First Korean War drama since Cultural Revolution

China's first TV series on the Korean War in decades has been praised by the Chinese public and media for its "serious rediscovery of a forgotten war," while some experts said the taboo subject will also help countries involved reconsider ongoing tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

First appearing in April and gaining popularity in June, The 38th Parallelhas been trending on Sina Weibo under the hashtag "TV series The 38th Parallel," which garnered more than 66 million page views as of press time.

The show has a score of 8.1 out of 10 on popular Chinese film and book review site douban.com, with most comments calling it a serious historical drama that "unveiled a forgotten history which every Chinese should be proud of."

Chinese media has also praised the TV series. The People's Daily, an official newspaper of the Communist Party of China, said that the show "is very timely" in portraying China's standpoint on the war, as "belligerent states of the Korean War have been doing so through the arts in the past decades."

"Technically, this is the first Chinese TV drama that directly talks about the Korean War since the Cultural Revolution(1966-76), and The War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea, as it is called in China, was a forbidden topic for TV series and movies in China for years," Chen Qiuping, head of the scriptwriting branch of the Beijing Film Association.

The 38th Parallelbegins with fishermen along the Yalu River, which borders China and what is now North Korea, being attacked by a US fighter bomber in 1950. The series follows the trials and difficulties faced by young Chinese men who volunteer to fight in Korea after they survive the attacks.

Sensitive topic

Considering China's strict review and approval system, war-themed film and television works, especially on the Korean War, are rarely approved because such shows may conflict with the country's diplomatic policies, as well as complicate Sino-US or Sino-North Korean relations, Chen said.

Chinese films on the Korean War were mostly done in the 1950s and 1960s, such as the classic Battle at Sanggamryong(Battle of Triangle Hill), first shown in 1956, and Heroic Sons and Daughtersin 1964.

In recent years, several Korean War dramas or films were reportedly blocked, including the 30-episode TV series The War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Koreaproduced by CCTV in 2000, news portal takunngpao.com reported in June.

"Chinese publicity authorities have been downplaying the Korean War, as the country's definition and understanding of the war may be different from how other belligerent countries see it," a Beijing-based scriptwriter who requested anonymity told the Global Times, adding he was surprised that such a show on the Korean War was approved for airing.

Media reports said the series' chief consultant is General Liu Yuan, the son of former Chinese leader Liu Shaoqi; and Qin Tian as its executive producer, the chief of staff of the Chinese People's Armed Police Force, whose father Qin Jiwei led the Battle of Sanggamryong in 1952.

At a recent seminar on the series, Li Jingsheng, an official in charge of TV series at the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television, said the show corrected the image of war-themed TV dramas, referring to the dramas on fighting the Japanese during WWII, which were believed to be too sensational and historically inaccurate, according to the Beijing Times.

Korean studies experts said the show's success may also send a friendly signal to North Korea, whose relations with China have recently cooled.

"Current Sino-North Korean relations are strongly affected by the nuclear issue. There haven't been any high-level meetings between the two in recent years, which is quite abnormal for two countries which share the same historical experiences," said Dong Xiangrong, a research fellow at the National Institute of International Strategy of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

The show has been released at a critical time in the Korean Peninsula, which will remind people of the past bitter history, as well as to urge the public to peacefully help solve regional tensions, Dong added.

'Respecting' history

During an interview with the Beijing-based magazine Global People in June, Meng Ji, the show's director, said he wanted to produce a textbook-style TV series which respects history and the facts.

Looking to stay historically accurate, the scriptwriter visited Korean War veterans. The fictional main characters are based on the lives of real people, Meng said.

"Every nation should have its own heroes. If no one tells the story of their lives, then they may be forgotten. I want our younger generation to know the great achievements of their ancestors. The [Korean] War laid the country's foundation, and the soldiers are our country's spirit," Meng was quoted as saying by Global People.

"The TV series' success may be an indication that Chinese authorities will allow us to make war-themed films and series in the future," Chen said, adding that such a historical show sets a good example for those involved in the arts in China.

Global People contributed to this story