The current popularity of various K-dramas began with early dramas and has penetrated the hearts of viewers at home and abroad.One of the first K-dramas to become popular in Asia, he was on KBS2. “Winter Sonata” Hallyu has made its debut in several Asian countries thanks to “Winter Sonata” gaining a devoted fan base and subsequent sales of products, especially DVD sets and novels.
Alongside the development of social networking services and online video-sharing platforms, the growth of South Korea’s entertainment industry has achieved many feats since the 2000s, including a huge global audience. Hallyu, or Hallyu, is fueled by the availability of dramas on various streaming services, many of which have subtitle options in multiple languages. Many K-dramas have been translated into other languages and broadcast on major public television channels in each country, making them more famous overseas. Korean dramas have begun to take over the prime-time TV slots previously reserved for Hollywood blockbusters.
Introducing 7 dramas that were released 20 years ago in 2003 and made the K-Drama Wave gain momentum around the world.
“stairway to Heaven”
A 2003 South Korean television series called Stairway to Heaven, starring Choi Ji-woo, Kwon Sang-woo, Kim Tae-hee and Shin Hyun-jun, ran from December 3, 2003 to February 5, 2004 on SBS. It was broadcast on . The average audience rating was 38.8%, and the ending was a great success with 45.3%. The drama is centered on Song Joo and Jeon Soo, who lost their parents and spent their youth like real brothers. Jeong Soo relies heavily on Sung Joo, who has always been there for her through her loneliness and hardships, but envys Jeong Soo’s father for marrying Tae Mira. , Mila and her daughter Yuri continued to abuse Jeong So. Yuri’s violent older brother, Tae Hwa, seems to be in love with Jung So, who is innocent and kind-hearted unlike Jung So.
The broadcast rights in Japan were sold to Japan for 1.2 billion won, breaking records as they received high ratings across various channels. Broadcast rights to the drama were also sold to several countries in Asia such as Vietnam, Philippines, Thailand and Indonesia, as well as Latin America such as Mexico, Peru and Costa Rica. Due to its popularity, “Stairway to Heaven” has also seen various remakes in the Philippines, Indonesia, Russia, and Cambodia.
“Palace Jewel”
“Jewel in the Palace” or “Dae Jang Geum” is a 2003 South Korean historical drama television series that aired on MBC from September 15, 2003 to March 23, 2004 with average viewership It was hailed as the top show ever. It recorded the highest audience rating of 45.8% and the highest audience rating of 57.1%, and recorded the 10th highest audience rating in the history of Korean dramas. Since then, it has been distributed to 91 countries, grossed $103.4 million, and accelerated the spread of Korean culture abroad, making him one of the leading proponents of Hallyu. The immense popularity of dramas has had a major impact on culture, such as tourism and the promotion of Korean cuisine.
It tells the story of Seo Jang Geum (Lee Young Ae), an orphaned and underprivileged kitchen servant who later became the first female doctor to serve the King. A cooking apprentice at a time when women’s social power was limited, Yang Jang-geum aims to master Korean cuisine and medicine to treat the king’s various ailments. She is inspired by the real-life experience of Jang Geum, the first royal female doctor of the Joseon Dynasty. Her tenacity and portrayal of traditional Korean culture, such as Korean royal cuisine and traditional medicine, are central topics.
“All in”
“All In” is a 2003 South Korean television drama series that aired on SBS from January 15 to April 3, 2003. The story follows a man’s journey through his gambling industry, an incredibly competitive casino where he battles his opponents for wealth, power, and romance. Based largely on the story of his professional poker player, Jimmy Cha. The drama had high ratings in South Korea, with the highest ratings for the final episode of which he was 47.7%, ranking him 42nd among all episodes of Korean dramas. It has also won several awards, including the TV Grand Prize at the 39th Baeksang Arts Awards. The drama starred Song Hye Kyo, Lee Byung Hun, and Ji Sung.
It’s the story of Kim In-ha, who when she was a child all she did was accompany her uncle and help him with his gambling ploys. While in high school, playing with his friends in the basement of a theater, he met Choi Jung-won, a model student and the son of a wealthy family. Despite trying to persuade, they both fall in love with Min Su Yeon, the daughter of a theater projectionist. A tragic event puts them all in different situations, but they meet several years later and try to turn their lives around.
“Great Ambition”
‘Ambition’ or ‘Ambition’ was a weekend television series that aired on SBS from 2002 to 2003 and starred Jang Hyuk, Son Ye Jin, Lee Yo Won and Han Jae Suk. The drama series revolves around Park Jae-young, who was abandoned on his father’s doorstep as a baby and grows up to be a kind but innocent man as opposed to his cunning and brutal brother Park Si-young and his father Park Hee-chan. A person who engages in dirty business tactics. The aristocratic elite Yoon Yeo-jin, whom he has known since childhood, was his innocent first love. Park Jae-young, who disobeys his brother’s ways and runs the family business, runs out of the house after learning of his family’s violent behavior. He then runs into Choi Dong-hee and her trader father, and again runs into her mother, who is now her dominant civil servant.
“Damo”
“Damo”, also known as “The Legendary Policewoman,” is a 2003 Korean fusion historical drama starring Ha Ji-won, Lee Seo-jin, and Kim Min-joon. Set in the Joseon Dynasty, it depicts the story of Choi. Ok, Damo assigned to the low rank of female police detective investigating crimes committed in relation to upper class women. From July 28, 2003 to September 9, she will be aired on MBC for a total of 14 episodes every Monday and Tuesday.
The plot revolves around Choi Ok, an aristocratic child who was falsely accused of conspiracy and later committed suicide. When she was seven years old, her officials captured her and brought her to Hwang Bo Yun’s family as a slave, separating her from her brother.She grew up with him in the highlands. , she learned swordsmanship and martial arts. She has been secretly in love with Yoon for years, but knows that due to his superior social status, they cannot be a couple. In order to stay close to him and continue working with him, she enters his department as Damo. In her courage and conviction, she ends up falling in love with Sung-baek when she tries to arrest him.
“Sandu, let’s go to school”
Let’s Go to School! is a 2003 South Korean television series starring Rain, Gong Hyo-jin, Lee Dong-gun, Hong Soo-hyun, and Song Min-ju, from September 15 to November 4, 2003 on KBS2. was aired on I also secretly liked Doo and Choi Eun Hwan. Sang Doo accidentally throws a man off a bridge and puts him in a coma while trying to protect her Eun Hwan and her family from debt collectors who want to confiscate his property. After being imprisoned for assault, Sandu is released and finds out that Eun-hwan has fled with his family and his parents abandoned him and emigrated to America.
Some time later, Sandu has a child, a daughter named Cha Bo-ri, born from a one-night encounter with Han Se-ra. He had to look for work and become a gigolo because her daughter was sick with leukemia. He later reunites with Eun-hwan, who is now a math teacher at the local high school. He returns to high school, first as a security guard, then as a classroom student, all trying to win her love. However, his child’s doctor, Kang Min-seok, is engaged to Eun-hwan. Min Seok and Sang Doo start off as rivals fighting for Eun Hwan’s affection and eventually become close friends.It seems that Sang Doo and Eun Hwan’s relationship is progressing well, but many factors interfering with her relationship.
“bodyguard”
The Bodyguard is a 2003 South Korean television series starring Cha Seung-won, Im Eun-kyung, and Han Go-eun. It was broadcast 22 times on Saturdays and Sundays on KBS2 from July 5, 2003 to September 14, 2003. The drama won various awards, including his 2003 Grimme Award for Best Actor for Cha Seung-won and other awards for his 2003 KBS Drama Awards.
From the title, it revolves around the story of bodyguard Kyung-tak and the story of how he became a bodyguard. As a result, he was forced to be discharged. Fatefully, he rescues a client of Yu-jin, a bodyguard, while looking for a new job, leading to Kyung-rak being hired by the security company headed by Seong-soo, where she works. Kyung-tak’s life is about to change even more as he moves to the area and develops a friendship with Kyung-mi.
Introducing the drama that will turn 20 this year! Have you seen some of them already? Is your first K-drama his one of the dramas listed?
