*** I’m a fan of some of these Asianovelas & these are K-dramas only. Actually, the 1st drama that I saw was Save The Last Dance For Me, which isn’t in the list among the top 10. Wondering why it’s not on the list. Dubbing these series makes life easier for the viewers since you won’t be straining your eyes to read the subs but the disadvantage here is you won’t hear their real voice. FullHouse, Winter Sonata & Stairway To Heaven are of course my favorites. Among the dramas listed here, I’ve only seen 6 of them. (from my own DVD copy)
Top Asianovelas since the year 2002Elyas Isabelo Salanga
Wednesday, 2008 January 16
Asianovelas have been popular with the Filipino audience ever since Taiwan's Meteor Garden hit the airwaves back in 2002. Since then, a steady stream of shows from Taiwan, Korea, and Japan soon found its way to Philippine shores and started a new craze in local programming, quickly adding a few more slots in the telenovela fan's list of favorites. In just a few years, the Asianovela invasion successfully built a country-wide fan base.
"Asianovelas" are drama shows produced in Asian countries and, of course, the Philippines. The term is a spin-off from "Telenovela," which refers to the Spanish soap operas, like Marimar, that first entered the country.
How do Asianovelas differ from the Telenovelas that we have grown to love?
Asianovelas offer unique, straight-to-the-point, engaging storylines. We Filipinos can comfortably relate with Asianovelas for their traditional ways of story telling. Real-life situations are interpreted and delivered so gracefully, all we have to do is sit back and enjoy the story's unfolding.
The Asian stars with their chinky eyes and smooth complexion look foreign yet feel familiar. After all, especially in urban areas, we often see or interact with Chinese, Korean, and Japanese nationals. The actresses' pulchritude and the hunky yet lean frame of the handsome leading men in Asianovelas exude freshness. No sweaty-looking actors and over-sexy actresses, no long complicated plots.
PEP's Top List highlights the Asianovelas that got us hooked from the first to the final episode. Ranking is based on the ratings and the word-of-mouth fame that a particular series earned both locally and abroad.
If you disagree with the list or if you have more shows to suggest, feel free to share here.
On to the Top Ten Asianovelas! Meteor Garden
Jewel in the Palace
Lovers in Paris
Stairway to Heaven
Full HouseThis drama-comedy explores the situation of two people getting married only on paper. A hilarious turn of events plagues Han Ji-Eun when she discovers that her friends tricked her into selling her home to a budding actor named Lee Young-Jae.
When confronted by Han, Lee agrees give Han's home back only if she agrees to work as a maid for him. Out of misunderstanding and in an attempt to make Lee's girlfriend jealous, he proposes to Han with a contract of marriage good for only six months. As time goes by, the two bickering housemates slowly fall in love... and the rest is history.
Full House made its debut on Philippine shores under GMA-7 back in 2005. It moved on to be the highest rated Koreanovela with a whopping 52.0% in the ratings, making it a household name among primetime fans.
Princess Hours
Autumn in My Heart
Winter Sonata
Kim Sam Soon
Jumong
End Notes.
Asianovelas will always have a place in Philippine TV because of their unique storytelling appeal. These dramas remain faithful to the story from start to finish, without ever dragging. They explore all kinds of emotion, never exaggerating and often portraying tradition and values that reflect our own.
Asianovelas truly leave us always surprised with their quick turnover. Take The Coffee Prince and Spring Waltz, for example. These two new shows came in as a fresh start after the Jumong craze.
It's unlikely that people will tire of Asianovelas anytime soon. Our local telenovela writers might learn something out of all the creativity that Asianovelas deliver.
http://www.pep.ph/top/14938/Top-Asianovela...e-the-year-2002
