Korean drama has swept the global artistic scene in recent years, transforming from limited local content into a global cultural phenomenon that attracts a wide audience of different ages and cultures. Through its poignant stories and outstanding production, K-dramas have become an effective tool in enhancing South Korea’s soft power, and a boost to its economy and tourism.
Unprecedented global spread
Korean works have achieved unprecedented successes on international platforms, most notably the series “Squid Game,” which has become the talk of the world, winning international awards such as the Emmy Award. Also, the series “Crash Landing on You” attracted great interest, especially in Western markets, as these works succeeded in breaking the language barrier thanks to translation into dozens of languages.
In addition, the enormous popularity of Korean music (K-Pop) has turned attention to Korean dramas, as groups such as BTS and Blackpink have pushed their fans to explore other aspects of Korean culture.
Reasons for the success of Korean drama
Korean drama is characterized by a high level of quality, whether in terms of photography, direction, or visual design, which makes it compete with international productions. It presents topics that deeply touch human feelings, such as love, friendship, and personal conflicts, while mixing them with elements of science fiction, history, and action to meet the tastes of… Multiple.
It also relied on building integrated characters, presented through the performances of talented actors who enjoy great popularity and global appeal. However, social media played a major role in the Korean drama reaching a global audience, through thoughtful promotional campaigns targeting fans of this type of content.
“The reason is the quality of Korean content,” Dafna Zur, an associate professor in the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures and a scholar of Korean literature, said in a previous interview with Stanford Report.
Zur teaches courses on Korean literature, film, and popular culture, and is director of the Center for East Asian Studies at Stanford University.
Professor Zur believes that thanks to streaming platforms, such as YouTube and Netflix, and active translation – in which fans also collaborate – access to Korean popular music and drama has become very easy. Even when the content is in Korean, there are very few barriers to viewing.
Korean dramas are characterized by a mixture of expectation and authenticity. The plots are often predictable: rags to riches, a love story between a rich boy and a poor girl, or a story of children rebelling against their parents’ wishes, but they carry a special Korean touch, such as respect for elders, and kindness to one’s sons and daughters.
She continued, “The events’ backgrounds are ultra-modern and dazzling. As for the actors, they are elegant and attractive, embodying charming and vulnerable characters at the same time, with a healthy dose of self-criticism. The texts are also full of humor.”
Of course, there is often a dark touch: stifling expectations, crushing poverty, or a deep secret that must never be revealed. Therefore, Korean dramas humanize even the richest and most bleak characters. It gets the audience to pay attention to it, and all it usually asks for is 16 hours of our time.
Soundtrack
Soundtracks play a pivotal role in enhancing the appeal of Korean dramas. The songs accompanying the events of the series are often emotional and of high quality, making them resonate in the minds of viewers long after the series has ended.
Promoting tourism and the economy
The drama’s filming sites have turned into tourist destinations visited by fans of Korean culture from around the world, which has contributed to supporting the tourism sector in South Korea.
Korean dramas also contributed to boosting exports of cultural content, which helped strengthen Korea’s position as one of the most important entertainment producing countries in the world.
Soft power
In light of the presence of huge productions from Hollywood and Bollywood, Korean drama has been able to excel by providing distinctive content that focuses on emotional and human details. To ensure global acceptance, Korean producers were keen to present stories that were universal, while preserving the cultural identity of South Korea.
The future of Korean drama
With continued strong government support for the entertainment industry and increasing investments in production and promotion, K-drama is expected to continue expanding its influence globally. It is also expected that the coming years will witness more cooperation between Korean and international production companies, which will enhance the spread of Korean dramas in new markets.
The growing success of Korean drama indicates that this phenomenon is not fleeting, but rather is part of a long-term strategy developed by South Korea to enhance its cultural presence, as Korean drama continues to attract a global audience, confirming that it is not just a type of entertainment, but rather a bridge for cultural communication between peoples. .