Doctor Who in Korea

Dr Ruth Adams was recently filmed for a programme about public service broadcasting in the UK by KBS, the leading public broadcast company in Korea. KBS stated that it wished to learn from the example of the BBC, which, they say, is known to be the public broadcaster to maintain the highest standards in the world, with a trustworthy and quality output. The filming took place on Wednesday 26 August 2009.

Ruth was asked questions specifically about Doctor Who, one of the world’s longest running drama series, and a ‘flagship’ programme of the BBC. Doctor Who is not only very popular and able to command large viewing figures in the UK, but can also boast millions of fans around the world, and is becoming increasingly popular in Korea.

Ruth was asked what she believed to be the most creative and innovative aspects of the programme, in reply to which she emphasised the often daring and boundary pushing nature of the stories and characters, and the significant advances achieved in visual and sound effects, often on very limited budgets.

She was asked also the ways in which she believed the programme to be distinctively British. She suggested that the national character was perhaps apparent in the eccentric, yet pragmatic and resourceful personality of the Doctor himself, and that the programme had reflected the changing demographic and attitudes of the nation in its choice of companions for the Doctor, who now include strong, independent women and black and gay characters. She also noted that although the Doctor can theoretically travel anywhere in time and space, he quite often visits significant moments and figures in British history, and that his mode of transport is a British Police telephone box.

If Ruth’s contributions make the final cut, Korean viewers will be able to watch her on the evening of 3 September, when the programme is to be broadcast.