There’s no denying that Korean entertainment has been getting increased attention from Tinseltown, thanks to globalization and the ever-dynamic Internet. The overnight success ofSquid Gameand the Korean movieParasitewinning anAcademy Awardare just some indicators of South Korea’s entertainment taking the world by storm. With talks of theNetflixK-DramaExtraordinary Attorney Woogetting a U.S. remake still in progress, the popularity of K-Dramas has risen exponentially.
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The growth is two-sided, withLife on MarsandSuitsbeing adapted into K-Dramas andThe Good Doctorinto a western TV show. But beyond the chosen ones, there are numerous K-Dramas worthy of getting a Hollywood adaptation, stat.
1‘What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim’ (2018)
When his assistant of nine years decides to up and leave one day, CEO Lee Young Joon (Park Seo Joon) is perplexed. Determined to make hissecretary and the love of his life, Kim Mi So (Park Min Young), stay, he does everything in his stride to make her fall for him until he realizes true love is in setting people free and hoping they’ll stay. But even as they traverse their newfound romance, ghosts of their pasts continue to haunt them.
With quirky characters and a sweet romantic story, What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim would make a hit for American audiences, making the show perfect for a Hollywood adaptation.
2‘Itaewon Class’ (2020)
After being jailed for attempted assault, ex-convict Park Sae Ro Yi (Park Seo Joon) decides to open a bar, Danbam, in Itaewon. But, not equipped to make it function, he seeks help from his friends and Jo Yi Seo (Kim Da Mi). Together, they manifest, turning their modest bar into the number one bar in Itaewon while taking down the ruthless CEO that landed him in jail in the first place.
An earnestunderdog story with wholesome charactersand an intoxicating plot,Itaewon Classis a story of passion and commitment, where the characters' determination will increase your own. A must-watch for budding entrepreneurs,Itaewon Classwould become a popular drama in English.
3‘Extraordinary You’ (2019)
Eun Dan Oh (Kim Hye Yoon) is a high school student at a prestigious academy. One day, by chance, she discovers that she is all but a character in a comic book entitledSecret. Her friends and their school are part of a fantasy world of comics. Dan Oh is an extra character, engaged to a guy who hates her guts and, worse, she has terminal heart disease. Fed up with her life’s sadness, she decides to write her own story, but it may come at a cost she won’t see coming.
Based on the webtoonJuly Found by Chance,Extraordinary Youis a heartwarming tale of determination and choices in life, and its unique premise would enamor American audiences.
4‘Nevertheless’ (2021)
After getting her heart broken by the love of her life, Yoo Na Bi (Han So Hee) has sworn off love and has decided to focus only on getting her art degree. But when emotionally unavailable Park Jae Eon (Song Kang) joins her college, they keep crossing paths. When Jae Eon relentlessly pursues her, Na Bi feels herself falling for him. The only problem? He explicitly stated he’ll never commit to a relationship.
Nevertheless, a grumpy-sunshine tale of love, angst, and betrayal is a newer concept for K-Dramas, making it all the more special and adaptable. The story is so unique and intoxicating that it keeps viewers hooked and always wanting more.
5‘Strong Woman Do Bong Soon’ (2017)
Seemingly a petite and cute woman, Do Bong (Park Bo Young) possesses the strength to put Superman to shame. But her dream in life isn’t to conquer a superhero. Instead, she wants to develop video games. So when she gets an offer to be the bodyguard for the CEO of a video-game production enterprise, she doesn’t hesitate to take the job. But the conditions on her offer letternever mentioned falling for her boss.
Strong Woman Do Bong Soonis a show where theheroine isn’t a damsel in distressbut rather saves the hero. The empowering nature of Do Bong resonates withwomen of the modern worldand would be the perfect candidate for a Hollywood remake.
6‘It’s Okay To Not Be Okay’ (2020)
Moon Gang Tae (Kim Soo Hyun) is a psych ward caretaker who lives with his autistic older brother, Moon Sang Tae (Oh Jung Se). They constantly keep moving ever since Sang Tae witnessed their mother’s murder. One day, Gang Tae meets rumored selfish, antisocial children’s book writer Ko Moon Young (Seo Yea Ji). But when all of them wind up in the fictional Seongjin City, where they all grew up, there might be a chance forthese outcasts to belong together.
Only a few shows are able to capture theessence of sensitive topics such as mental healthas accurately asIt’s Okay Not To Be Okay, and its Hollywood adaptation would pave the way to acceptance of such issues and their repercussions in real life.
7‘The Heirs’ (2013)
Kim Tan (Lee Min Ho) is the heir to a large Korean conglomerate, Jeguk Group. After being exiled to the US by his elder brother, Tan encounters Cha Eun Sang (Park Shin Hye), who goes there to look for her sister. Despite being engaged to Yoo Rachel (Kim Ji Won), Tan falls for Eun Sang. Only when they return to Korea do they realize she’s the daughter of his housemaid. Their love is doomed to fail, but can these two find their way back to each other?
A sweet yet poignanttale of teenage love,The Heirsis a typical rich boy and poor girl story that would steal the hearts of everyone around the world.
8‘Crash Landing on You’ (2019-2020)
When a paragliding mishap leads South Korean entrepreneur and chaebol heiress Yoon Se Ri (Son Ye Jin) to land in North Korea, she is convinced she’ll never return home. Until a North Korean elite, Ri Jeong Hyeok (Hyun Bin), finds her during patrolling and saves her. He promises to take her back soon, but he has to keep her hidden, especially from Cho Cheol Gang (Oh Man Seok), who is on a quest to expose him.
Afan’s favorite star-crossedlovers' story,Crash Landing On You, takes something dangerous and illegal and shows how love can make it beautiful. It would resonate with hopeless romantic Americans and make for a remarkable remake.
9‘Vincenzo’ (2021)
An action-packed rollercoaster, Vincenzo follows a Korean Italian man, Vincenzo Cassano (Song Joong Ki), who was born into a Mafia family. Vincenzo is a ruthless lawyer and consigliere of the Italian mafia who leaves for Korea after the son of his deceased boss double-crosses him. Vincenzo features a perfect balance of humor, thrill, and an adrenaline rush that keeps fans hooked to their seats.
The show allows all the characters to breathe, and their growth is cataloged well. In addition, the show doesn’t take itself too seriously, which is relatively new for the genre but is a welcome change. Vincenzo’s Hollywood adaptation would undoubtedly be a huge success.
10‘W: Two Worlds’ (2016)
When Oh Yeon Joo (Han Hyo Joo), a surgeon in South Korea, learns that her father mysteriously disappears while drawing the last issue ofW, his webtoon, in which the main character, Kang Chul (Lee Jong Suk), was supposed to die, she embarks on a search that will pull her into the webtoon world and force her into a dilemma of choosing between her father and the love of her life.
While K-Dramas are primarily famous for their chaebol stories and romantic themes,W: Two Worldstakes two steps ahead and merges science fiction with contemporary romance in a can’t-stop-watching alternate reality that takes viewers for a spin.
