For many, K-pop is one of the latest musical trends taking over the world, but for those who have been following the genre for decades, it's an industry full of unique visual and musical styles with as many ups as there are downs. The life of a K-pop idol is not easy, and Korean television has been capitalizing on this fact through K-drama for as long as the industry has been profitable.
From deep dives into the everyday routine of a successful idol to heartwrenching stories showcasing the dark side of K-pop, there's a K-drama to suit everyone's views on the genre.
10 Idol: The Coup Follows A Girl Group On The Verge Of Disbandment
Idol: The Coup follows the members of the five-member K-pop girl group Cotton Candy, who yearn for a music show win before their seemingly inevitable disbandment. The series premiered on the Korean network JTBC in late 2021 and ran for twelve episodes.
EXID vocalist Hani and Laboum member Solbin play Jenna and Hyunji, Cotton Candy's leader and main dancer, respectively, with WJSN rapper Exy playing the role of EI, the group's main vocalist. Other cast members include Oh My Ghost actor Kwak Siyang as the CEO of Cotton Candy's company and ex-Produce X 101 contestant Kim Minkyu as the leader of the boy group Mars.
9 Flower Band Centers On A High School Rock Band Trying To Reclaim Their Old Glory
In 2012, tvN premiered Flower Band, a coming-of-age drama about the rock band Eye Candy as its members struggle to achieve their dreams after their original leader's untimely death. After returning to their old high school, they face the new it band, Strawberry Fields.
Flower Band starred actor Sung Joon as the band's new leader, Jihyuk, My Strange Hero's Jo Boah as his love interest, and boy group Infinite's L as Eye Candy's guitarist. It ran for sixteen episodes and was part of tvN "Flower Boy" programming, a segment of K-dramas aimed at teens and young adults.
8 The Liar & His Lover Tells The Romance Between A Veteran Musician & A Promising Talent
Based on Kotomi Aoki's popular manga, The Liar & His Lover centers around Hangyul, a former famous bass player who now moonlights as a music producer, and Sorim, a musically gifted high schooler who falls in love with him. To The Beautiful You actor Lee Hyunwoo plays the main character, with Red Velvet vocalist Joy playing his love interest in her acting debut.
The Liar & His Lover premiered on tvN in early 2017, running for the standard sixteen episodes before being added to Netflix, internationally. It won two awards, including the OSEN Newcomer Award for Joy's performance in the series.
7 Part-Time Idol Showcases The Struggles Of A Co-Ed Group
In Part-Time Idol, a respected music producer returns from a sabbatical period with plans to launch a new musical venture. However, when he returns to his agency, he finds out that most of the trainees have left and only five have remained. Set on restarting his career, he decides to put them through the wringer to produce a successful co-ed K-pop group.
The series premiered in 2017 and consists of five thirty-minute episodes. The ensemble cast includes JBJ's Hyunbin, dance crew Purplow's Bibi, and AKMU's vocalist Lee Suhyun.
6 Hit The Top Mixes A Time-Traveling Idol With An Aspiring Singer
Hit The Top follows a popular '90s idol named Hyunjae after he mysteriously time travels to the year 2017. Upon finding himself in the future, he must adjust to his new everyday life as he investigates how he managed to time travel. He also meets Jihoon, an aspiring idol with a hidden connection to Hyunjae.
Starting in mid-2017, the drama aired on KBS2 and ran for thirty-two episodes. My Absolute Boyfriend actor Yoon Shiyoon and played Hyunjae, with Do You Like Brahms' Kim Minjae featuring as Jihoon.
5 So I Married An Anti-Fan Follows The Romance Between A Superstar & His Number 1 Hater
Based on the 2010 novel of the same name, So I Married An Anti-Fan stars Choi Taejoon — best known for his supporting role in Missing 9 — as Hoojoon, an idol who ends up living with his most notorious anti-fan for a reality show. As the drama goes on, they get to know each other, try to solve their differences, and fall in love.
Girls' Generation's Sooyoung plays Lee Geunyoung, a magazine reporter with a vendetta against Hoojoon, and 2PM member Chansung features as the chaebol CEO of Supigen Entertainment. So I Married An Anti-Fan debuted online on Naver TV and consisted of sixteen episodes.
4 Top Management Blends Fantasy With The Real-Life Turmoil Of The K-Pop Industry
In 2018, Youtube premiered Top Management, a web series based on the eponymous online novel about an ex-idol trainee who uses her precognition powers to manage S.O.U.L. — a new boy group with plenty of talent and aspirations. After the members get involved in a scandal, she must help them confront the harsh industry they're in.
Seo Eunsoo and Ahn Hyoseop, both known for their roles in Dr. Romantic, star as manager Eunsung and group member Sooyong, respectively. Astro member Eunwoo also has a main role as another S.O.U.L. member named Yeonwoo. Top Management ran for sixteen episodes, three of which are free to watch on the 1thek channel.
3 Imitation Follows The Lives, Scandals & Romances Of Various Succesful Idols
Imitation centers around the idols of three different groups (Tea Party, Shax, and Sparkling) as they navigate the pressures and limits of the K-pop industry when it comes to fame and relationships. Based on a popular webtoon, it stars Parasite actress Jung Jiso as Maha, U-KISS member Jun as Ryok, T-ara's Jiyeon as the soloist Rima, and ATEEZ vocalist Yunho as Yujin.
The twelve-episode drama began airing on KBS in mid-2021 to moderate success. In order to promote the series, the in-story K-pop groups recorded a number of songs and then performed them on the channel's music show, Music Bank, where they appeared in character.
2 Dream High Focuses On A Group Of Students At A Performing Arts School
One of the most popular teen K-dramas of its time, Dream High follows a group of six students who attend a performing arts school with hopes of one day becoming famous musicians. A joint venture with JYP Entertainment, the show starred many of the company's high-profile idols like Miss A's Suzy and 2PM's Taecyeon and Wooyoung.
Hallyu stars Kim Soohyun and IU also joined the cast, marking the latter's acting debut in a television series. Dream High ran for sixteen episodes and a special and was adapted into a stage musical in Japan. Its popularity also led to a sequel, Dream High 2, though it included none of the original cast members.
1 You're Beautiful Centers On A Rock Band's Relationships & Its Mysterious New Member
You're Beautiful focuses on the relationships between the members of A.N.JELL, a pop-rock band that has just welcomed a new member named Go Minam. Unbeknownst to them, the Minam they know is actually a woman named Minyeo who has taken her twin brother's place while he undergoes plastic surgery in the United States.
The show starred popular actors Jang Geunsuk and Park Shinhye, CNBlue's Jung Yonghwa, and F.T. Island's Hongki as A.N.JELL's members. Despite average viewership during its original broadcast, You're Beautiful gained a substantial cult following through online streaming, becoming one of the representative dramas of the Korean Wave.