As has happened with K-pop, the television series produced in South Korea known as K-dramas are becoming increasingly successful globally, one of the most recent tests was Squid Game, which since its premiere became the most watched production of Netflix with more than 142 million viewers worldwide.
And it is incredible how despite cultural differences, different languages and geographical distance, the hallyu (translated as Korean wave) has had such a robust impact on the western public, especially in Latin America.
Characterized by being very brief, of 16 chapters in general, and with topics ranging from the classic story of a couple from different social classes who fall in love, going through plots of doctors, schoolchildren, comics, action and fiction, such as mythological beings, among othersplatforms like Netflix they have become a key factor in its internationalization.
Given its good reception, it is not surprising that the platform for streaming I already have a ranking one of the most watched K-dramas in South Korea; here the list of the most popular of the week from January 9 to 15:
1. The glory
3 weeks in the ranking
Years after surviving vicious bullying from several schoolmates, a woman concocts an elaborate revenge plan to bring them down one by one.
Starring: Song hye-kyo, Lee Do-hyun, Lim Ji-yeon, among others.
2. Heaven for Two: Season 2*
3. Alchemy of Souls: Part 2
5 weeks in the ranking
Uk becomes a hunter of invading souls, when a woman, who is a prisoner in her own home, seeks his help to regain her freedom.
Starring: Lee Jaewook, Go Younjung, Hwang Min-hyun, and more.
4.Reborn Rich
9 weeks in the ranking
Yoon Hyun Woo (Song Joong-ki) is a devoted, hard-working and loyal secretary to the Jin family, which runs the lucrative Soonyang Group business empire. But one day, he is brutally betrayed by the family, who falsely accuses him of embezzlement. He dies soon after, but miraculously “comes back to life” by waking up in the body of the youngest male in the family, Jin Do Joon.
Starring: Song Joong-ki, Shin Hyun-bin, Tiffany Young, Park Jin-young, among others.
5. Red Balloon: Season 1
2 weeks in the ranking
Eun Kang appears ordinary and simple on the outside, but her true desire remains hidden within her heart. Since freshman year of high school, when she met Ba Da, she has been her best friend, despite the feelings of relative deprivation she experiences from her when Ba Da is around her. Watching her supposed best friend take her secret love away from her is hard enough, but things quickly take a turn for the worse when she’s dumped by her boyfriend she’s been together with for four years. With nothing else in her life, Eun Kang hatches a little plan involving Ba Da’s in-laws, with whom she has been on good terms for longer than Ba Da herself, but it backfires on her. Ba Da, on the other hand, trusts the fake version of Eun Kang enough to share all of her secrets, but her trust backfires on her. Eun Kang’s wish, hidden for so long, finally begins to materialize.
Starring: Seo Ji-Hye, Jung Yoo-Min, Lee Sung-Jaey, and more.
6. Diary of a Prosecutor
2 weeks in the ranking
Being a prosecutor isn’t always a glamorous job: breaking international criminal networks and bringing corrupt politicians to justice, like Cha Myung Joo (Jung Ryeo Won) soon discovers.
She was once the rising star of her department, working in a central prosecutor’s office, dealing with newsworthy cases. But she has now been transferred to a small branch in a provincial town, where her daily work is much more mundane.
At the branch he meets Lee Sun Woong (Lee Sun Gyun), a fellow prosecutor with a very different outlook on life and what the role of a prosecutor should entail.
The two are polar opposites when it comes to their methodology. Cha Myung Joo is cold and meticulous, she insists on abiding by the letter of the law. But Lee Sun Woong takes a more pragmatic approach, chatting with the people she investigates, always eager to uncover the human stories behind the crimes he investigates.
It seems the two prosecutors are on a collision course, with both disapproving of the other’s methods. Can they find a way to work together, or will the district attorneys’ battle turn ugly?
Starring: Jung-Ryo-won, Lee Sun-Gyun, Lee Sang-hee, and more.
7. The love interest
2 weeks in the ranking
Four men and women who work at the same bank find themselves embroiled in a complicated romance as they discover just how far they are willing to go for love.
Starring: Yoo Yeon-seok, Mun Ka-young, Keum Sae-rok, and more.
8. Alchemy of Souls: Part 1
18 weeks in the ranking (accumulated after re-entry)
A powerful sorceress trapped in the body of a blind woman meets a member of a prestigious family, who needs her help to change her destiny.
Starring: Lee Jaewook, Go Younjung, Hwang Min-hyun, and more.
9. I am Alone*
10. The tram
1 week in the ranking
A sudden tragedy exposes the private life of the wife of a member of the National Assembly and forces her to confront family secrets and a troubled past.
Starring: Kim Hyun-joo, Park Hee-soon; Kim Moo-yeol.
Some titles are marked with an asterisk
because they are not korean dramas or reality shows. Some of these titles have been placed in the top 10 of the most viewed productions in certain countries, such asThe glory
which is in the top of 34 nations, including several from America such as Bolivia, El Salvador, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Mexico and Peru. In the same way it is also Alchemy of Souls with seasons 1 and 2, in 11 and 19 countries, respectively; as well as the successful realityHeaven for Two: Season Two
K-drama Sweet Home. (Netflix) To find out why series titles like Goblin, Boys Over Flowers, Moon Lovers, You Are Beautiful
and other titles have been so successful you can’t stop talking about the origin of hallyu. This phenomenon was first called that way in the late 1990s when the Chinese newspaper The Peoples Daily used the term to refer to the good reception of the Korean culture
in countries like Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Vietnam and Indonesia. The hallyuit is nothing more than the consolidation of d television branches, movies, K-pop, celebrities or idols, gastronomy, makeup
among other aspects that have increased its consumption globally. A wave that has jumped oceans and has touched the farthest corners of the planet, even in those nations where barriers have been placed to the alien, such as North Korea. K-dramas are different from productions ofhollywood
Arab soap operas or even Mexican soap operas, since after the war with Japan and North Korea they have provided an opportunity for Korean society to reconfigure itself in the eyes of the world. Last but not least, there is also the industry of korean pop (K-pop) which is intrinsically related to the television industry since the original soundtracks
(OST) are likewise one of the bases to advertise productions and gain more viewers.
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From revenge to wizards: what are the 10 most watched K-dramas of the week on Netflix