A story isn’t always just about the plot – it is often shaped by the culture it comes from.

American movies and shows are probably the most popular, and they have a certain air about them with their fast pacing, strong characters, bold themes and signature sense of humour. Every genre has a high standard of production – medical or police/legal procedurals are done professionally, sci fi is created with futuristic effects, and dramas are emotionally or culturally layered.

There are underlying themes like American ideals (a lone hero’s ‘individuality’ like Batman), racial history, anxiety related to the cold war or 9/11, dystopian apocalypses or recurring Russian spies. I feel like these factors shape stories in a uniquely American way.

South Korean movies on the other hand, especially their psychological thrillers like Forgotten, stay with me in a very different way. They take more time with emotions, and not all characters feel “fixed” by the end. They deal with broken systems, mental health, personal trauma – in ways that are unsettling rather than clearly resolved. Even their police dramas like The Good Detective aren’t just about solving crimes –  they’re about who gets hurt and who carries the damage.

They are not afraid to shock the audience with movies like Oldboy or Mother. And movies like Parasite leave you thinking about society after the credits.

Japanese films/dramas feel the most minimal, but with rich themes and meaning. The humour tends to be deadpan or awkward, quite different from the loud American style of humour. The themes they explore can be varied: In Cure, it’s less about the killer and more about what lies dormant in people. Rashomon plays with the idea of subjective truth, showing how no one version of a story is ever complete. Naruto is about perseverance, loneliness, and the longing for recognition. Death Note shows a fascinating battle of wits and asks whether it’s justified for someone to have the power to execute criminals. And Suspect X, one of my favourites, explores how far someone can go to protect another.

Chinese dramas & films were harder to get into at first. There’s a certain pacing and structure that’s different from what I was used to. But once I decided to stick with it, I discovered a new world. After making it through Xianxia shows like Till the End of the Moon, I began to enjoy the slower build-up and the focus on this genre’s unique themes like spiritual cultivation, celestial worlds, and the battle between good and evil within oneself. Chinese modern dramas like Day and Night have professionalism comparable to American shows, and this one has a unique premise along with regular crime investigation and the personal costs of uncovering truth. Under the Skin was quite clever and had themes of finding the right place to use one’s talents & strengths. And The Bad Kids leaves the viewer thinking long after it ends, despite forced censorship edits.

It’s sad that Chinese censorship doesn’t allow many stories to be told freely, often forcing shows to have clear resolutions, portray the police/state as supreme and require characters to be punished for every small ‘crime’. I think the Chinese adaptation of G@me (Japanese) totally changed the story to fit into censorship rules. But while these ‘rules’ can be limiting, I do appreciate or even prefer certain regulations (like avoiding explicit intimate scenes or excessive violence) over American stuff. For these reasons and many more, I love watching their shows and learning about their culture through the stories they tell.

In the end, they are all stories. But what each chooses to focus on, and how it leaves you feeling, can be completely different.