Netflix revealed that viewing of Korean content across Asia increased fourfold in 2020 compared to 2019. Then the pandemic happened, and with the western entertainment industry (literally) shuttered down, K-drama fever truly hit. Ji Chang-Wook is one of the recognised K-drama stars
The word-of-mouth success of 2019 romantic drama Crash Landing on You - which stayed in the top 10 in Japan for a 229 days and was the sixth most-watched show on Netflix in the US between March 21 and Macoincided with the big-screen success of Parasite to spark new-found levels of interest. Slowly over the next two years, a growing number of subscribers would become hooked on K-dramas, drawn into the varied storylines and comforting escapism. When Warner Bros shut DramaFever in 2018, Netflix began further investment. Streaming services like Viki and DramaFever made it possible for viewers to legally watch Korean content online with English subtitles, opening K-dramas up to a whole new audience over the past decade.Īs their grassroots popularity increased, so did distribution deals with western streaming upstarts Hulu and Netflix. Global interest grew thanks to the rise of the internet. Over the next decade it challenged Japanese might to become a new purveyor of Asian cool, with 20% of viewers in Japan watching 2003 drama Winter Sonata.Ī 2011 report by the Korean Culture and Information Service concluded: "In many Asian cities, Korean dramas seem to be influencing lifestyles and consumer behaviour, which speaks to their cultural appeal". © Reutersīong Joon-ho won best director, best original screenplay and best picture for Parasite at last year's Oscars
#The producer korean drama sub indo tv#
As Japan battled economic decline and China rose, South Korean culture pounced - offering TV that was both more relatable than US shows and morally palatable to Beijing. Increasing liberalisation throughout the country in the 90s saw huge amounts of money poured into the entertainment industry. The show joins K-pop artists such as BTS and Blackpink becoming household names in music, to films like Parasite and Minari upending Hollywood to achieve Oscars recognition and success.īut the K-drama takeover is far from the overnight sensation it may first seem.Īlthough they've only recently gripped worldwide audiences, K-dramas have been popular in Asia for decades.
Squid Game's breakthrough popularity marks the latest wave in a Korean culture tsunami that's built throughout the west in recent years. Park Hae-soo and Lee Jung-jae are two of the stars of Squid Game
So, how can we understand this rise, and what are some of the other K-dramas to look out for if you're a new convert? © Netflix In doing so it knocked Bridgerton off the top spot, making clear that Korean dramas -K-dramas for short - have most certainly been given the green light by audiences worldwide.
#The producer korean drama sub indo series#
The Korean thriller, which tells the story of debt-ridden people competing for a huge crash prize in a deadly series of children's games, has become Netflix's biggest ever series launch - streamed by 111 million users in its first 28 days.
If watching Squid Game means the prospect of playing red light, green light now fills you with nerve-shredding terror rather than fond childhood memories, you aren't alone.