Korean Drama isn’t new to the Nigerian scene but who knew there’ll come a day when that love will motivate a filmmaker to make a Nollywood Kdrama movie?
Remember when we used to return from long holidays in school and yap about the K-drama series we watched? Are you a Nigerian girl if you didn’t have a crush on Gu Jun Pyo ‘Oppa’ from Boys Before Flowers and City Hunter? Damn, are you even a girl? Well, I identify as a Lettuce from the Carribean island. I am not sure lettuce is grown there but you get the point.
Nigerians are not new to emotional characters and acting as our movies evoke strong emotions, especially with our typical grass-to-grace stories. Little wonder why they cling to Korean drama, obsessed with the lowlife and billionaire CEO bully tropes.
Korean cinema and television provide Nigerian audiences with insights into its values, traditions, and societal norms. But as the “K-drama wave” continued to influence the world, its influence in Nigeria seems to have evolved pretty quickly. Who knew Nigerians would one day make a K-drama Nollywood series? I didn’t see that one coming. I mean I can understand the craze that led to young people learning the language and even having a small group of K-drama lovers where they would review movies but a Nollywood film? Now, that's next level.
On second thought, Korean dramas are just Nollywood Epics with bigger budgets, lighter skins and hangukmal. I’ve always thought a Nollywood and K-drama collaboration would slap but this one? I’m a bit taken aback.
A few weeks ago, we woke up to clips on the internet of girls in secondary school uniforms speaking a rather unfamiliar language. We leaned closer to decipher what was said and still, we didn’t get it. A closer look and we see Nigerian school girls speaking Korean. Well, I thought it was a skit but no, it is a movie by Kemz Mama (Kemi Ikuseedun) also known as Mummy Wa of the Mr Macaroni pair. My Sunshine tells the story of a high school experience filled with love and friendship; themes that resonate with lovers of Korean dramas but are instead rooted in a Nigerian setting.
You would think, “How did she cast for this?" Well, the film has a star-studded cast that includes Mr. Macaroni, Chinedu Ikedieze, and Olayode Juliana. It is directed by seasoned director, JJC Skills and currently showing on YouTube.
While I agree this is something fresh and new, and it makes for a feel-good watch after a stressful day at work, I don't think it's a trend that will be hopped on or will be sustainable. It still feels alien to us as Nigerians but, who knows, some cheerful giver might be open to funding Nigerian K-dramas on a bigger scale. Whether that will be sooner or later, it remains to be seen.