Thai soap operas become popular in China

[macaroni21]

http://sg.news.yahoo.com/ann/20110219/tel-thai-soap-operas-become-popular-in-c-1e9e912.html

 

 

 

Thai soap operas become popular in China

Asia News Network, February 19, 2011.

 

Bangkok (The Nation-Thailand/ANN) - A new force is rising in a corner of the world that's been largely dominated by J-pop and K-pop. T-pop - or more precisely, Thai TV drama - has swept into China, bringing soap opera stars Jessadaporn "Tik" Pholdee, Atichart "Aum" Chumnanont and Theeradej "Ken" Wongpuapan millions of adoring female Chinese fans.

 

There've been stories in the media, press trips too, and T-pop has taken on a life of its own, especially since the Thai government became involved. So just how successful is it really?

 

Wanida Boonprasertwattana, senior distribution officer with Han Media and Culture, says the hype isn't an exaggeration. Thai dramas air on CCTV 8 and through the satellite TV Anhui, which have between 700 million and 800 million viewers across China.

 

"It's true that people in remote areas might not know about it but the number of viewers who watch Thai dramas is huge, much higher than Thailand's population," she says.

 

Last year "Roy Adeet Hang Rak" ("Track of Love") starring Sukrit "Bie" Wisetkaew, was CCTV 8's No 2 drama (the top one was a Chinese series). Han Media started to distribute Thai dramas almost 10 years ago.

 

"We began with 'Sailom Kab Sang Dao' [starring Marsha Wattanapanich and Peter Corp Dyrendal] but it wasn't a big hit," says Wanida, adding that the company only selects series from the X-Act Company.

 

"It's more convenient because X-Act is the only company that actually owns the copyright of its dramas after they air on TV. The copyright of the others belongs to the TV station after they've been shown."

 

Channel 7 quickly recognised the marketing opportunity and has started releasing its productions for distribution in China.

 

Read more of it from the link above.

 

 

Further on, there is this bit about censorship:

 

However, the editing process is severe, with scenes involving superstitions, homosexuality and violence as well as characters in student uniforms doing bad things being automatically censored.

 

Han Media acts as a consultant to China's channel in cutting the scenes without any interference from X-Act.

 

"'Battle of Angels' was cut from 34 episodes to 20 because of the girl-fight scenes and gay characters," Wanida says.

 

While the censorship undoubtedly helps improve the pace with the removal of padded-out scenes and weaknesses in the script and does away with oft-criticised surfeit of catfights between jealous females, it can also have a negative effect on the story development.

 

"For example, there much so much editing of the characters' development in 'Phrung Nee Kor Rak Ther" [starring Anuchit Saphanpong and Patchara Thammamon], that we could hardly understand the relationship between gay couple Phee and Kong," says Wanida.

[Guest fountainhall]

"'Battle of Angels' was cut from 34 episodes to 20 because of the girl-fight scenes and gay characters" . . . we could hardly understand the relationship between gay couple Phee and Kong," says Wanida.

How on earth do you cut 41% of a TV production and end up with it making any sense at all, I wonder?

[pong]

even seen a complete Thai soap? With just 10% you have seen the complete drama.

I guess though (as there was no battle of angels here) that it relates to SONGKRAM NANG FAH (=war/struggle of AIR-line-stewardesses), which probably ran 3-4 years ago by now. It even led, at the time (and if this forum was on by then, I think you may even have noted it), to protests of THAI=TG, the proud national airline here, in the degradation of the fame of their sky-angels. As you may also know (by now I gather you must do something in the tourist bisnis) being an airline host/ess is the ultimate wet dream (can you say that for girls?) of many a Thai pubescant girl. Whole schools thrive on it and there are even monthlies wholly dedicated to that dream-profession. But your pix are a bit misleading (that is-if my guess is right), as it was 98% ladies battling one another (often quite mean-like only ladies or gays can do?), but of course as a kind of love-affair with a glorified male-captain.

Perhaps next year even the struggle-gossip-OOPS-subsub of the drama betwen FILM and ANNY (WHO is the father of that child?) may reach China? or still too hot for the cesnors there?

[Guest fountainhall]

With just 10% you have seen the complete drama . . . by now I gather you must do something in the tourist bisnis

I reckon I have only ever seen about 5% of any soap opera here, and that seemed pretty comprehensive. The story moves so slowly it's amazing how much you can understand even without speaking Thai!

 

No, I don't work in the travel business. But having lived in Asia for 32 years ago and always worked in jobs which required a lot of travel - and also having a good friend who is now quite senior in Cathay Pacific, I have picked up bits of information over the years.