley Restaurant', celebrity chef Baek helps small restaurant owners improve their menus and attract customers. The struggles of these business owners ring close to viewers in Korea, where data shows that around 3,000 people open up restaurants while another 2,000 close their eateries on a daily basis.
MBC's ‘Omniscient Interfering View' puts the spotlight on celebrities' managers rather than the stars themselves. The story of Lim Song, the 23-yearold manager of comedian Park Sung-kwang, resonated deeply with viewers as they saw in her a young adult just trying to do her job well.
“Viewers have gotten bored of celebrities' lives and are thirsting for a story about their own lives, which is why there are now programs like ‘Where is My Home' and ‘Let's Eat Dinner Together' where regular people are the protagonists and celebrities are just the guides,” said culture critic Jung Dukhyun."