Is it just me or is the Song of the Day not downloadable?

I think that is the accepted generalization (Chinese and Taiwanese are in between.)

That is, unless when The Messiah of K-drama visits His people . . .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wcXHjQS8y7s

“Perhaps it has to do with how the two cultures view life?”

There’s some truth to that. If you watch Alone in Love carefully, there’s marvelous tension between the dialogue and monologues, the latter which seems lifted from the actual Japanese novel. Alone in Love has a happy ending . . . but the ending is actually kind of a tragedy. But it depends on what cultural filter you apply to the story.

I think it’s just more that Korean trendies tend to follow a telenovela/soap opera structure, and so many Japanese idol dramas are based on manga (or adopt a pulp-like approach to drama), and so are very linear about the story. (And even the really, really good stuff like Ashita no Kita Yoshio is a very A-B-C contemplation on its subject.) If I’m watching J-drama, I’m looking for story, whether the narrative blends in different genres, and themes. When I’m watching K-drama, it’s more about acting, chemistry, and likability/complexity with characters. The difference is that in Japanese shows, sadness comes from putting yourself in that place and thinking “that’s awful.” Whereas in K-dramas, sadness comes from emphasizing with the emotional responses of the leads and thinking “poor So Ji Sup!! somebody hug that boy!” Likewise, J-drama comedy is VERY slapsticky, even when there’s verbal tit-for-tat, it’s done so broadly with the timing and reaction shots, emphasizing the comedy in situation. When it’s good, it approaches the absurd of Monty Python. Whereas in K-drama comedy, everything is screwball — clash of personalities, verbal duelsmanship, mistaken assumptions — situations are just an excuse to watch the leads go crazy.

“And why Korean teens like j-dramas because they feel their life is currently controlled by some outside force.”

I just think it’s because many popular J-dramas take place in high school and involve coming-of-age stuff that speaks to every adolescent out there. But at the same time, the fact that “Gestu 9″ shows primarily focus on late teens/young 20-somethings as leads also is telling too. (Eun Hye at 23 would be considered a veteran in J-drama now.) A friend of mine tells me that the truth is Japan doesn’t really watch their own dramas that much anymore. They’ll watch morning dramas; they’ll watch the variety shows; they’ll watch taiga; but now only the teenagers steadily watch J-dramas anymore.

That’s an amazing insight!

Perhaps it has to do with how the two cultures view life?

The Japanese see life has a river, where they need to go with the flow, whereas the Koreans see life as a road where they get a bit more leeway to walk their own pace. (And I guess Americans see life as an open field where they can go wherever they want! )

This would explain why perhaps the 40+ year old Japanese ladies can really sympathize withe k-dramas more. And why Korean teens like j-dramas because they feel their life is currently controlled by some outside force.

Yeah, I can see how mixing the 2 styles can be quite difficult!