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Korean Drama or K-Drama has been growing in popularity over the last few years. As usual, regional television shows generally hit their peak within the country that it’s produced in. For instance, back in the 1960s and 1970s, K-Drama was consumed almost exclusively in Korea.

Eventually, Korean-based projects made their way across the world following the end of the military rule in South Korea. Obviously, there would have been much more to watch during that time than just Death Row Prisoner (1956).

A still from Squid Game (2021) | Credits: Netflix

Over the last three decades, shows like Jewel in the Palace, Winter Sonata, and Squid Game brought great recognition to the country’s entertainment industry.

So, in honor of the progress Korean entertainment has made, here are the top 5 K-Drama shows you should watch!

1. Queen of Tears (2024)

To begin with, Queen of Tears is the most-watched Korean Drama show on Netflix,...

The 17th Asian Film Awards announces the winner of this year's Excellence in Asian Cinema Award which aims to highlight distinguished talents and affirm their achievements and contributions to the Asian film industry and culture. This year, they have two winners from different regions who have achieved remarkable success in their acting careers. They consistently push the boundaries of their performances, showcasing their unique talents and making significant contributions to their respective fields. One of the two awardees this year is Korean actress Lee Young-ae (이영애), the screen icon widely known as the “Oxygen Lady” with an illustrious career spanning over three decades. Lee Young-ae expressed deep honour upon receiving the Excellence in Asian Cinema Award: “I am pleasantly surprised to receive this distinguished award. It is beyond words for me to express my gratitude. But I am certainly delighted to come to Hong Kong and take part in this...

Korean actress Lee Young-ae, known for her roles in Park Chan-wook’s Joint Security Area and Lady Vengeance, will be presented with the Excellence in Asian Cinema Award at this year’s Asian Film Awards (March 10) in Hong Kong.

With a career spanning three decades, Lee’s credits also include 2003 drama series Jewel In The Palace, which was broadcast in over 90 countries and introduced Korean history to a global audience.

One of two recipients of the Excellence in Asian Cinema Award, Lee is confirmed to attend the ceremony at Hong Kong’s Xiqu Centre in person. “I’m delighted to come to Hong Kong and take part in this prestigious event for the Asian film industry,” said Lee. “I look forward to more collaborations and engagements with Asian filmmakers across the region to raise international awareness of Korean cinema and culture.”

Park Kwang Su, chairperson of Busan film festival which...

Is it time for South Korea’s TV drama series to move over and make way for Korean unscripted entertainment — namely game shows and reality shows?

While 2003 drama series “Jewel in the Palace,” or the more recent “Crash Landing on You,” “Memories of the Alhambra,” “Mr. Queen,” “Love (ft. Marriage and Divorce)” and “Descendants of the Sun” have for years successfully tugged at emotional heartstrings across Asia, the unscripted category has equally long been a staple of Korean domestic TV.

Korean variety shows have been a catch-all with multi-generational appeal. Talent contests have worked well in the home market, but often were too quirky — too much dialogue, or distracting titles flashing across the screen — which meant that they were best exported as formats rather than finished shows.

Examples of those include Mbc’s 2015 hit “King of Mask Singer,” which became “The Masked Singer” for Fox in the U.S. (and...

HONG KONG -- The usually bustling streets of Hong Kong were quieter than normal earlier this month even though the next day was a public holiday. That was because nearly half of Hong Kong's population was indoors watching the finale of a Korean television drama that has been garnering an army of fans throughout Asia -- The Jewel in the Palace. Media watchers in Asia were not surprised by the ratings phenomenon because The Jewel in the Palace is heading a wave of Korean television programming that is capturing major audiences throughout Asia as the Korean TV industry boosts its international distribution efforts. "As a distributor of Korea dramas, we are more than overwhelmed about the current popularity of Korean dramas all over Asia. Especially with the opening up of Japan's market since 2003, our annual sales budget is rocketing up higher than ever," said Jean Hur, sr. marketing manager of the international business division at MBC, the channel that produced The Jewel in the Palace. The drama is based on a true story about a legendary girl (Jang Geum) who was raised to be a cook in the palace and later became the first woman to be the supreme royal physician.

HONG KONG -- The usually bustling streets of Hong Kong were quieter than normal earlier this month even though the next day was a public holiday. That was because more than three-quarters of Hong Kong's population was indoors watching the finale of a Korean television drama that has been garnering an army of fans throughout Asia -- The Jewel in the Palace. Media watchers in Asia were not surprised by the ratings phenomenon because The Jewel in the Palace is heading a wave of Korean television programming that is capturing major audiences throughout Asia as the Korean TV industry boosts its international distribution efforts. "As a distributor of Korea dramas, we are more than overwhelmed about the current popularity of Korean dramas all over Asia. Especially with the opening up of Japan's market since 2003, our annual sales budget is rocketing up higher than ever," said Jean Hur, sr. marketing manager of the international business division at MBC, the channel that produced The Jewel in the Palace. The drama is based on a true story about a legendary girl (Jang Geum) who was raised to be a cook in the palace and later became the first woman to be the supreme royal physician.