[Weekender] The rise of cable TV

On any given Seoul subway train on any ordinary weekday morning, the majority of the passengers are engrossed in texting, reading and watching videos on their smartphones.

But the gadgets are not the only difference between them and members of the older generation, who used to read newspapers and books on their way to work. Younger Koreans are increasingly becoming addicted not to prime-time KBS dramas, but also to shows like “Misaeng (Incomplete Life)” by cable network tvN.

Viewers with increasingly sophisticated tastes, producers with noble ideas and entertainers with fresh personalities have come together to expedite the rise of cable channels, posing a threat to the decades-long dominance of the industry’s top three terrestrial broadcasters.

Today’s hottest names include JTBC’s audition show “Hidden Singer,” CJ E&M’s talent show “Superstar K,” and tvN’s cooking reality show “Three Meals a Day” and late-night comedy show “Saturday Night Live Korea.” 

The ongoing sea change in the broadcasting industry reflects greater viewer demand for more options on themes and formats in the living room in line with their evolving appetites.

While major networks such as KBS, MBC and SBS struggle to innovate, up-and-coming networks and media content companies are scaling up investment in recruiting creative producers and writers, nurturing next-generation stars and adopting new programming technology.

“Their dramas are not so artificial and contain a lot fewer all-too-familiar ingredients that everybody is sick and tired of, such as amnesia and Cinderella stories,” says Jung Hye-yeon, a 29-year-old high-school lecturer, citing “Misaeng,” a Korean equivalent of “The Office,” a hit U.S. television series.

“I think the cable networks have freer production conditions than major ones in terms of regulations or subject matter they can deal with, so their programs are more colorful and have more solid plots and structures.”

For Oh Yun-mi, a 30-year-old office worker, it is the unique formats and ability to pepper everyday topics with witty captions or other tools that enable the channels to stand out.

“When I first saw ‘Three Meals a Day,’ I was like, ‘What’s the point?’” she said. In the show, actor Lee Seo-jin and Ok Taec-yeon, a member of the boy band 2PM, strive to create three meals with whatever food they find while living in the countryside.

“But I later found it easier to identify with because what they talk about is what I do with my own friends. Many soap operas such as tvN’s ‘Reply 1994’ also have stories and casts that can appeal to all generations.”

Oh was not alone in casting doubt on the success of the cooking reality show.

“We’re screwed,” actor Lee grumbles in the first episode, pointing to the show’s bland storyline and lack of a star-studded cast.

“That was the consensus between Lee and the staff ― it’s a dull story that the two guys living in the countryside cook and eat all day,” producer Na Young-seok said during a recent media interview. He is the man behind the popular KBS variety show “2 Days & 1 Night” and tvN variety shows “Grandpas over Flowers,” “Sisters over Flowers” and “Youth over Flowers.”

“There were risks, but from the beginning I aimed to do something that flows slowly and serenely yet with the depth of life. (Creating something) new requires risk-taking ― otherwise you will end up cliche.”

At the forefront of the craze is CJ E&M, Korea’s top entertainment and media conglomerate, which owns channels including tvN, Mnet, OCN, Olive and OnStyle. It has been investing heavily in various genres and platforms of broadcasting, films, music, live entertainment and games.

Powered by the Korean Wave around the globe, exports of Korean content are also on a steep rise. During a trade fair in October in Cannes, France, Korean cable TV program providers fetched $2.1 million worth of deals, marking a 200 percent increase from a year ago.

The networks are seeking to diversify their Asia-focused client base to include Western markets such as the U.S., Canada, Italy and the Netherlands.

By Shin Hyon-hee (heeshin@heraldcorp.com)