The Origin of the Phenomenon and the Evolution of the Dorama Term
Originally, the word dorama was used exclusively to refer to Japanese television productions. With the global growth of Asian entertainment, especially from the 2010s onwards, the term came to encompass series from different countries on the continent. This semantic expansion reflects the very advancement of the so-called "Asian wave," which includes music, cinema, fashion, and television.
Productions like Squid Game and Crash Landing on You contributed significantly to this movement. These productions achieved impressive global audience numbers, consolidating South Korea as a contemporary cultural powerhouse.
In Brazil, the impact was immediate. The public, which already demonstrated familiarity with elements of Eastern culture, began consuming doramas more frequently, driven by the easy access provided by digital services.
The Historical Influence of Asian Culture in Brazil
To understand the success of doramas in the country, it is necessary to consider the Brazilian historical and cultural context. Brazil is home to one of the largest Japanese communities outside Japan, which contributed to the dissemination of Eastern cultural elements over decades.
Since the 1980s, Japanese productions, especially anime like Saint Seiya, were already part of Brazilian television programming. This initial contact helped reduce cultural and linguistic barriers, creating a receptive base for content from the East.
This familiarity expanded over time, incorporating manga, films, and later series. When doramas began gaining space on digital platforms, the Brazilian public already possessed cultural knowledge that facilitated their acceptance.
The Role of Streaming Platforms in Popularization
The rise of doramas is directly linked to the growth of streaming platforms such as Netflix, Viki, and Prime Video. These services played a fundamental role in making Asian content available with Portuguese subtitles and, in some cases, dubbing.
Before the popularization of these platforms, access to doramas was limited and often depended on fans who independently translated episodes. With the professionalization of this process, consumption became more accessible and attractive.
Furthermore, the algorithms of these platforms began recommending doramas to users who showed interest in romance, family dramas, and emotional narratives. This mechanism significantly expanded the reach of these productions.
The Pandemic as a Turning Point in Consumption
The COVID-19 pandemic period represented a decisive milestone for the growth of doramas in Brazil. With the halt of major Western productions and the reduction of new releases, streaming services began intensifying their investment in Asian content to fill the void in their catalogs.
