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4 Netflix original K-dramas to watch in 2021, from Hellbound directed by Train to Busan’s Yeon Sang-ho, to zombie horror spin-off Kingdom: Ashin of the North starring Jun Ji-hyun
STORYThe Korea Times
- Netflix will invest US$500 million in Korean dramas and movies this year amid competition from other streaming providers like Disney Plus
- Following the success of Song Joong-k’s sci-fi blockbuster Space Sweepers, The Silent Sea, starring Bae Doona, is just one of 13 new titles to look forward to
Streaming giant Netflix is showing increasing confidence about its prospects in the Korean entertainment market, despite fierce competition from several global media platforms, including Disney Plus, gearing up to enter the fray.
“The creation of diverse content means a wider selection for consumers to choose from. This is encouraging news for us since it will serve as an opportunity to grow together,” Kim Min-young, vice-president of content for Netflix in Korea, Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand, said in an online press conference. “Right now, it’s time to grow our own piece of pie instead of fighting over a little piece.”
“The creation of diverse content means a wider selection for consumers to choose from. This is encouraging news for us since it will serve as an opportunity to grow together,” Kim Min-young, vice-president of content for Netflix in Korea, Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand, said in an online press conference. “Right now, it’s time to grow our own piece of pie instead of fighting over a little piece.”
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Citing the success of its Korean original series – such as the plot hole-ridden period zombie horror Kingdom and Lee Do-hyun-starring monster thriller Sweet Home – Kim said she was convinced of the rising reputation of South Korean content as a potent cultural force.
“The local production industry’s ecosystem is very solid. There are many talented writers, directors and actors, who contribute to the birth of diverse, high-quality stories,” she stated, at the February 25 press briefing.
This year, Netflix announced it will invest US$500 million into the development of Korean original content. Such a decision comes in addition to providing filming studio spaces in Paju and Yeoncheon, Gyeonggi Province, and working to improve the accessibility of its content through captions, subtitles and dubbing.
“The local production industry’s ecosystem is very solid. There are many talented writers, directors and actors, who contribute to the birth of diverse, high-quality stories,” she stated, at the February 25 press briefing.
This year, Netflix announced it will invest US$500 million into the development of Korean original content. Such a decision comes in addition to providing filming studio spaces in Paju and Yeoncheon, Gyeonggi Province, and working to improve the accessibility of its content through captions, subtitles and dubbing.
She explained that these efforts are part of the company’s “step to create Korean content that the entire world can enjoy and accompany the growth of the domestic production industry”, highlighting its coexistence with the local market and personnel.
The streaming giant’s ambition to lead the future of global “K-content” is evident in the raft of original series and films that will be unveiled in 2021. The line-up of 13 works includes Kingdom: Ashin of the North, Hellbound, Squid Game and The Silent Sea, all taking place in settings of overwhelming scale and radically imagined narratives.
