Kdrama and Filipino TV Series Demystified: A Comparative Close Reading Analysis of its Technical and Narrative Elements

Abstract

Anchored on John Fiske’s Codes of TV Production, Stuart Hall’s Encoding and Decoding Mode, and Jacques Lacan’s Psychoanalytic Theory, the study compared and analyzed two high rated shows on Netflix, Extraordinary Attorney Woo, a Korean drama text and House Arrest of Us, a Filipino TV series based on technical and narrative elements as well as meanings and contexts through close reading. A highly budgeted Extraordinary Attorney Woo had a strong synergy of cinematography, directing, editing, production, lighting, graphics, and audio design that led to a superior output. As a textual medium, it served as a vehicle for knowledge sharing, inclusion of popular culture, presenting multi-faceted characters, and boasting of a strong plot. On the other hand, while House Arrest of Us shared several similarities, variations in the manner of execution, creative choices, and cultural differences differed. In terms of the narrative elements, House Arrest of Us also integrated popular culture, transformed the text using literary devices, information education, and Koreanization of the text. The difference lay in the integration of Filipino songs and dances, the exploration of various comedic styles, and the tackling of current local issues. The House Arrest of Us showed improvement in their craft even if they were greatly challenged in terms of budget, staffing, and production culture. Hence, there is a need to sharpen the skills of the production crew, lobby for government support to fuel the creative economy, introduce a change in the industry of drama production, and forge a strong public and private partnerships.