Let's admin it - we (a) on soap operas at some point in our lives. But what exactly does the term 'soap opera' or simply "soap" refer to? Typically, soaps contain a number of stories (b) in the narrative. These stories (c) , leading to further developments in the storyline in the (d) . What differentiates soaps from other television drama programmes is (e) , where the storyline;s narrative usually spans over several episodes.

Contemporary soaps - often containing (f) - place great emphasis on dialogues, problem solving and (g) . Suffice it to say, soaps have their own (h) depending on where they originate from. In some countries, they depend on having a (i) while in others, personal relationships and complicated love affairs are given more importance.

Korean soaps normally (j) such as marital relationships, money and business, family squabbles and complicated love triangels. Popular for
(k) , Korean soaps could be predictable at times. In a typical Korean soap, there is the (l) of one of the main characters, there is always (m) and there is not always
(n) .

Not completely unlike their Korean counterparts are Taiwanese soaps, which
(o) than other countries' productionsdo. One of the most beaten to death subjects in Taiwanese soaps is (p) . Normally, some characters are disturbed by previous unpleasant experiences, which make it harder for them to
(q) . How they get over this difficulty usually forms the plot of a lot of Taiwanese soaps.

American audiences have (r) . Medical soaps are particularly popular there because of high demand for never-ending story types. Hospitals -
(s) - provide opportunities for the intersection of professional and personal drama. Such a setting allows for (t) , which keeps the storyline progressing.

Undoubtedly, these (u) are the reason why soaps operas are one of the most popular, if not the most popular, genres of television drama in the worlg today. Producers have successfully created soaps that (v) around the world.

Source: Adapted from an article by Gigi Lam, p. 06, English Street, March 17, 2009