When it comes to K-Dramas in particular, in 2021, there have been a number of prominent trends that changed the scene as an effect of the COVID-19 situation, the global popularity of K-Content, an increase in interest from OTT platforms, and more. Here are 5 key changes we saw in the K-Drama industry in 2021!
1. Predominant Genres - Revenge and Survival
In 2021, the two most widely explored genres in K-Dramas were revenge and survival. From “Vincenzo”, “Taxi Driver”, “The Devil Judge”, “My Name”, “The Penthouse: War in Life” (Seasons 2 and 3), and “Reflection of You” (revenge dramas) to “Sisyphus: The Myth”, “Happiness”, “Dark Hole” and most prominently, “Squid Game” (survival dramas), the industry gave us some of the most gripping, meaningful, and exciting dramas this year belonging to the aforementioned dramas. Perhaps owing to the way the world has been relentlessly fighting against the pandemic and making brave progress despite difficulties, the popularity of survival stories is higher than ever now because the sentiment of survival resonates strongly with a universal audience. At the same time, revenge dramas provide just the right kind of catharsis viewers need to vent out their feelings of anger, grief, and frustration brought on by the pandemic.
2. New Platforms & Increased Interest/Demand Globally
A new platform, KakaoTV was launched in 2020 that immediately drew attention for its high-quality web dramas such as “A Love So Beautiful”, “Lovestruck In The City”, “Love Revolution” and more. In December of 2020, Coupang Play was also launched. In 2021, Coupang Play premiered its first web drama starring top Hallyu stars Kim SooHyun and Cha SeungWon called “One Ordinary Day”. In addition, the platform also revived “Saturday Night Live Korea” (originally broadcast on tvN), as an original series. Another big player in the K-Content market at the moment is Apple TV+ that recently premiered its first-ever original Korean language show “Dr. Brain” starring one of the biggest names in the Korean industry, Lee SunKyun of “Parasite” fame. Apple TV+ is also all set to premiere another original drama “Pachinko” which will be world star Lee MinHo’s screen comeback. In 2022, Disney+ Korea will be releasing the highly anticipated drama “Rookies”, starring Kang Daniel and Chae SooBin. It is clear that the overwhelming global interest in K-Dramas is driving these platforms from all over the world to invest in more high-quality original content, which in turn is further propelling the popularity of the same.
3. New Rising Stars Acknowledged Globally
Breaking records left and right, Netflix’s most popular show of all time, “Squid Game”, was nothing short of a cultural phenomenon. Not only did it bring the world together in discourse but it also gave birth to rising stars of undeniable potential. At the same time, the show also facilitated the acknowledgment of all the brilliant actors in the cast on a global scale. Actress Jung HoYeon, who made her acting debut with “Squid Game” became one of the world’s most beloved actresses ever because of her wonderfully poignant portrayal of Kang SaeByeok. At the time of writing, Jung HoYeon has 23.73 million followers, surpassing IU and making her the 8th most followed celebrity in South Korea. Alongside SaeByeok, JiYeong (played by Lee YooMi) moved viewers to an unbelievable degree with her sublime performance. At the same time, Wi HaJun made the world fall in love with him and his sincere charm and bold fearlessness. Similarly, the world collectively wept for Ali and their love for actor Anupam Tripathi now knows no bounds. Without a doubt, all eyes are on these artistic geniuses for their upcoming projects. In the case of Wi HaJun, it is a drama called “Bad and Crazy” alongside the incredible Lee DongWook and Lee YooMi has been cast in the upcoming Netflix original “All Of Us Are Dead”.
Through dramas like “Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha”, “The King’s Affection” and “Hellbound”, all of which spent multiple days and in some cases, even weeks on Netflix’s Top 10 Most Popular Shows Worldwide, viewers from the remotest corners of the world met and fell for the talent of South Korea’s brightest rising stars like Kim SeonHo and multifaceted idol actors like SF9’s RoWoon and VICTON’s ByungChan.
4. Focus On Korean Culture Catered To A Global Audience
A huge reason for the extraordinary success of “Squid Game” was the inherently and exclusively Korean nature of the story. It was filled to the brim with references about Korean culture, with the actual premise itself revolving around Korean children’s games. Needless to say, such a nuanced narrative would undoubtedly pique the interest of a global audience. After all, it is this very essence of “K” that created such an incredible fandom. Dramas like “Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha” and “Racket Boys” showed a wonderfully painted picture of the sweetness of rural Korea whereas “D.P.” and “Melancholia” brought forward a harsh reality. 2021 also saw an increase in the number of historical dramas such as “River Where The Moon Rises” and “Lovers of the Red Sky” that saw great success globally alongside dramas exploring Korean mythology such as “My Roommate Is A Gumiho” and “Doom At Your Service”. The more authentic and true the subject matter of a drama has been to Korean culture, the more it has drawn interest on a global scale.
5. Dark Heroes And Dystopia
2021 was truly the year of the “Dark Hero”: morally ambiguous, resolute, driven individuals who would stop at nothing to achieve their goals. From Song JoongKi’s Vincenzo Cassano to Lee JeHoon’s Kim DoGi and Ji Sung’s Kang YoHan, we were hypnotized by the fatal charm of these protagonists. Dystopian worlds foretold a not-so-distant future in K-Dramas this year. Medically engineered neo-zombie outbreaks mirrored lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic in “Happiness”; lawlessness, fanaticism, and chaos took over in “The Devil Judge” and “Hellbound” and time itself was turned upside down in “Sisyphus: The Myth”. With the world living in an unprecedented present, such dystopian narratives have been rather easy to connect to. What changes/trends did you notice in the K-Drama industry this year? Share your thoughts with Kpopmap in the comments section down below! Kpopmap K-Pop & K-Drama Highlights of 2021 Kpopmap Highlights 2021|Dec 2, 2021
