[In-Depth Review] Challenges of Terrestrial Dramas Found in 'Jeonwon Ilgi'

It has been a long time since terrestrial dramas entered a dark age. Cable and general programming channels like tvN and JTBC, which had already taken over the title of drama kingdom from terrestrial broadcasters long ago, continue to grow, and recently, OTT providers such as Netflix have also been shaking up the drama market, making the stagnation phase even more pronounced.

The first half of 2021 was a series of gloomy news. SBS suffered a fatal blow due to the historical distortion controversy and unprecedented cancellation of the ambitious blockbuster drama 'Joseon Exorcist,' while KBS and MBC each tasted the bitterness of terrestrial dramas hitting 0% viewership ratings with 'Imitation' and 'Oh My Ladylord,' respectively.

Will the second half of 2021 see a restoration of honor for terrestrial dramas? Interestingly, the clue to this hope was found in a drama from as far back as 40 years ago. The protagonist is 'Jeonwon Ilgi (MBC),' which first aired in 1980 and ran until 2002, holding the record as the longest-running domestic drama.

This nostalgic national drama disappeared into history after the mid-1990s when the mainstream of dramas shifted to trendy melodramas with urban sensibilities, but recently its value has been newly revived. It has been rebroadcast on various platforms including OTT, gaining responses not only from the middle-aged and elderly generations who watched the original broadcasts but also from the MZ generation encountering the work for the first time.

The MBC 60th anniversary special 4-part documentary 'Jeonwon Ilgi 2021,' aired from June to early July, also attracted attention within this trend. The documentary, which recalled the historical significance of this legendary work through reunions of actors, writers, and PDs after 20 years since its end, also reflected on the 'true meaning of drama' that our era has lost.

Drama fundamentally deals with conflicts between people. In an interview within the documentary, the great actress Kim Hye-ja, who played Lee Eun-sim, the wife of Chairman Kim (Choi Bul-am) in 'Jeonwon Ilgi,' pointed out that the way conflicts are handled is a crucial point. While recent dramas tend to escalate conflicts more intensely and provocatively, 'Jeonwon Ilgi' portrayed all characters picking up and trying to mend the 'remnants of conflict.' In this process, the complex inner nature of humans?dark, good, and warm?was revealed. Therefore, as the great actress said, this work was a 'human drama,' not just a rural drama.

In short, this 'fundamental virtue of drama' is ultimately the value that terrestrial dramas should aim for. Unlike other media that target specific demographics, terrestrial broadcasters must consider universality, making empathy and communication essential tasks. Although 'Jeonwon Ilgi' was set in a specific rural area at the time of airing, it created stories that everyone could relate to through excellent observations of ordinary daily life and human nature.

Ironically, this year’s representative terrestrial dramas such as 'Penthouse 2 (SBS)' and 'Okay Kwang Sisters (KBS)' have all been criticized as makjang dramas. Although they record high viewership ratings, they stand completely opposite to 'empathy.'

Terrestrial dramas are currently at a critical crossroads. The long-awaited mid-roll advertisements for terrestrial broadcasters were allowed starting July 1, and KBS also raised its license fees. This is a time when greater public responsibility is required. Now is the time to find answers to the crisis through internal reflection.

Kim Sun-young, Popular Culture Critic