With more than 2 billion hours watched, Squid Game is the most popular non-English show on Netflix ever. It is not the only Korean drama to have captured the attention of a global audience.

Parasyte: The Grey, a limited series adapted from the Korean manga Kiseijuu by Iwaaki Hitoshi ranks in the top 10 in 84 countries, hitting #1 in the United States. Similarly, Queen of Tears racked up 4.4 million views in its first six weeks on the charts.

The United States and the world at large seem still quite smitten with K-dramas. How did these shows go from something only native Koreans could access and enjoy to something it seems everyone is obsessed with?

US K-Drama Trajectory

While Netflix’s participation in and prioritization of the genre largely contributed to the current K-drama boom, similar shows entered the U.S. market long before the platform’s involvement.

Before the advent of the internet and streaming platforms, Korean Americans were the primary consumers of K-dramas and similar media. They accessed shows through niche cable channels, broadcast stations, and Koreatown video rental services. Only in the 2000s did the rest of America begin catching up to the craze. 

In 2003, California’s YA Entertainment became the country’s first official importer and distributor of such dramas. Not long after, major retail stores started stocking K-drama DVDs, though Korean Americans were not the sole consumers. A 2008 YA Entertainment study found that only 5% of K-drama consumers were Korean. 

Amid the genre’s blossoming popularity, pirating websites like mysoju.com and DramaCrazy.net offered fans unbridled access to Korean content. This accessibility kick-started a global online community wherein fans discussed shows and shared content. Even bilingual fans worked to add subtitles to torrents.

It was with the 2009 advent of DramaFever that fans stateside were able to stream K-drama content legally. Started by Korean Americans Suk Park and Seung Bak, DramaFever was once the only legitimate online source of Korean dramas, catering to millions of watchers nationwide.

The site worked to connect consumers and create a community. Their audience was an established mish-mash of YA Entertainment DVD buyers, Korean students and adults living abroad. And the platform fought against online forums and groups that relied on illegal streaming sites and torrents, previously the only sources for such material. The genre’s popularity remained steady, with nearly 18 million Americans watching K-dramas in 2014.

In 2016, Warner Bros. acquired DramaFever. Around the same time, Netflix entered the scene, launching in Korea in 2016. Though the brand didn’t release original K-drama programming until the release of 2019’s Love Alarm, the service’s popularity was no match for DramaFever. The groundbreaking brand became defunct in 2018.

Netflix’s interest in the sector is understandable, as the market was largely untapped. In 2023, Netflix announced it would invest $2.5 billion in Korean film, drama, and reality show production in the next four years. Netflix’s continued interest and investment have helped the Korean media market thrive. In the long run, though, this may make it challenging for domestic studios to pull off big projects independently, especially since Netflix’s involvement continues to contribute to rising production costs.

The Female Gaze

The genre boasted a dedicated fan base long before Netflix’s involvement. Though the streaming service brought more Korean media to the world stage, fans had proven they would go to any lengths to acquire content, even depending on torrents and illegal streaming sites. What is it that makes Korean dramas so irresistible?

Though multiple factors drive the genre’s popularity, the industry knows — and panders to — its target audience. In 2018, the Korean Broadcast Writers’ Union reported that 94.6% of screenwriters in the country were women. These numbers led to the creation of a media designed for the female gaze.

K-dramas, especially romantic comedies, are often written by women for women. The dramas focus on vulnerability, most frequently that of the male protagonists. The programming often ascribes to tropes popular with female audiences, noting the overwhelming popularity of slow-burn love stories.

The male leads are emotionally vulnerable, and the romances focus on courting and flirtation. The men are respectful, even when turned down, and it may take several episodes to get to a single kiss. Creative contributors portrayed the pursuit of women the way women prefer to be pursued, leaving audiences smitten.

Variety of Themes and Genres

Despite the common soap-like themes, not all K-dramas are romance -forward. Some portray socio-economic inequalities, like Squid Game. Others explore worlds flush with zombies or supernatural beings. All of Us Are Dead, currently ranked No. 8 on Netflix’s list of most popular non-English TV shows, follows students stuck in a school during a zombie invasion.

Great scripts and compelling storytelling largely contribute to Korean programming’s popularity. Unable to predict the “next big thing,” the genre continually attempts to find the next Extraordinary Attorney Woo or Goblin/ Guardian: The Lonely and Great God. The genre’s perpetual pursuit of programming that sticks leads to continual experimentation.

Relatable, human-centric, thoughtful stories are the core of Korean programming, regardless of theme. Whether the lead is a heartthrob, a nine-tailed fox, or a mermaid, their heartbreakingly human emotions brought to life by expressive and experimental writing let the audience connect, cry, and cheer alongside the characters.

This article was produced by Media Decision and syndicated by Wealth of Geeks.