From international streaming platforms to those entirely dedicated to them.. K-dramas are today available everywhere and in all possible genres. The “Hallyu” phenomena, far from being new, have crossed Asian borders and have, since, conquered our viewing catalogues. Today, the sphere of entertainment is no longer limited to Hollywood. A new opponent has made his entrance in the field with a brand new proposal.
The story of “Hallyuwood”, the Hollywood of k-dramas
Even if others productions existed before, in South Korea the historical starting point of the k-dramas industry, as we know it nowadays, started in 1915. The Righteous Revenge, a movie produced by Kim Do-san (and in which he also had the leading role), would be the first production of the genre. Indeed, it’s not before 1977 that the first show aired on television and not until the 90s that Korean productions started being famous in others Asia’s country.
But the industry really started to stand out across the Pacific, years later, thanks to its quality of production. At the time, the main topic of the productions was the societal image. However, today, the catalogue is way more diversified : from Korean folklore and supernaturals beings to horror and dystopia… You sure have the choice !
K-dramas and their conquest of the entertaining industry
In 2016, Netflix finally arrived in South Korea (nearly a decade after in was launched in the U.S). However, it’s only two years later that the 111 millions Netflix subscribers could watch made in Korea content. Mr. Sunshine, a historical drama staring Kim Tae-ri (Twenty five, twenty one) and Lee Byung-hun (Squid Game), is the first k-drama to air on the platform. The drama, incredibly well produced, is a success and will therefore open the door to other south korean productions. Between 2019 and 2020, Koreans productions are rather discret but more and more present. Between Kingdom or even Love alarm which have worked very well on the platform, the best is yet to come.
2021 is the year of stakes. Disney boost the competition by launching its own streaming platform while the mondial phenomena Squid Game makes a big arrival on Netflix. In fact, to this day, the drama is one of the most viewed series on the platform, outside of Korea. A great deal for the red N who will not only gain more subscribers, but’ll reaffirm its investment on the now international cultural power. Without mentioning Rakuten Viki, k-drama’s paradise, Netflix, Disney + and Amazon prime are one of the biggest streaming platform which offers that kind of content. They have become a window to the world, to the extent that some tv-shows are even more popular abroad than in Korea !
Why are they so popular ?
Today, production costs are obviously superior to what they were in the old days and the effect on the quality is clearly visible. Whether the decor alludes to space or historical places, details are larger than life and have nothing to envy to their Hollywood counterparts. Dramas offer a large catalogue where action, romance, thriller… and even comedy, mixed. In fact, the Koreans seem to handle very well the latter and are, in my opinion, the master of irony. On the other hand, the charm and talent of the actors attract many people. Not to mention that some of them are also idols who bring with them their millions of fans.
It’s also important to underline that K-dramas stand out from others productions (especially American ones) with their “innocence”. Here, emotions are primordial and nudity, nearly nonexistent. On one side, you’ll find romance dramas in which kisses are as awaited as the Messie… On the other, actions productions which doesn’t skimp on gore and blood, those have in fact the most popularity internationally. To finish, Hollywood has managed to create an important hype around the Korean culture in general. If k-pop was also very popular, the food, clothes, and even the language have become a lifestyle.
So many choices, but what to watch ?
You can find here a small k-drama list special Lobservatrice…. And here, a complete list of the most popular k-dramas on IMDB. You’ll certainly find among those lists your next binge watch !
Which k-drama would you recommend without hesitation ?
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–See ya, Lobservatrice ツ
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