GenZ♡CJ ENM | CJ ENM

GenZCJ ENM vol.4

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Connecting Moments: Bridging the New Generation and
Trendsetter,
Gen Z and the Leader of the Entertainment
Scene, CJ ENM

Insight on CJ ENM’s Content
Captivating Gen Z

Why Do Gen Z Get Immersed in Extreme Settings?

Queen of Tears Marry My Husband Lovely Runner of CJ ENM drama

As of May 26th

In the first half of 2024, CJ ENM dramas were on a roll and showed no signs of stopping. From Queen of Tears, which gained the highest viewership rating in tvN drama history with 27.3%, and Marry My Husband, which recorded the highest viewership rating for Monday and Tuesday dramas, to Lovely Runner, which reached a cumulative digital viewership of 850 million views, it’s safe to say that CJ ENM dramas have taken the country by a storm in the first half of the year. These three dramas have something in common: they have extreme characters and storylines and comical elements that release the tension caused by such extremity. A spoonful of comedy was added to the extreme plots, resulting in the perfect balance between full immersion and being able to take a breath, which captivated the hearts of Gen Z. Now, let’s delve into the success formula of CJ ENM dramas that got Gen Z excited.

Engagement created by extreme characters

Byun Woo-seok from Lovely Runner of CJ ENM drama

Character settings that
maximized key characteristics

Dramatic main characters are what draw Gen Z into dramas. The reason behind the popularity of Lovely Runner, Queen of Tears, and Marry My Husband can be found here. Extreme character settings were assigned to all of their male leads. The unrealistically devoted lover (Ryu Sun-jae), exceedingly all-rounder character (Baek Hyun-woo), the ultimate supporter (Yoo Ji-hyuk), and the evil and pathetic villain (Park Min-hwan). Their extreme characteristics are revealed straight from the beginning, catching the attention of viewers.

The male lead Ryu Sun-jae in Lovely Runner, who rose in sensational popularity among Gen Z, was given the nickname Solchinja, meaning a guy crazy about Sol. Sun-jae fell in love with the female lead Im Sol at first sight, continued to love her for 15 years, and even sacrificed his life to save Sol. There's also Baek Hyun-woo from Queen of Tears. He's a perfect character who is handsome, graduated top of his class at law school, and is the legal director of a conglomerate. To save the terminally ill female lead Hong Hae-in, Hyun-woo puts aside his own safety, doesn’t shy away from doing everything he can, and goes out of his way to take care of the problems that come her way. The same goes for Yoo Ji-hyuk in Marry My Husband. Ji-hyuk is an alpha male who has everything—he’s good-looking and has a wealthy background—but he lost Kang Ji-won, the love of his life, because he didn’t know how to express his love. When Ji-hyuk is given a second chance through a time slip, he devotes his life to making Ji-won happy. He steps up to be her solid supporter, unconditionally supporting her revenge plan and dealing with obstacles that get in the way. Unlike the so-called tough but soft-hearted male lead that used to be popular in the past, Gen Z is attracted to the near-perfect male lead who is unrealistically devoted to the female lead. This shows that Gen Z falls in love with the devoted male lead, which is impossible to find in the real dating world, where people take a calculative approach to dating.

The exceedingly all-rounder character Baek Hyun-woo from Queen of Tears, the ultimate supporter Yoo Ji-hyuk and the evil and pathetic villain Park Min-hwan from Marry My Husband.

It’s the same for the villain roles. They are loved by Gen Z when their vicious and evil characteristics are maximized. In Marry My Husband, the character Park Min-hwan commits all kinds of misdeeds, and instead of reflecting on himself, he remains a villain until the end. However, the drama does not explain his actions or why he became the villain he is now. The extreme villain characters enhance the charm of the plot the main characters lead. Such extreme characteristics provide engagement and fun for viewers who already have a high threshold for provocative materials.

This-or-that game that adds tension
to the drama

Kim Soo-hyun from Queen of Tears of CJ ENM drama

Worst VS Worst,
the dilemma of choice with no answers highlights the roles’ characteristics

When the challenges and hardships the main characters face are extreme and unpredictable, it increases the dramatic tension. In these situations where the characters must make a choice, what they choose and how they act reveals their mindset and values. Dilemmas that require extreme choices are added to provide depth to the characters and support a strong storyline.

In Queen of Tears, Hyun-woo faces an extreme dilemma. If Hae-in receives surgery to cure her terminal illness, she will lose the memories of their time together, and if she doesn’t receive surgery, she won’t lose her memory, but she will die. Without any hesitation, Hyun-woo chooses to save Hae-in. Through Hyun-woo’s decision, the viewers can better understand his love for Hae-in and become fully immersed in the love story of the Baek-Hong Couple. In Lovely Runner, Ryu Sun-jae knows he’s putting his life at risk, but he always chooses to save Im Sol when he’s faced with a dilemma. The reason Gen Z love extreme dilemmas and uses them to understand the characters is in line with their tendency to enjoy the this-or-that game that is often accompanied by some extreme level of difficulty. The this-or-that game is not just about choosing one of the two options. It allows you to understand other’s personalities and values, which is why Gen Z gets excited about it.

Despite the repetitive going back in time and incidents, Sun-jae always chooses to save Sol. Through this, anybody could see Sun-jae’s genuine love for Sol.

Zetwork Season 14 Participant StickyRiceCake

Comical elements prevent viewers from getting too immersed

Lee Yi-kyung from Marry My Husband of CJ ENM drama

Comical moments to release
the dramatic tension

However, we can’t overlook the fact that when extreme tension continues throughout the show, it can wear out the viewers. The production team saw through this and tried to incorporate a dramatic device to release the tension. They incorporated comical elements into the characters. In addition to the dramatic characters, they add comical elements to release the dramatic tension. In terms of marketing, such comical elements become a perfect source for short-form content, which is essential in attracting potential Gen Z viewers who love to watch highlight clips created with edited scenes and lines from the dramas.

Such comical elements not only release tension but also accentuate the characteristics of the dramatic characters. Sun-jae in Lovely Runner acts shy and awkward around Sol, which brings out the Solchinja characteristics; Min-hwan, the villain in Marry My Husband, sometimes acts pathetic, which emphasizes the villain’s cowardly side. Such back and forth of full immersion and getting to take a breath is the key to making Gen Z stay immersed until the show’s finale. Just like the sweet-and-salty combo we can’t resist.

The way the male lead acts awkwardly helps me, as a viewer, naturally understand why he fell in love. If I end up liking the male lead of a drama, it becomes easier to get immersed in the said drama, too.

Zetwork Season 14 Participant Keulstmas

Let’s summarize everything that's been mentioned so far.

With that, we can say that the extreme settings were what led CJ ENM dramas to success in the first half of this year. Such extreme settings maximized the comparison between realistic elements, such as pure love and all-rounder characters and pathetic realistic characters. Dramatic devices such as realistic chemistry and dialogue of the family members were also included so that the viewers would find the drama relatable and realistic. The extreme settings made all the difference. They have the power to make Gen Z viewers with high thresholds for provocativeness immerse themselves in the dramas. CJ ENM dramas with extreme settings, which are the key to capturing viewers of this generation, will continue to be loved by Gen Z.

The Family Tree of Contents

Marry My Husband

“Thank you for being mean to me until the end.” Kang Ji-won’s satisfying revenge against the evil and pathetic villain Park Min-hwan

Lovely Runner

“If I die while saving you, I’m fine with that. I don’t mind at all.” Sun-jae’s unrealistically devoted and pure love for Im Sol

Queen of Tears

“Because we’re meant to be. I love you Hae-in. I’ve loved you, and I always will.” A story of the all-rounder Baek Hyun-woo, who would even run into flames to save Hong Hae-in

LTNS

“Why are you bringing up love? We share a bank account. Isn’t that love?” A young, sexless couple who have lost their spark due to busy lives starts chasing after unfaithful couples

Dreaming of a Freaking Fairytale

“Let's find a rich husband and live a better life!” Jae-rim is an ambitious woman determined to become a Cinderella to achieve what she wants

Castaway Diva

“Giving up is courage? If that’s the case, I wouldn’t be here.” Seo Mok-ha, who has survived all kinds of disasters with her unrelenting positivity, has managed to turn her life around

Under the Queen’s Umbrella

“No matter how you look, you will always be my child.” A story about a queen who is determined to do anything for her four sons

Work Later, Drink Now

“Never postpone today’s drinking to tomorrow.” A story of three female friends who enjoy drinking

Vincenzo

“Punish evil with evil.” An exciting revenge drama where Vincenzo wipes out villains in villainous ways

It’s Okay to Not Be Okay

“I’m just an empty can. I’ll never be able to understand how you feel.” An odd romance story of a children’s story writer Moon-young, with an antisocial personality

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Engagement created by extreme characters

This-or-that game that adds tensionto the drama

Comical elements prevent viewers from getting too immersed

This-or-that game that adds tension
to the drama