Dingdong Dantes sees K-dramas as an inspiration rather than a threat to the Filipino entertainment industry

Dingdong Dantes sees Korean dramas as an inspiration rather than a threat to the Filipino entertainment industry despite its rise in the country.

"I'd rather see them as an inspiration because we really have to learn from best practices of people or performers around us," the Kapuso Primetime King said in the latest episode of "The Howie Severino Podcast."

"If they are successful, it means that they maybe doing something right. And more than looking at them and seeing them as competitors — kasi siyempre I really think that we have a very, very huge space to perform. Napakalawak ng espasyo para magkaroon ng kompetisyon sa ganitong larangan," he added.

Dingdong said creativity is open to everyone especially with the many platforms and mediums available now.

"Hindi lang TV ang platform natin. We have streaming, na dati wala naman. And we have social platforms kung saan doon na mismo talaga, naglalagay na nga content 'yung tao," he told the veteran Kapuso journalist.

For Dingdong, it would be best to study the Korena model and look at why it's successful.

"Hindi naman dahil sa gusto natin gayahin frame by frame, pero ano ba 'yung practices? Ano ba 'yung culture? Ano ba 'yung processes? Bakit nagiging very, very successful and outcome nila at 'yung kanilang output?" Dingdong said, saying there is really something we can learn from them.

"And para sa akin, sa mga nakikita ko, 'yun nga 'pag pinanood mo parating ang linis, ang pulido, parang very, very curated, 'di ba? Visually that's how you see the material of the Koreans," he said.

Dingdong thinks these aspects in their shows are intentional, "because probably they have the resources to do so. They probably invest in equipment that can produce 'yung ganu'ng klaseng itsura.

"And maybe they have a goal of really beautifying talaga 'yung kanilang mga kuwento, 'yung mga programa. And that's clear. That's clear," he added.

Dingdong also mentioned one of his colleagues telling him how the Korean entertainment industry gets big support from the government.

"Ang sabi nila e, matindi kasi 'yung suporta ng gubyerno sa kanila, kaya talagang buhos sila sa effort. Buhos sila sa pera, sa resources sa pag-produce ng mga ganito," he contintued.

"That's one thing we could look at, 'di ba? You know, the increase of opportunity, the increase support not just from the industry but also from government," he added.

It's important for entertainment stories to reflect realities of societies, Dingdong said, and at the same time for them to influence it to become better.

"Every time you are in front or you are behind that lens, parang you first have to recognize there is this opportunity. There is opportunity for you to kind of contribute something to society," he said.

"So nasa sa 'yo na lang 'yun kung paano mo gagamitin itong oportunidad na ito, 'di ba? Kung gusto mo bang manggulo ka lang, e, nasa 'yo na 'yun. Pero kung gusto mo bang mag-inspire, you can do it," he added.

According to Dingdong, media is a very strong platform "para gamitin mo ito na siguro not just to educate kasi siyempre ako ang dami kong mga pelikulang napapanood, lalung-lalo na documentaries especially yours, parang these are very mainly used for education, these are mainly used for inspiration, 'di ba?"

Dingdong is the lead star of the Philippine adaptation of the hit K-drama series "Descendants of the Sun."

Last August, the show won the Most Popular Foreign Drama of the Year in the 15th Seoul International Drama Awards. — Jannielyn Ann Bigtas/LA, GMA News