Chinese netizens enjoy their own brand of humor, and sometimes it delves into the national obsession of generalizing the world into easy to understand groups: China, the immediate world outside China represented by its most influential neighbors South Korea and Japan, and the world at large, usually in the form of the USA.
Here’s a viral piece that uses generalizations to explain the differences between TV shows from these four countries. It’s a little heavy handed, but that’s pretty much the joke here:
12 Sentences that Tell You the Difference Between US, Japanese, South Korean, and Chinese Domestic Television Shows
Recently, some netizens have compiled a list explaining the difference between US, Japanese, South Korean, and Chinese domestic television shows. The answer is correct, and if you don’t believe it, see for yourself.
US Shows:
Criminal investigation shows: these shows talk about breaking cases and show how dedicated police are to their work, how brutal criminals act, and how the use of torture is used to crack a case.
Legal shows: these show how dedicated lawyers are to their jobs, and how they will fight for the best interests of their clients.
Medical shows: these shows talk about treating patients and how medical staff work, and how they’ll do everything they can in order to take care of their patients.
Japanese Shows:
Criminal investigation shows: use cases to show the dark side of society, and the ugly side of human nature.
Legal shows: use cases to show the dark side of society, and the ugly side of human nature.
Medical shows: use disputes between doctors and patients, internal hospital strife and other things to show the dark side of society, and the ugly side of human nature.
South Korean Shows:
Criminal investigation shows: The wife of the cop contracts leukemia. It gets so bad he can’t take it anymore, runs out into the street and is hit by a car and gets amnesia, until finally in the end they are told that they can’t be together.
Legal shows: The wife of the lawyer contracts leukemia. It gets so bad that he can’t take it anymore, runs out into the street and is hit by a car and gets amnesia, until finally in the end they are told that they can’t be together.
Medical shows: The wife of the doctor contracts leukemia. It gets so bad that he can’t take it anymore, runs out into the street and is hit by a car and gets amnesia, until finally in the end they are told that they can’t be together.
Chinese Shows:
Criminal investigation shows: Love story about police officers.
Legal shows: Love story about lawyers.
Medical shows: Love story about doctors.
Having gotten some buzz online, netizens had a lot to say about this list. “South Korean shows haven’t been like this for a while, and there is a great variety to Japanese shows,” one person said, while another said: “Bullshit. Chinese shows are devoted to fighting Japanese, fighting Japanese, and fighting Japanese, okay?”
“Aren’t English shows like this: in a criminal investigation show, a pair of male cops go on a case, and then a gay marriage law gets passed. In a lawyer show, a pair of male lawyers perform a defense based on complementary tactics, and then a gay marriage law gets passed. In a medical show, a male doctor spares no effort and does everything in his power to save a male patient, and then a gay marriage law gets passed…”
Another said: “No matter what, I still enjoy US shows. US shows teach women to be brave and independent! South Korean shows only teach you to daydream, while Chinese shows just teach you the background to Zhen Huan (a character in an old novel made into a TV show). It’s tiring, and I don’t like them anymore.”