Netflix adds six to Korean romance line-up, with K-pop idol starring titles

See You In My 19th Life

Netflix’s investment in Korean content continues to grow, with the streamer unveiling six new K-romance titles coming to the service over the next five months.

These latest shows follow the news that Netflix had picked up K-pop documentary Mamamoo: Where Are We Now, last week, and come after co-CEO Ted Sarandos recently revealed plans to invest $2.5bn in South Korean content over the next four years, while in January, the streamer unveiled a huge slate of 34 new and returning Korean titles.

Netflix is seeing a huge demand for Korean content, with the streamer revealing that global viewership of its K-romance (Korean romantic drama) titles, including shows such as Crash Landing On You and Extraordinary Attorney Woo, tripled between 2018 and 2022, with more than 90 per cent of this audience coming from outside Korea.

Among the new shows headed to the service are See You in My 19th Life, a webtoon spin-off coming to Netflix on 17 June and starring Shin Hye-sun as a heroine who can remember all her past lives. As a young girl in her 18th life, she falls for a thoughtful boy next door. In her 19th life, she tries to make her way back to him, only to find he has become a cold man who doesn’t want to get close to anyone. Can love triumph across lifetimes?

Also premiering on 17 June is King The Land, about a wealthy heir who cannot stand fake smiles. He meets a girl whose bright smile is part of her job – in one of his family businesses. He immediately dislikes her, writing her off as someone who hides her true self behind a fake smile. Former global K-Pop idols Jun-ho and Yoona head the cast.

Doona!

Romantic line-up

Meanwhile, Behind Your Touch follows rom-com queen Han Ji-min, who plays a veterinarian in a small town with a very strange gift of psychometry. When she convinces a detective of her abilities, they team up to solve neighbourhood crimes.

Destined With You sees Cho Boa and Rowoon (also a K-Pop idol) combine their star wattage in this sweeping saga. Rowoon plays a hotshot lawyer who has it all, but is haunted by a family curse. And it turns out that the woman who is key to breaking this curse is none other than the seemingly ordinary civil servant played by Cho.

Coming in the third quarter of 2023 is A Time Called You, starring Ahn Hyo-seop (Business Proposal) and Jeon Yeo-been (Vincenzo), in a remake of classic Taiwanese romance Someday or One Day.

Jeon’s character travels back in time to 1998 and meets a man played by Ahn, who bears an uncanny resemblance to her late boyfriend. In fact, each lead takes on the challenge of playing two characters who look identical, but have completely different personalities – and all the complications that creates when it comes to love.

Joining Netflix in the fourth quarter of 2023 is Doona!, about a college student (Yang Se-jong), who navigates life and school while dealing with a unique predicament – he’s living with a former K-Pop sensation, played by real-life former K-Pop star Suzy. Their relationship starts out as one of mutual misunderstanding and dislike, and grows over time into one of love and trust. But can their connection withstand the cruel pressures of fame?

“Despite the diversity of languages, the common thread of understanding and accessing Korean content seems to be a key strength that has set Netflix as a trendsetter,” said Wooyeon Yang, Netflix’s director of Korean content.