你受到「韓劇熱」的影響了嗎？韓國肥皂劇為什麼廣受世界各地觀眾的喜愛？英國人喜歡北歐犯罪片的原因又何在？本期《隨身英語》談論受歡迎的熱門外國劇。
It may not be a real illness but K-drama fever is sweeping Asia with as much force as an infectious disease. The latest hit show to come out of South Korea has already claimed over 440 million victims in China alone, where it's being simulcast. Many millions more are glued to their screens across the continent.
『Descendants of the Sun』 is the latest in a long line of TV dramas to come out of Korea which have taken Asia by storm. The usual theme of star-crossed lovers is still very much there but there's a twist which many of its fans say gives this drama a distinctive flavour. It's a military romance which is set in a fictional European country.
Ms Gao from Beijing said, "The military theme does not usually appear frequently in TV shows so combined with the romantic theme, this is not like other Korean soap operas."
The female lead, played by Song Hye-kyo, is a surgeon, while her male counterpart, played by Song Joong-ki, is a special forces captain.
"Unlike most Korean dramas which are about a rich guy who falls in love with a poor, golden-hearted girl, the story feels more like the love story of two evenly-matched adults," says Chen Yuanni, from Beijing.
But it's not just Asia which has seen a boom in the popularity of foreign-language TV dramas in recent years. Since the Danish crime drama, The Killing, was first aired on the BBC in 2011, the nation has been gripped by so-called Nordic Noir. What surprises some is that it's not only thrillers, such as The Bridge, which have captured the imagination of British viewers. There have also been ratings successes for shows such as Borgen - about coalition politics – and 1864 – a drama about an obscure 19th century war between Denmark and Prussia.
So why do these international dramas appeal when the cultrual references are so remote from the experience of the viewers? Perhaps the answer lies in this piece of advice for aspiring scriptwriters from the BBC's Writersoom: "Engaging characters are at the heart of all good drama, no matter how mainstream or unusual your idea may be." So if the characters are strong enough, it doesn't matter if they're from Sichuan, Seoul or Sweden.
詞彙表
drama 劇
K-drama 韓國電視劇
(something) fever （事物）熱，火
a hit show 非常受歡迎的片子
to simulcast （和電視臺）同步播放
the latest in a long line of 一系列（韓劇）裡最新的一部
to take (somewhere) by storm （在某處）大獲成功
star-crossed lovers 不幸的戀人們
a twist 變化，出乎意料的情節
a flavour 特色，風格，體驗
a military romance 發生在軍隊裡的愛情故事
to be set (somewhere) （以某處）為背景a soap opera 肥皂劇
to resonate 產生共鳴
a lead 主角
a counterpart （職能或地位）相對應的事物或人，男主角
crime drama 犯罪劇
to air 播出，播放
Nordic Noir 北歐犯罪推理小說或片子
a thriller 驚悚片
to capture the imagination 抓住想像力，令人神往
a ratings success 高的收視率
an engaging character 吸引人的角色
測驗與練習
1. 閱讀課文並回答問題。
1. Is K-drama an illness?
2. Have there been other popular Korean TV dramas before 『Descendants of the Sun』?
3. True or false: 'Descendants of the Sun' is completely different to previous Korean dramas?
4. What four examples are there in the text of Scandinavian TV dramas which have been popular in the UK?
5. What could explain the popularity of foreign TV dramas with obscure subjects?
2. 請你在不參考課文的情況下完成下列練習。選擇一個意思合適的單詞填入句子的空格處。
1. 'Friends' was an international __________ in the 1990s.
top show hit show K-drama simulcast
2. The Shakespeare play Romeo and Juliette is about __________.
a military romance a counterpart star-crossed lovers an engaging character
3. __________ are often shown on TV several times a week over many years.
operas series thrillers soap operas
4. You can set your drama anywhere as long as your characters are __________.
engaging leading a ratings success flavoursome
5. The equality of the lead characters in Descendants of the Sun __________ with the viewers.
resonates flavours thrills twists
答案
1. 閱讀課文並回答問題。
1. Is K-drama an illness?
No, it's like an illness because it's spreading quickly across countries.
2. Have there been other popular Korean TV dramas before 'Descendants of the Sun?'
Yes, Descendants of the Sun is the latest in a long line of popular Korean dramas.
3. True or false: 'Descendants of the Sun' is completely different to previous Korean dramas?
False. There is the usual theme of star-crossed lovers but with a twist.
4. What four examples are there in the text of Scandinavian TV dramas which have been popular in the UK?
The Killing, The Bridge, Borgen, 1864.
5. What could explain the popularity of foreign TV dramas with obscure subjects?
Engaging characters are at the heart of all good drama, no matter how mainstream or unusual your idea may be.
2. 請你在不參考課文的情況下完成下列練習。選擇一個意思合適的單詞填入句子的空格處。
1. 'Friends' was an international hit show in the 1990s.
2. The Shakespeare play Romeo and Juliette is about star-crossed lovers.
3. Soap operas are often shown on TV several times a week over many years.
4. You can set your drama anywhere as long as your characters are engaging.
5. The equality of the lead characters in Descendants of the Sun resonates with the viewers.