Korean Dramas Have Taken Over Netflix And The Hearts of Malaysians

One of Netflix’s most popular Korean shows, Squid Game has been renewed with a second season.

Source: AllKPop

The immense success of Netflix’s Squid Game released in 2021, was not the beginning of the rise of Korean dramas. The Hallyu Wave has always been popular since the mid 90s and early 2000s in Asian countries, such as China and Japan. The Hallyu Wave established its own solid foundation through the presence of popular culture with their TV dramas and music by pushing its boundaries of influence.

Currently, online streaming platforms such as Netflix and Viu, have been releasing more Korean dramas which gets their avid-watchers seated and tuning in.Asia Society reports that Netflix’s first original Korean content would be Mr Sunshine, a Korean drama that was released in 2018. Due to the release of Mr Sunshine, Netflix eventually became one of the top online service platforms in Korea and gained 4.1 million paid subscribers by 2020. The sudden increase in Korean viewers has led Netflix to come up with their own strategy to create as much Korean content as possible.

Netflix, a popular online streaming platform for international shows.

Source: Netflix

ViU, another online streaming platform that mainly shows asian genres.

Source: Viu

Netflix’s first Korean content and drama, Mr Sunshine that was released in 2018.

Source: imdb

Nur Liyani Binti Kamaruzaman, 22, an avid Korean drama watcher, says, “It’s a good idea that Netflix is taking more projects related to Korean dramas because it shows that they are up to date with what their targeted customers want and releasing content that is currently in trend.”

Korean dramas are generally known for their outstanding production value, engrossing storylines and quality acting that helps in creating an emotional bond with the audience. According to Elle, their content is generally more PG-friendly compared to western shows and this helps to widen their audience range of age group and countries, especially some who are socially conservative. Hometown Chachacha, one of the most popular Korean dramas in 2021 achieved high ratings due to their creative narrative in portraying the elements of family-bonding and also build around complex stories of different characters that are set in a small town.

Korean dramas that can be picked and viewed on Netflix’s search by subscribers.

Source: Netflix

“In our entertainment industry, Malay dramas only focus on one genre and that would be romance which we usually see on TV3 or Astro Ria but Korean dramas have a variety of genres that Malaysians love such as, thriller, fantasy and even horror. Their plots differ from the typical Malay dramas that we’ve seen and they usually put a lot of effort in their production quality,” said Liyani.

Hollywood Branded points out that many Korean companies use product placements in K-dramas as a strategic way to attract international attention since many of their shows are now available on Netflix. Besides, Korean dramas advertise their cultural food and tourist spots in their country which intrigues their audience.

Park Min Young (actress) can be seen drinking a vitamin water which is part of product placement in her drama, Her Private Life.

Source: Quora

The main leads in Descendants of The Sun can be seen having a meal at Subway, which is another example of product placement.

Source: AllKPop

Liyani also said, “They usually know how to appropriately insert their product placement by making it look relevant in the scene without explaining. It’s all about how strategic the production crew makes use of the product placement without making it look exaggerated or obvious as part of promotion.”

With Netflix adding more K-dramas, the platform also took advantage of their ‘binge-watching’ release strategy. Screen Rant reports that Netflix is currently using the model as it helps with user engagement, especially for newer shows, and their competitors have not adopted the binge model which makes it easier for them.

“Binge-marathon has always made it easier for Netflix’s subscribers to watch their K-dramas without waiting for the upcoming episode. It also gives people the chance to catch up with their favorite shows and repeat them if they missed out on it,” she said.

The Hallyu Wave and K-drama culture left an impact on the entertainment industry in Malaysia. With upcoming adaptations taken from old Korean dramas due to their success, many releases such as, ‘She Was Pretty’, have been retold with a Malaysian cast.