[In-Depth Review] What the Evolution of Makjang Dramas Tells Us

Last year, the SBS Friday-Saturday drama "Penthouse," which dominated the broadcasting scene with both hype and controversy, has returned for its second season. Surpassing a 20% viewership rating within just two episodes, it signals the resurgence of the "Kim Soon-ok World" syndrome. What’s even more intriguing is the competitive dynamic unfolding with the "Im Seong-han World," known as the originator of makjang dramas. Im Seong-han’s comeback work after six years, "Marriage Lyrics and Divorce Music," is airing as a TV Chosun weekend drama, going head-to-head with "Penthouse 2" for the weekend drama crown. Additionally, writer Moon Young-nam’s new KBS weekend drama "OK Kwang Sisters" is also awaiting broadcast. Truly, it is the era of "makjang" dramas.

When did makjang dramas begin to dominate TV? Their history traces back to the early 2000s with the start of the Im Seong-han World. Im Seong-han, who was praised for breaking the static daily drama formula with tangled character relationships and complex plot developments in the 1998 drama "See and See Again," further developed her unique world through twisted conflict structures in "Mermaid Princess" (2002) and "Oh My Lady" (2005). The "Im Seong-han World" seemed like the prototype of makjang dramas, featuring simultaneously unfolding, clich?d and provocative situations such as familial betrayal, jealousy, revenge, secret births, and mother-in-law conflicts, often disregarding plausibility.

This conflict structure was further intensified in the 2007 SBS drama "Wife’s Club" by writer Moon Young-nam. Viewers began to label similar works as "makjang," meaning they had "gone to the extreme." Following this, the 2008 SBS drama "Temptation of Wife" by Kim Soon-ok sparked the full-fledged golden age of makjang dramas. The hallmark of the "Kim Soon-ok World" is that it added astonishing speed and intensity to the existing makjang drama formula.

The rise of makjang dramas cannot be separated from the historical context. The launch of cable TV and the widespread availability of high-speed internet ushered in a multi-channel, multi-media era, during which the influence of traditional terrestrial broadcasters steadily declined. Alongside this, the increase in outsourced productions and the introduction of real-time viewership ratings intensified the competition for ratings. In short, makjang dramas were monsters born from the intensified ratings war.

These societal changes have also influenced the recent makjang drama craze. With online video services (OTT) joining the media competition, TV has once again pulled out the "makjang" card to attract viewers. Moreover, today’s makjang dramas draw in not only the traditional middle-aged and older audience but also younger viewers. "Penthouse" is a prime example. Kim Soon-ok actively incorporates genre elements such as mystery, thriller, and action into the makjang world, adding spectacular visuals. Im Seong-han also infused a mystery element of "finding an affair partner" into "Marriage Lyrics and Divorce Music." Moon Young-nam’s new work aims to be a mystery thriller, romantic, comedic home drama.

The problem lies in the increasing severity of the content’s sensationalism. For example, Kim Soon-ok, who received a "19+ rating" recommendation from the Korea Communications Standards Commission for excessive sensuality in her previous work "The Last Empress," presented full-fledged "19+" episodes in "Penthouse." Ultimately, the "evolution of makjang" only reaffirms that the ultimate goal of this genre remains ratings supremacy, and that desire has become more overtly developed.

Kim Sun-young, Popular Culture Critic