An era of warmth and empathy instead of stimulation. There has been a subtle change in broadcasting lately. Not the 'dopamine' of content that stimulates viewers' emotions, but the "kind dopamine" that soothes the heart is moving viewers' feelings.
First, a representative example is tvN variety show 'Bogum Magical.' In the program, Park Bo Gum, Lee Sang Yi, and Kwak Dong- yeon run a small hair salon in a rural village, trimming residents' hair and sharing life stories with them, showing the warm human affection of "jeong."
In a previous broadcast, Park Bo Gum was shown quietly listening to an elderly woman's worries when she came for a haircut; the woman confided that her 93-year-old mother-in-law has dementia. At the same time, she conveyed her mother-in-law's love by saying, "When I buy two fish-shaped pastries, my mother always eats only one and leaves the other for me," and upon hearing this Park Bo Gum offered a heartfelt remark, "I hope your mother's time is healthy." It was a moment that became not a simple beauty service but a time for sharing each other's hearts.
Not only Park Bo Gum but also Kwak Dong- yeon and Lee Sang Yi's positive influence continued. Kwak Dong- yeon remembered the birthday of grandmother Ra Ok-ja, whom he had visited before, prepared a cake early in the morning, and later, together with Park Bo Gum and Lee Sang Yi, they went in person to hold a surprise birthday party and gave her an unforgettable day. On her birthday, Lee Sang Yi put a grandmother who was going to the public bath into a car and took her to the bus stop, and at another 91-year-old woman's home he helped move heavy sacks of fertilizer. Seeing the grandmother's passion who never put down her study notebook, Lee Sang Yi couldn't hide his emotion. He also wrote down and handed over the barbershop's contact information, saying, "Contact us whenever you need help." It was a warm image like that of a real grandson.
The three not only provided haircuts and nail services but also ran errands in the village, shared meals, and took photos together, naturally blending into the residents' daily lives, and Park Bo Gum even showed tears. Memories and life stories surrounding the barbershop were exchanged, making this place more than a simple salon but a space where people meet one another. The program delivered gentle emotion as the three actors' warm hearts came together.
There is another program that conveys a similar warmth. It is tvN variety show 'After-school Teacher Taeri,' starring Kim Taeri. The program follows Kim Taeri as an after-school drama teacher creating lessons with children at a small rural elementary school. Started against the backdrop of a small school facing closure, the program went beyond simple entertainment to include the stories of the region and the children.
Of course, Kim Taeri showed tears of nervousness and burden before the first class. She honestly confessed, "When I saw the children I suddenly got scared. I felt like I wasn't prepared." But as time passed, Kim Taeri naturally bonded with the children and blended into the daily life of the small school, creating warm smiles.
Finally, another program, SBS variety show 'My heart is soft counseling center,' shows the same tone. In this program, Lee Hyori and Lee Sang Soon, a married couple, act as warm supporters for young people with developmental disabilities in their dating and daily lives, and it became a topic even before the broadcast. And in the much-anticipated first broadcast, it gave viewers a warm resonance.
In particular, a young man with intellectual disabilities tearfully confessed, "I don't have friends. I was afraid people would dislike me because I'm disabled, so I couldn't even ask for a phone number," and when he revealed past experiences of being bullied and moments when he even considered extreme choices, Lee Hyori and Lee Sang Soon quietly listened and said, "That must have been really hard," and added, "We will be your friends," which moved viewers deeply.
In addition, the program depicted first blind dates for young people with developmental disabilities. The meetings that began with tension gradually softened, and scenes of them taking care of each other's food or helping each other put on coats followed. It showed that emotional impact can be delivered without sensational conflict or competition. Their awkward but sincere appearances moved viewers' hearts.
Until now, broadcasters have competed to show ever more stimulating content. Conflict, anger, controversy, and shock were sometimes used as devices to raise ratings. But such content, on the contrary, gave viewers vicarious stress and made them frown. For people already exhausted and having a hard day in reality, another stimulation can come across as fatigue.
Maybe that's why. These days viewers are seeking different emotions that make them feel at ease. Small touches of emotion that quietly seep into viewers' hearts through someone's goodwill and sincerity and warm relationships. That is the "kind dopamine."
The message delivered by 'Bogum Magical,' 'After-school Teacher Taeri,' and 'Soft counseling center' is simple. People comfort each other, and they can be a small source of strength in someone's life. Many voices express the wish that more programs showing this precious harmlessness would appear. Not sensational content, but stories that warm the heart. It is likely the reason some hope this positive influence spreads more widely through the powerful broadcasting platform. I hope more programs that convey "kind dopamine" to exhausted viewers continue to appear.
[Photo] Bogum Magical, Teacher Taeri, Soft counseling center
[OSEN]