2021 spring lineup of K-dramas is prepared to entertain home audiences

A variety of new dramas are coming up this spring season to amuse TV audiences with a wide range of incredibly interesting themes and stories that are not second to those of OTT (Over-the-top) media service’s original content.

What draws attention is a series of Korean-style occult-themed soap operas including new SBS TV series “Joseon Exorcist,” depicting a fight between creepy demons who are ill-intentioned to engulf the Joseon Dynasty and a group of humans who resist to safeguard people. The forthcoming historical-supernatural TV series is already raising many drama fans’ expectations. They expect it to become as successful as Netflix series “Kingdom,” giving it a high score for breaking the mold and pioneering as a brand new kind of TV content. Expectations are high that “Joseon Exorcist,” written by Park Gye-ok who led tvN soap opera “Mr. Queen” to success in 2020, will turn out to make another hit. Producer Shin Kyung-soo of “Six Flying Dragons” and “Nokdu Flower” directs it.

KBS will also launch an exorcism-themed TV drama on April 14. Titled “Real Estate Exorcism,” the upcoming TV drama portrays an exorcist whose job is a real estate agent teaming up with a con man to battle poltergeists in haunted houses and listen to their sad stories to console them.

Another new TV series touches upon disaster mysteries or a theme that is often dealt with by movies and films. Starting from April 24, OCN’s “Dark Hole” describes mutant humans who inhale dark smoke from sink holes and survivors who struggle for a life. Movie-specific TV channel OCN invited film staffs to work on the new TV series with the goal of making it a soap opera just like a movie. “Dark Hole” is the first TV series by production company KIWI Media Group of “The Gangster” and “The Outlaws.” Woo Sang Film, a movie production firm of “Mutant,” joins the crew as well. Drama aficionados will be greatly fascinated by collaboration between director Kim Bong-joo of “The Phone” and screenwriter Jung Yi-do of “Strangers From Hell” and “Save Me.”

Not only genre dramas but also warm-hearted stories on general themes such as friendship, life and family are awaiting TV drama fans this spring. Airing on Monday, tvN TV drama “Navillera” targets a wide range of viewers, young and old, showing a man in his 70s pursing his belated dream of becoming a ballet dancer and a 23-year-old ballerino having a hard time finding meaning in life. The original story of this new TV drama is based on an online cartoon released in 2016, which has since earned a full score of five stars. It is starred by Song Kang and Park In-hwan who are fit to play main characters.


beborn@donga.com