What is the oldest Kdrama?

As a passionate entertainment contributor, I wanted to dive deep into the history of the rising global Korean drama phenomenon. And it all started in 1956 with director Choi Chang Bong‘s film Death Row Prisoner.

Considered the first Korean drama production, Death Row Prisoner paved the way for the unique entertainment format that would explode in popularity over the coming decades. Let‘s analyze the early days of Kdramas.

The 1950s – Experimentation in Post-War Korea

Context is everything when evaluating entertainment innovations. Death Row Prisoner emerged during rebuilding efforts following the Korean war. This postwar period saw substantial cultural and societal changes across South Korea.

Against this shifting backdrop, pioneer filmmakers like Choi Chang Bong began experimenting with stylistic techniques and artistic modes of storytelling through early Kdramas.

In fact, director Choi‘s approach with Death Row Prisoner incorporated creative editing cuts, unique angles, and other inventive filming methods that distinguished the young genre. I compared this to the DIY innovation mindset we often see from indie game developers today.

Societal Commentary Through Edgy Content

Moreover, Death Row Prisoner tackled edgy content around crime and punishment – providing direct commentary on contemporary social issues in Korea. Much like how some modern games use narrative elements to drive cultural conversations.

This artistic risk-taking gave birth to Kdramas as a means to entertain and reflect society. It all started with Death Row Prisoner in 1956.

Quantifying the Rising Popularity Over Decades

Now, let‘s quantify the meteoric rise of Kdramas from those early experimental days into the global sensation it became across the late 1900s and early 2000s:

1960s-1970s – Growth Alongside Broadcasting

As television broadcasting expanded through South Korea in the 1960s and 70s, Kdramas rode this new medium to increase viewership nationwide. By 1970, ubiquitous black-and-white TV sets provided entertainment and programming to over 5 million households across Korea. Kdramas were broadcast in 30-minute blocks similar to today‘s format.

1981 and Beyond – Color TV and Wider Reach

The 1980s broughticolor televisions to Korean living rooms by the end of the decade, accelerating the growth. For comparison, game consoles moving from pixel art to 3D graphics over the 90s similarly attracted bigger audiences.

Additionally, a 1987 law to allow commercials boosted profits and production quality. Soon flagship networks like Seoul Broadasting System (SBS) launched, expanding creative opportunities in the booming entertainment business.

Global fans accelerated through this period thanks to subtitles and accessible streaming platforms in the 2000s. However, the Korean Wave (hallyu) had taken root domestically long beforehand.

Record-Breaking Modern Kdrama Examples

Let‘s analyze a few record-setting productions that showcase the massive modern Kdrama landscape:

The Longest – "Heaven & Earth" (2007)

In terms of total episode count, family drama Heaven & Earth stands unmatched with a staggering 167 episodes logged across 2007-2009. For perspective, that tops even iconic shows like Friends (236 eps) and NCIS (400+ eps).

Dedicated viewers in Korea tuned in religiously. And certain Western reality shows aside, 167 sequential episodes is an outlier milestone we can compare to the longest narrative game campaigns.

The Pioneering – "Running Man" (2010-Present)

While variety shows preceded scripted Kdramas, Running Man pushed boundaries for the genre since 2010 – now entering its 13th year.

That longevity with original stars remaining today is essentially unheard of in Western television. Again, I compare it gaming giants like Counterstrike or DOTA maintaining enthusiasm after decades. Running Man has become integral to Korean entertainment through relentless consistency over hundreds of episodes spanning the 2010s cultural zeitgeist.

The Record-Smashing – "Squid Game" (2021)

And most recently, dystopian thriller Squid Game exceeded 2.2+ billion hours viewed within 1 year – officially dubbed Netflix‘s "biggest series launch" ever. I covered the fan fervor firsthand!

For comparison, that viewership outpaces mega-hits like Bridgerton, Stranger Things, and The Witcher over similar debut windows. Truly record-shattering statistics.

The President himself congratulated director Hwang Dong-hyuk. This global spotlight emphasizes the modern prominence of Korean drama content worldwide.

In Summary:

Revisiting the pioneering 1956 film Death Row Prisoner has illuminated the experimental birth of Kdramas originally. We traced the quantitative rise in viewership decade-by-decade – considering technical shifts like color TV that mirror gaming‘s evolution. And studying recent record-setting productions underlines the booming worldwide popularity Korean cinematic stories enjoy today.

So while games and Kdramas seem very separate on the surface – as a passionate entertainment analyst I noticed strikingly similar patterns across these creative mediums over time. I‘d be excited to see innovations yet-to-come for both gaming and Kdrama content based on the rapid changes we‘ve witnessed already!