With the explosive introduction of Korean media through the success of films such as Parasite and dramas such as Nevertheless and Crash Landing on You, Americans have cultivated an interest in various forms of Korean entertainment. The American media industry has many plans to expose South Korean artistry into the U.S. within the next year.
On top of making existing Korean dramas and films available on major streaming platforms, new content is in the works. Apple TV+ is currently working on releasing a series adapted from Min Jin Lee’s literature best-seller “Pachinko” and Netflix has invested at least 500 million USD dedicated to producing and launching new Korean content that would efficiently reach an international audience. It has also been speculated that a drama based on the fictional universe of K-pop group BTS called Youth would be released sometime this year on Netflix, much to the excitement of fans from across the world.
Not only is Korean-specific content entering the U.S. but big league South Korean actors have also started to take on projects based in North America as well. News of powerhouse actor Park Seojoon, who starred in hit Korean dramas Itaewon Class and What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim?, was confirmed to take part in an upcoming Marvel movie called The Marvels alongside American actress Brie Larson. His agency, Awesome ENT, released a statement saying that Park has departed for Los Angeles to begin filming. Fans from South Korea and abroad are ecstatic about the idea of seeing their favorite actor on the big screen for an immensely popular series.
A representative of Netflix recently revealed that viewership of Korean dramas and films increased four times over in 2020 compared to 2019. This could be due to the pandemic restricting many from partaking in a variety of activities and allowing them to consume more content online. The KOCCA previously stated in data from 2014 that approximately 18 million Americans watch Korean dramas, and it is likely that the number has since increased over the years.
Despite the ongoing praise of upcoming projects, there have also been mixed reactions about some of the expected releases. With the recent announcement of the Hollywood remake of South Korea’s hit film Train to Busan, fans of the original movie expressed their frustrations about the erasure of Korean filmmaking, more so because the new adaptation would most likely not include Korean cast members. Many also insisted that a remake was unnecessary since the original alone had already been well-received by fans abroad.
Regardless of the backlash, fans of Korean content can fortunately enjoy the other projects that are set to launch within the next year. South Korea can also expect international viewers to become more familiar with the origin country’s talents.
Julie Kim
Asia Journal
