J-dramas are daily or weekly broadcasts that make up
a great deal of Japanese television programming. These are comparable to sitcoms
and dramas that run in America, but they have their own distinct flavour.
J-drama incorporates many different genres, from medical dramas to
romantic dramas, and frequently features Japan's most prominent stars in key
roles. An average J-drama will be televised in Japan as a three-season run.
Shows that are expected to be especially popular are scheduled for weeknight
broadcasts, similar to how prime-time shows work in the
states.
J-drama
became really popular in Japan in the late 1980s, when writers and directors
found success with an approach nicknamed "trendy drama,"
which simply meant shows that tapped into real-life issues in Japan such as
the bubble economy of that time
Japan has
been adapting manga or anime to live action drama, capitalizing on fans of
the stories in their original form. Some of the most popular J-Drama shows
are these types of adaptations, such as "Great
Teacher Onizuka," which featured a large cast of young,
well-known stars and told the story of a gang member-turned-teacher and his
students. "Gokusen" was also set in a school and documents a
young idealistic teacher's attempts to straighten up a class of delinquents.
As Japanese spend so much of their life on education, the school theme is very
popular, especially high school dramas.
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VOCABULARY
1.
Sitcoms(n) -
programmes on television
2.
Genres (n) -
a style, especially in the arts, that
involves a particular set of characteristics
3.
prime-time (n) - in television and radio
broadcasting, the time when the largest number of people are watching or
listening
4.
trendy (adj.) - modern and influenced by the
most recent fashions or ideas
5.
bubble economy(n) - an economy that becomes very successful very
quickly, and which usually fails very suddenly:
6.
adaptations (n) - a film or television programme that is based on a book or play
7.
Featured (v) - to include or show something as a special or important part of
something, or to be included as an important part: Ex: The exhibition
features paintings by Picasso.
8.
Idealistic (adj.) - believing that you should live according to high standards
and principles, even if they cannot really be achieved, or showing this belief.
Ex: idealistic young doctors
9.
Delinquents (adj.) - behaving in a way that is illegal or that society does not
approve of
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION
1.
Do you watch
drama? What is your favourite drama?
2.
Talk about dramas
in your country.
3.
What can you say
about other country’s drama?
4.
How does drama
influence people’s life?
