I will read the article for you. The most important thing in today’s content, from dramas, movies, animations to K-pop idols, is the universe. Fantasy, parallel worlds, virtual spaces, different worlds, all these are fictional time and space created by someone. Although the universe goes far beyond our imagination, what happens there is similar to our daily lives. Challenges and successes, failures and revenge, love and hate. In other words, it is about telling the story you want with plenty of imagination, unfolding in a different space, in a different time.
One scene from ‘Fallout’. Provided by Amazon Prime.
Amazon Prime’s 8-part drama ‘Fallout’ is also an important piece of work in terms of its universe. The drama is based on the blockbuster game known as “the most beloved game by Americans.” Jonathan Nolan, the brother of director Christopher Nolan and the screenwriter of ‘The Dark Knight’ and ‘Interstellar’, took on the script, direction, and executive production. After its release in April, it received praise from critics, viewers, and even game users.
‘Fallout’ means ‘nuclear fallout’ in English. As the threat of World War III grows, the giant corporation Vault-Tec constructs underground shelters called Vaults for safe living. Even though a nuclear war breaks out and the world becomes desolate, the wealthy who purchased a spot in the Vault survive. 219 years later, disconnected from the outside world, people inside the Vaults still enjoy prosperity and happiness. However, on the day of the protagonist’s wedding, people from outside the Vault invade, kill people, and kidnap the protagonist’s father. The protagonist, McLain, sets out on an adventure outside the Vault to find his father.
The prosperous world inside the Vault was democratic and courteous, but the outside world is a wasteland dominated by survival of the fittest. McLain calls for order even in the wasteland, but it is only emptiness. Moreover, there are mutant creatures as a result of the nuclear war. Through fighting them, the protagonist awakens and grows. The immersion felt in first-person games is present throughout the drama.
The popularity of this drama lies more in its visuals than its plot. It mixes futuristic medieval knights or Wild West frontier images with sci-fi movie images like ‘Iron Man’ to create a spectacular spectacle. As the game world is transferred, the violent scenes are realistic and unreserved. Explorations of human nature and philosophical questions about social order are not overlooked.
Hollywood dramas based on RPG games have often been criticized in the past. With the introduction of ‘Fallout’, set in a nuclear apocalypse universe, the situation has changed. The game ‘Fallout’, which has been out for 27 years, achieved the top spot in sales again after the release of this drama. Imagine what it would be like if successful Korean games were made into dramas. Whether McLain will save the wasteland world and the Vault remains uncertain, but it is clear that a well-developed universe can save creators and content companies.
CJ ENM PD