Cover Seo Yea-ji filming the 2020 K-drama, 'It's Okay to Not Be Okay', which deep dives into trauma, personality disorders, and the long journey of healing (Photo: tvN)
Seo Yea-ji filming the 2020 K-drama, 'It's Okay to Not Be Okay', which deep dives into trauma, personality disorders, and the long journey of healing (Photo: tvN)
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The K-drama evolution suggests a future where television not only entertains but also serves as a catalyst for social progress
Korean productions have taken bold strides to be more experimental and are diving deeper into modern themes. Remember when K-dramas were all about a rich, arrogant heir falling in love with a poor, innocent girl and transforming through love? What about the formulaic storyline centred on two people entering a fake relationship for various reasons, only to develop real feelings? Let’s not forget the all-time K-drama classic: evil mothers-in-law and chaebol families strongly opposing relationships.
Read more: The impact of K-dramas that gained international acclaim
As charming and entertaining as some of these traditional tropes were, they’re quite limiting and thus, needed reinvention. K-dramas have since dramatically evolved by leaps and bounds beyond love triangles, breaking away from conventional narratives, and tackling themes and content that address real-world issues to connect with diverse audiences without sacrificing their identity.
Today, K-dramas have become powerful vehicles for social change, weaving real-life concerns into storylines that are told through a Korean lens and sparking conversations. The current landscape also tells a larger story about the significant cultural shift in the Korean entertainment industry and the broader transformation of the conservative Korean society.
Above Ahn Hyo-seop and Kim Se-jeong behind the scenes while filming ‘Business Proposal’, the 2022 K-drama that deliberately plays with and pokes fun at contract relationship tropes (Photo: SBS)
Above Lim Ji-yeon discusses a shot with Lee Do-hyun while filming ‘The Glory’, the 2022 - 2023 K-drama that explores systemic school violence and long-term trauma effects (Photo: Netflix)
Ahn Hyo-seop and Kim Se-jeong behind the scenes while filming ‘Business Proposal’, the 2022 K-drama that deliberately plays with and pokes fun at contract relationship tropes (Photo: SBS)
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Breaking the stigma
One of the most significant developments has been the sensitive portrayal of mental health issues. It’s Okay to Not Be Okay (2020) set a trend when it centred its story around a children’s book author with antisocial personality disorder (Ko Moon-young, played by Seo Yea-ji) and a psychiatric ward caregiver (Moon Gang-tae, played by Kim Soo-hyun). The K-drama didn't just use mental health as a plot device–it thoroughly explored trauma, healing, and the importance of seeking professional help, all while wrapped in a visually stunning fairytale-like aesthetic.
Giving power back to women and people on the autism spectrum, the sensational, record-breaking Extraordinary Attorney Woo (2022) follows the story of a savant but brilliant attorney with a very high IQ (Woo Young-woo, played by Park Eun-bin) breaking professional barriers and deals with South Korea’s social issues in a light manner.
See also: How to talk to someone struggling with their mental health
The 2021 tearjerker Move to Heaven took an even more unique approach, following a young man with Asperger’s syndrome (Han Geu-ru, played by Tang Jun-sang) who works as a trauma cleaner, helping to sort through the belongings of the deceased. The K-drama demonstrated how neurodivergent characters can be portrayed with depth and authenticity, moving far beyond stereotypical representations. While not directly about mental illness, it explores grief, trauma, and the importance of empathy and understanding.
Reimagining historical dramas
Historical K-dramas (sageuks) have been a staple of Korean television, with storylines that typically focus on historical figures and events, political intrigue in royal courts, and Confucian values and social hierarchy. Fine examples of the best albeit traditional sageuks that will take audiences back to the Joseon period are Dae Jang Geum (2003), Yi San (2007), and The Great Queen Seondeok (2009).
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But recent years have seen the emergence of “fusion sageuks” that blend historical settings with fantasy elements. Alchemy of Souls (2022) exemplifies this trend, combining Joseon-era politics with complex magical systems and soul-switching plotlines; The Tale of the Nine Tailed (2020) also joins the club, combining a modern setting with historical supernatural elements and time-travelling narrative elements; and one can’t forget Kingdom (2019), the thrilling K-drama which merges Joseon-era political intrigue with a zombie apocalypse.
These fresh approaches to preserving cultural heritage through modern storytelling have attracted younger audiences who might have previously found traditional historical K-dramas too rigid or slow-paced, building bridges between traditional and contemporary culture, and expanding the global appeal of Korean historical content.
Above Kim Soo-hyun and Seo Yea-ji behind the scenes of ‘It's Okay to Not Be Okay’, the 2020 K-drama which deep dives into trauma, personality disorders, and the long journey of healing (Photo: tvN)
Above Lee Jae-wook filming 2022’s ‘Alchemy of Souls’, one of the few "fusion sageuks" that blend historical settings with fantasy elements (Photo: tvN)
Kim Soo-hyun and Seo Yea-ji behind the scenes of ‘It's Okay to Not Be Okay’, the 2020 K-drama which deep dives into trauma, personality disorders, and the long journey of healing (Photo: tvN)
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Superhero stories with a Korean twist
While Hollywood dominates the superhero genre, K-dramas have created their own unique take. Strong Girl Bong-soon (2017) subverted gender expectations with its tale of a physically powerful woman hiding her supernatural strength (Do Bong-soon, played by Park Bo-young) while working as a gaming company CEO’s (Ahn Min-hyuk, played by Park Hyung-sik) bodyguard.
Its 2023 spin-off, Strong Girl Nam-soon, featured another super-strong woman (Gang Nam-soon, played by Lee Yoo-mi) who’s the second cousin of Do Bong-soon, fighting crime, with a focus on drug crime investigation.
Read more: Exclusive: ‘Eternals’ star Ma Dong-seok on suiting up for the Marvel epic
More recently, Moving (2023) explored how people with superpowers might exist in contemporary Korean society, focusing on the emotional and social implications and moral questions about power responsibility rather than just putting emphasis on and showcasing the action sequences.
Beauty standards and social pressure
K-dramas are increasingly willing to critique societal pressures, public judgment, and beauty standards.
Though My ID is Gangnam Beauty (2018) is a typical college romance, it tackles the prevalence of plastic surgery and societal beauty standards head-on, following a college student (Kang Mi-rae, played by Im Soo-hyang) who undergoes cosmetic surgery but continues to struggle with self-image and social acceptance. Instead of offering simple solutions, the show delved deep into the psychological impact of appearance-based discrimination and the complexity of self-acceptance.
See also: On choosing a positive mindset, self-acceptance, and loving your own company
Meanwhile, 2023’s black comedy crime thriller Mask Girl not only exposes the dark side of beauty obsession and the pressure on women to conform to unrealistic standards but also reflects the wider issue of gender inequality and societal expectations in South Korea.
These have opened discussions on the effects of social pressure and moved the needle towards an industry evolution to include more diversity, realistic beauty portrayals, age-positive storylines, mental health integration, and even an exploration of male beauty standards.
Above Park Hyun-sik and Park Bo-young filming ‘Strong Girl Bong-soon’, the 2017 K-drama that subverted gender expectations with its tale of a woman hiding her supernatural strength (Photo: YouTube/JTBC Drama)
Above Im Soo-hyang, Cha Eun-woo, and Kwak Dong-yeon filming the 2018 K-drama ‘My ID is Gangnam Beauty’, which explores the prevalence of plastic surgery in South Korea, childhood trauma from appearance-based bullying, and self-worth (Photo: YouTube/JTBC Drama)
Park Hyun-sik and Park Bo-young filming ‘Strong Girl Bong-soon’, the 2017 K-drama that subverted gender expectations with its tale of a woman hiding her supernatural strength (Photo: YouTube/JTBC Drama)
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LGBTQ+ representation: Small steps forward
Mainstream Korean television has been historically conservative when it comes to LGBTQ+ content but recent years have seen gradual but significant progress. To My Star (2021) and its sequel, To My Star 2: Our Untold Stories (2022) paved the way for mainstream BL (Boys’ Love) K-dramas to treat their gay protagonists’ relationships with depth and sincerity.
Don’t miss: How Asia’s LGBTQ+ advocates champion inclusion in the face of challenges
While shows like Mine (2021) largely focused on wealthy women fighting patriarchal systems from within while trying to find their true identities, it has also included LGBTQ+ characters in ensemble casts. The K-drama earned praise for breaking the taboo and introducing one of its main characters, Jung Seo-hyun (played by Kim Seo-hyun) as a closeted lesbian, and treating her story with respect rather than using it as comic relief.
Work-life balance and modern pressures
Modern K-dramas aren’t shying away from tackling the realities of contemporary work life. Misaeng (2014) set the stage for this trend by highlighting job market competitiveness, contract worker rights, workplace discrimination, traditional versus modern business practices, and how to do one’s best at work while trying not to lose one's humanity along the way.
Recent shows like Start-Up (2020) and Because This Is My First Life (2017) have also explored the struggles of young professionals in South Korea’s competitive job market, dealing with themes like workplace harassment, burnout, and the challenge of maintaining personal relationships while pursuing career goals.
Start-Up is also a modern subversion of the recurring, traditional “boss-employee romance with clear power dynamics” storyline, focusing instead on the tech startup culture and entrepreneurship, mentorship, and professional growth over office romance.
Above Son Woo-hyun and Kim Kang-min filming the last episode of 2022’s ‘To My Star 2: Our Untold Stories’, the K-drama that bravely broached the theme of BL and brought it to the attention of mainstream audiences (Photo: Seezn)
Above Nam Joo-hyuk and Bae Suzy filming 2020’s 'Start-Up', a K-drama with a storyline that resonated with the global audience in an era of startups (Photo: YouTube/Netflix K-Content)
Son Woo-hyun and Kim Kang-min filming the last episode of 2022’s ‘To My Star 2: Our Untold Stories’, the K-drama that bravely broached the theme of BL and brought it to the attention of mainstream audiences (Photo: Seezn)
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Diversifying themes and genres represent more than just creative experimentation–it’s a response to an increasingly sophisticated global audience and changing social attitudes within South Korea.
This willingness to push boundaries and explore new territory, all while maintaining the polished production values and emotional storytelling that made K-dramas popular in the first place, suggests that the golden age of Korean television is far from over–it’s just getting started.
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Lainey was the Digital Director of Tatler Malaysia. When not whiling away the hours watching documentaries, the latest K-drama, or reruns of Friends, she can be found indulging her wanderlust by stalking travel platforms or feeding her obsession with music. She loves animals, running, all things social media, a good conversation over coffee or soju or wine (often rambling on if nobody pulls the brakes on her), and is an avid fan of bursting-at-the-seams laughter.
