𝗞𝘂𝘄𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗣𝗲𝘆𝘂𝗽𝘀 𝗯𝘆 𝗔𝘁𝘁𝘆. 𝗗𝗲𝗻𝗻𝗶𝘀 𝗚𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗼

Music is a movie’s hidden language.

The original soundtrack (OST) of movie or a series acts as a storytelling tool that enhances the audience’s experience by setting the mood, evoking emotions, and providing narrative structure.

Korean drama (KDrama) lovers were serenaded by Korean singer Isaac Hong of hit OSTs “My Love By My Side” from “When Life Gives You Tangerines”, “Fallin'” from “Queen of Tears”, and “In You” from “Our Unwritten Seoul”.

OST Symphony II: K-Drama in Concert aimed to bring drama, nostalgia, and well-loved soundtracks to life through performances from the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra (PPO) last October 25, 2025 at the Samsung Hall, SM Aura in Taguig City.

Aside from the songs by Hong, PPO performed powerful and heart-stirring renditions of beloved K-Drama soundtracks of Crash Landing on You, Goblin, Squid Games, Extraordjnary Attorney Woo, Mr. Sunshine, The World of the Married, Lovely Runner, Itaewon Class, King of the Land, Hospital Playlist, and Jewel in the Palace.

Other performers include rising artist YEGNY, alongside Filipino artists Kyline Alcantara and Angel Guardian.

The concert showed that great stories know no borders — and that the universal language of music continues to unite hearts, one heartfelt soundtrack at a time.
Whether a film is a tear-jerking drama, an action-packed thriller or a side-splitting comedy, the right song at the right moment will always elevate the impact of a scene.

Music in films is not just an add-on as it is a crucial player that molds one’s emotions and memories of the film.

Music can make audiences feel joy, sadness, or tension, define characters through recurring themes, and create a sense of time and place.

I am not originally an avid fan of “K-dramas” until the pandemic lockdown resulted in my binge watching, that is watching multiple episodes of TV series in a single or continuous session.

“K-dramas” have been constantly evolving and are made available to all through distribution channels outside of the usual broadcast channels like Netflix.

Director Joey Reyes said that the country should learn from the “K-dramas” and movies.
In the April 11, 2020 entry of his blog, “Choking on My Adobo,” he summarized the answers to his question, “What makes Koreanovelas such favorites for Filipinos?”

Pinoys are hooked to Kdramas due to its complex, lovable, flawed characters with compelling personal stories, raw emotion-packed acting, and beautiful cinematography and directing.

“The scripts are so well-written. More important, the plots vary. There is an assortment of genres to choose from and even if they are dealing with things we have heard and seen before, Koreans make them sound and look new.”

“The writing of K-dramas are on-point, studied, blueprinted, rendered with precision, and never resulting in redundancy of plot points. But most importantly, capable of engrossing the audience without taking them for a route devoid of direction just to stretch the story.”

“KDramas dramatize through tenderness… You are fed an emotional scene but then it is cut right at the time when you know exactly how to react to that moment — followed by, strangely but effectively, a light moment involving comedic elements.”

Kdramas are known for their non-repetitive, character-driven stories with nuanced characters and surprising plot twists that keep viewers engaged

“While K-Dramas present the same template in their lead characters, the way they present it is in far contrast to that in Filipino television. You are not stuck with the same kinds of narratives that seem to have caused massive havoc in the minds of Filipino viewers who are overdosed with the same stories”.

Filipinos enjoy the Korean culture so much that they’ve practically embraced it in their everyday lives.

“KDramas, because they are divorced from our cultural roots of deifying romantic agony provide alternatives that do not only amuse but challenge our audiences. In other words, they offer something new.”

They also have shorter programs as typical “K-dramas” span 16 to 24 episodes against popular local shows that last for months, or even years.

“Iba-iba. Each drama series offers an opportunity for something fresh. Every actor has the chance to reinvent himself, to create a character—and to hone his craft as an actor and not as part of a tandem as commodity. K-dramas show the versatility of their performers because they are not limited by demands of being celebrities.”

“For those who have stayed long on a tired and beaten path, no wonder they are now taking another road all together to satisfy their craving for entertainment.”
University of the Philippines in Diliman is now offering an elective class on the analysis of k-dramas that started academic year 2020-2021.

As they say in Korean: “Annyeonghaseyo.” Enjoy binge watching.

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