Stream Classics to Latest K-Movies & Shows at OnDemandKorea

Can the 12-Episode Drama Replace the 16-Episode Norm?

The formula '16 episodes' has long been destroyed. From the existing system of 16 to 20 episodes, including 12 episodes, 10 episodes, 8 episodes and 4 episodes, production of works with reduced episodes is happening fast.

Advertisement

JTBC's "The Light in Your Eyes" (12 episodes), tvN's "The Cursed" (12 episodes), MBC's "365: Repeat the Year" (12 episodes) and OCN's "Strangers from Hell" are considered some of the representative works that succeeded in reducing the number of episodes. The reason why these works were well received by viewers was because of their speedy development and tight plot. As the number of successful cases increases, viewers are also anticipating such changes.

There are new upcoming dramas in May that are made up of 12 episodes. MBC's "Kkondae Intern", jTBC's "Sweet Munchies", "Mystic Pop-Up Bar" and OCN's "Team Bulldog: Off-duty Investigation" are some with reduced episodes.

The reason why we have no choice but to choose the fragmentation of mini-series is because of the changing viewing patterns caused by the trend of OTT programs such as web dramas and Netflix. In order to meet the needs of viewers' watching content, more and more people are choosing to make dramas shorter.

Kim Heon-sik, a pop culture critic, said, "Unlike in the past, these days when it comes to original works such as foreign dramas and webtoons, how many episodes should be composed to respond well to viewers is considered first. In the past, many people failed to make a box office hit because they were bound by formality and had many useless factors. Now, they are making a lot of efforts to take only the core of the original work into consideration along with the changed flow of viewing. It takes away useless episodes and the narrative structure, not the classic composition of the storyline. It is also changing in a way that puts the important parts in the beginning", he said, analyzing the reasons why short-episode dramas are being produced.

It is also an inevitable choice to reduce the number of episodes at a time when broadcasting stations are even saying that the more dramas are produced, the more loss they are experiencing. This is because it can reduce risks by a little compared to the previous 16 and 20 episodes. "Making a drama compact has the effect of reducing production costs", said Kim Heon-sik. "If it is tied to a format and the ratings or response are not good, the loss will be huge, but still cost the same. Rather than forcing it to fit into a format, drama productions look at viewers' reactions by reducing the number of episodes. If the performance is good, we may decide whether to make it in the form of a spin-off or the next season", he explained.

The reason for insisting on 20 episodes and 16 episodes in the past was related to the profit structure. The tendency to force the application of the format to receive advertising fees per episode was strong. "Now there are many ways to sell copyrights overseas, supply content to OTT platforms or make profits", said Kim Heon-sik. "This strategy has become an option because dramas don't rely too much on TV commercials anymore", he said.

The rapidly changing drama production environment is also directly or indirectly affecting the production environment. This is because the changed drama production environment following the implementation of the 52-hour workweek is agonizing from the planning stage. Director Sin Won-ho, who directed tvN's "Hospital Playlist", which unconventionally chose to broadcast 12-episodes and only once a week, said, "Considering the fiercely competitive situation, the changing labor environment and production costs, there are some difficulties in making dramas with two episodes a week. I hope this drama will go well and become a new model for the broadcasting industry", he said.

As such, the change in drama composition is seen as a way to comply with working hours. Unfortunately, however, the reality is that the change in the composition of the drama has not had much impact on directly settling the '52 hours a week'. Choi Oh-soo, director of the organizing committee of the Hope Solidarity Labor Union, said, "We are looking positively at the fact that it is clearly changing. However, it is still a transitional period. In this regard, we cannot say that it is being carried out properly in reality, because no specific discussions are being held", he pointed out. He went on to say, "There is only a framework of the law, but there is no clear standard yet. Efforts by everyone, including the government, broadcasters, production companies and staff unions, are needed to ensure a quick resumption of the multilateral consultative body", he said.

Can short-episode dramas settle down well in the drama market, which is undergoing a transitional period as a whole? Industry watchers forecast that it will not end up as a temporary phenomenon.

Critic Kim Heon-sik said, "There will be more dramas that break the basic format. The consumers have already grown and they will grow further. The question is how producers and broadcasters will adapt to the trend. Many people are already familiar with foreign dramas such as American dramas and British dramas, which have shorter episodes than Korean dramas through OTT platforms. Only when we read global trends can we succeed in the box office", he said.

He added, "'The worldview' is the most important thing for a seasonal drama like an overseas drama while maintaining short episodes. What kind of worldview will they share with viewers? That part must be well established. There is a high probability of success only if the strategy is to secure fanatics through this. As before, we should throw away the idea that we can simply cast hallyu stars or idol stars as the main characters and raise the ratings. Old-fashioned strategies will no longer work", he added.

❎ Try Ad-free