What's behind the popularity of "Cheongchun romance" remakes?

“Cheongchun“ is a Korean word meaning “youth“.

“Cheongchun romance“ films or dramas are love stories revolving around young people like high school students or those in their twenties.

These youth melo-dramas are back on the screen, especially with remakes of Taiwanese works from the 2000s. that have been transformed into Korean-styled “cheongchun“ romance movies.

Let’s talk more about this trend with culture critic Professor Chie Hye-won at Kyung Hee University’s Arts and Cultural Management Program. Welcome Professor Chie!

Q1. We’ve got a number of “cheongchun romance“ remakes that hit the screens lately. Which ones are they?

Q1-1. What do you think is behind these numerous remakes of Taiwanese movies?

Q2. When comparing with the original work, which Korean remakes have been successful and which not so much?

Q3. I think the biggest difference in remakes is not only the language or setting, but especially the actors. In the latest remakes, was there any actor that stood out or was perfect in their role?

Q4. What are the characteristics of this “cheongchun romance“ genre that appeal to the Korean audience?

Q5. Let’s also mention Korean “cheongchun romance“ movies that were remade in OTHER countries.

Q6. Remakes are usually made when the original movie was successful, (or are there other cases?) meaning some amount of pressure probably always exists. Yet, they are continuously being released, due to which strengths would you say?

Q7. On the other hand, are there concerns regarding the lack of new original romance movies in the Korean film industry?

Q8. What kind of new original “cheongchun romance“ movie would capture audiences' hearts today? What kind of new attempts would you recommend?