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S.Korean soap opera sparks boom in China
By Raymond Zhou (China Daily)
Updated: 2005-09-30 06:22

Increasing influence

The first South Korean drama arrived in the Chinese mainland in 1993, but it hardly made any ripples. In 1997, when CCTV aired another series, literally translated as "What Is Love?," it garnered 4.2 per cent in ratings, much higher than an average show.

That year was considered the official beginning of "han liu." Since then, China has been inundated non-stop by popular dramas from South Korea.

The trend reached a crescendo in 2002. When CCTV aired shows like "Lady Mermaid" in the night-owl slot of 11 pm. They were consistently rewarded with ratings as high as 10 per cent. That year, a total of 67 South Korean television shows debuted on screens nationwide.

It was also during 2002 when "My Sassy Girl (Yeopgijeogin geunyeo)," a Korean film portraying a gorgeous but somewhat sadistic girl, stole the hearts of millions across China. The film reaped tens of millions of yuan at the box office. The feat was achieved despite bootleg DVD that had flooded the market.

In 2004, import of South Korean television drama series reached another apex with 104 shows, and 13 Korean films participated in the Shanghai International Film Festival.
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