This year, there were many Korean TV series about ”first love”... Which ones touched the hearts of viewers? From ”My Youth” to ”Tyrant Chef”

First love. Just remembering this magical word can stir your heart, but does it have an expiration date? A variety of themes, including human, action, and medical, are constantly flooding in.
In the TV series market this year, the most popular subject matter is none other than "first love." As the saying goes, "everyone has a first time," first love has become a popular topic among more viewers in the romance genre.
This is because it is a subject that can touch universal emotions. This year, there are several pieces of content that have been released that put the keyword of first love front and center.
From "The Woman and the Star" and "Unknown Seoul" to the JTBC TV series "The Story of a Kind Man" and "My Youth"
Youth), "100th Memories," and the Netflix movie "Confession History"
Meanwhile, in November, the KBS2TV series "Last Summer" will be the final runner in the "First Love Race." However, classical music is also in season, and the universal weapon that transcends time and space is
It seems that a story that includes the theme of "first love" does not resonate well with the public today. The TV series, which started off with an ambitious theme of "first love," has had mixed reviews.
In particular, "Unknown Seoul," which focuses on twin sisters choosing to lie and exchange their lives, and their growth as individuals, recorded a record high viewership rating of 8.4%.
However, the ratings for most TV series, excluding this one, recorded slightly higher figures, even if they fluctuated significantly between 3% and 3%. Among these, the romance TV series, which have a large emphasis on "first love,"
The TV series "My Youth" is a representative example. "My Youth" is about Song Joong Ki, who started his ordinary life later than others, and his first love, who is forced to break the peace of his life.
Song Jae-young (Chun Woo-hee)'s emotional romance TV series that must be watched. JTBC TV series "My Youth" premiered on the 5th of last month and recorded an initial viewership rating of 2.9% (Nielsen Calculation).
Starting with the first episode (based on paid households), episode 2 had a 2.8%, episode 3 had a 2.2%, and episode 4 had a 2.4%, which was lower than expected, but in the end, the episode aired on the 26th of last month had a 1.5% rating.
In response to this, Professor Yoon Seok-jin of the Korean Language and Literature Department at Chungnam University, a TV series critic, said, "For a TV series that deals with the subject of 'first love,' it is difficult to imagine a time loop.
Without such a special dramatic device or setting, one has no choice but to rely on the psychological portrayal of the male and female protagonists, but in such cases, the story development process can become monotonous, which is a problem.
He continued, "The story of 'My Youth' unfolds in a way that reinforces the TV Series-like situation between Sung Woo Hye and Song Jae Young, using Sung Woo Hye's illness as a medium.
However, this series focuses on the psychological changes of the characters rather than highlighting specific events, and viewers who are used to OTT content that tends to be violent and sensational may find it boring.
"My Youth" can be seen as a TV series, focusing on how it portrays Sung Woo Hye and Song Jae Young through the medium of first love.
"It's a very fascinating work, and I think that with the proliferation of exciting shorts, it's easy to miss out on this one," he said.
In the end, for viewers nowadays who are used to shorts and stimulating content, the characters' inner thoughts and slow, breathing, familiar material are rather strange media.
This means that despite being high-quality content, it is not easy for it to find success in the current media environment. This is also the same development method as the TV series about first love mentioned earlier this year.
Among them, the biggest hit in the romance genre this year was "Tyrant Chef," which utilizes the concept of a "time loop," a setting that is as familiar as first love.
The TV series was loved by many, breaking its own record of viewership ratings with a peak of 20%. Professor Yoon Seok-jin attributes the success of "Tyrant Chef" to its "incident-centered fantasy romance comedy."
He continued, "Rather than the possibility of a 'time loop' setting, I think it's more likely that a chef from the Republic of Korea is transported back in time to the Joseon Dynasty and tries to cook food that can't be found in Joseon."
"The story focuses on survival situations, but the dramatic twist on a well-known historical documentary story also stimulates curiosity, which is also a factor in its success," he added.
In the end, if the romance genre, which is based on first love, focuses on the psychological portrayal of the male and female protagonists, and reduces the level of immersion in the dramatic situation,
The difference between the "romantic comedy" genre, which is based on "mansoo," and the "romance" genre, is that the events unfold around the situations faced by the male and female protagonists.
Professor Yoon said, "Viewers these days tend to prefer romantic dramas that focus on the situation rather than the psychology."
However, this is also linked to the changes in the media environment, where emotions are consumed through stimulating shorts. On the other hand, the TV series currently being aired, which is based on first love, is "100th Memories."
The 1980s new youth melodrama TV series "100" depicts the shining friendship between Yeong-rae and Jeong-hee, guides on the 100 bus, and the bittersweet first love of the two friends over Jae-pil, the man of their destiny.
"Memories of My First Love" depicts a timeless portrayal of youth, from the first time when the excitement is stronger, to the awkward and painful first love.
As the story unfolds, the focus of "100th Memory" shifts from first love to Ko Young-rae (Kim Da-hoo).
While the sisterly friendship between Mi (Yoo Mi) and Suh Jung Hee (Shin Ye Eun) is being put at the forefront, the "first love" has been pushed to the background, and the situation has become more TV series-like. However, recently, the situation has changed drastically,
The viewership rating, which started at 3.3%, recorded 5.7% last month, and is expected to continue to rise. Having reached a turning point, the second half of the show has begun with "100th Memories" and "My Youth."
People are paying close attention to whether these two works will be able to gain more universal sympathy in the current climate of "first love," a surefire strategy for romance.