The different fates of K-dramas about showbiz: are Kim Soo Hyun’s works the only successful ones?
Thought to be interesting and gripping, yet K-dramas about the entertainment industry rarely get public attention.
The public and fans are always curious about behind stories within the entertainment industry, and so, many K-dramas about this topic were made. In fact, these K-dramas are highly anticipated, filled with interesting plot lines, and star-studded with the most famous celebrities. However, not all of them perform as well as expected.
K-dramas that were actually successful
The series “You’re Beautiful” revolves around a Kpop group called A.N.JELL and introduces a crossdressing plot where the female lead was disguised as a guy. During its year of release in 2009, this K-drama quickly gained attention across Asia, making itself one of the top series about the early K-biz. It was also a breakthrough for its entire cast, including actress Park Shin Hye, actor Jang Geun Suk, and the two idols Lee Yong Hwa and Lee Hong Ki.
Next, we have “Dream High”, which tells the tales of different people pursuing their dreams to stand on the large stage. Throughout its 2 seasons, the K-drama is a reminder of the importance of determination, passion, and hard work, and has become the “standard” of series about idols. It reveals the dark corners of the industry, while also showing the training process and off-screen facets of the idols we love.
Finally, “My Love From The Stars” is about the life of top actress Cheon Song Yi, who was played by Jun Ji Hyun. Through Song Yi, we get to know about the unfairness that prevails to all actors, as well as their silent struggles. Released in 2013, the series made waves during the time, attracting numerous fans and winning multiple awards.
K-dramas that were less fortunate
The K-drama “Entertainers” was aired in 2016 – one of the most competitive years in the history of the Korean small screen. As a result, “Entertainers” were completely outshined by its fellow series, and it didn’t help that Ji Sung was said to be “the only good actor”. According to fans at the time, this K-drama was simply not enough to retain its audiences until the final episode.
With a star-studded cast of IU, Kim Soo Hyun, Gong Hyo Jin, Cha Tae Hyun, and various other notable cameos, “The Producers” did not completely fail. However, it was underwhelming compared to expectations, and the only thing audiences remembered when the series ended was the outstanding range of actors, instead of the storyline.
Like the most recent work of the list, “Shooting Stars” boasts the chemistry of co-stars Lee Sung Kyung and Kim Young Dae, and has attracted a fair share of attention since day one. However, the series opened with a meager rating of 1.6%, which constantly dropped in newer episodes. Many viewers believed that the disappointing performance was due to Kim Young Dae’s obvious lack of acting experience, and the unconvincing chemistry between the main couple. In addition, the series is also embroiled in various controversies over plot details.
