There is a list of K-Dramas that were popular internationally but has flopped badly in their home country, i.e., South Korea. The reasons for the same have been countless, ranging from controversies relating to the actors and actresses of the show to the plot structure of the K-Drama. Recently, there have been many additions to this particular list. Maybe because the preference of the Korean audience has been changing, or maybe the creators of the K-Dramas are mainly focusing on the taste of the global viewers.
It is very true that there are varieties of K-Drama out there based on different genres and directed by different directors. There is no doubt in the fact that the K-Drams fandom is spread all around the globe, and all of them are a sucker of every kind of K-Dramas out there. While many prefer rom-coms, others go with the thriller with suspense and mystery. It is all about their tastes and preferences. Though, at times there are a few unique situations too.
Doom At Your Service
- Premiere Period: May 10, 2021, to June 29, 2021
- Director: Kwon Young-il.
- Genres: Fantasy and Romance.
Doom At Your Service was one of the supernatural K-Dramas that was popular internationally, starring Park Bo Young and Seo In Guk. The show bagged the IMDb rating of 8.2/10 and became one of the most-streamed ones on the list globally.
Though, it didn’t have the same luck with its domestic audience. The final Episode of the drama series recorded a rating of only 2.340%, which was one of the lowest ratings ever. Indeed, the drama kicked off with a reasonable rating of 4.422%, but with new episodes, it saw a sharp decline in the graph.
The reason for the same can be many, and according to some of the netizens out there, the plot of the show was too slow and not so realistic for the majority of the Korean viewers out there.
It’s Okay To Be Not Okay
- Premiere Period: June 20, 2020, to August 9, 2020.
- Director: Park Shin-woo.
- Genres: Romance and Comedy.
It’s Okay To Be Not Okay was one of the K-Dramas that was popular internationally on Netflix in the year 2020. It attracted huge numbers of global K-Drama viewers with its romantic chemistry, unique themes, and high emotions.
However, in South Korea, the drama’s rating was only 4.2% for Episode 10. According to some of the netizens out there, the acting of Kim Soo Hyun was one of the reasons behind the low ratings of the drama series. The drama marked his return to the screen after his military period, and everyone was highly excited about the same.
Though, it didn’t work out the way they expected as they labeled his performance to be “forced”. Moreover, the drama series was also subject to several controversies like sexual harassment and later was accused of plagiarism too.
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Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo
- Premiere Period: August 29, 2016, to November 1, 2016.
- Director: Kim Kyu-tae.
- Genres: History, Romance, and Fantasy.
Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo was one of the popular drama series back in 2016. Starring Lee Jun Ki, IU, and Kang Ha Neul, it became one of the most-watched historical K-Dramas globally, with an IMDb rating of 8.8/10.
Though it didn’t do so well in its domestic realm, i.e., South Korea, with a rating of 5.1%, the show became one of the lowest-rated ones on the list. The reason for this was several. One of them is the taste of Korean audiences. As per many reports, Korean audiences prefer to watch dramas and movies with actors and actresses in them instead of K-Pop idols.
Many considered the acting of Baekhyun and IU quite awkward in the first few Episodes of the show. Though it did improve in the rest of the Episodes, sadly, it was not enough for making the domestic viewers stay.
Welcome To Waikiki
- Premiere Period: February 5, 2018, to April 17, 2018.
- Director: Lee Chang-min.
- Genres: Comedy and Drama.
With an IMDb rating of 8.4/10, Welcome to Waikiki was one of the hit K-Dramas of 2018. It was on the list of the most-watched K-Dramas on Netflix for several weeks, and it was really obvious that the global K-Drama viewers are in absolute love with the drama series. Its entertaining plot points and engaging cast performance made it an instant must-watch for everyone out there.
However, in Korea, the scenarios were not the same. It was rated 1.7%, which was one of the lowest out there. Moreover, the reason for this was the basic plot of the drama series as per some of the netzines out there. Even though it received a negative response from the domestic viewers, it still is one of the best K-Dramas out there with the funniest plot and amazing cast performance.
Nevertheless
- Premiere Period: June 19, 2021, to August 21, 2021.
- Director: Kim Ga-ram.
- Genres: Romance.
Starring the two most popular faces of the South Korean entertainment industry, i.e., Han So-hee and Song Kang, Nevertheless bagged the position of being one of the K-Dramas that was popular internationally.
It was one of the most-watched K-Dramas on Netflix for several weeks in 2021, and its popular pick-up line by Song Kang, “Do you want to see butterflies?” became one of the trendiest ones out there.
Though, the drama series recorded the lowest rating in Korea, with its eighth Episode having a nationwide rating of 1%. Many out there pointed out that the plot of the drama series has been really frustrating for them, while others reasoned that it is not a family-friendly kind of drama series.
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The King: Eternal Monarch
- Premiere Period: April 17, 2020, to June 12, 2020.
- Director: Baek Sang-hoon, Jung Ji-hyun, and Yoo Je-won.
- Genres: Romance and Fantasy.
The SBS drama series was the 10th most-watched show on Netflix and was ruling the first position in the list of K-dramas. The beautiful cinematography and powerful performance of the cast attracted several global viewers.
Though, it didn’t get appreciated by the Korean audience. The rating for Episode 11 was only 5.2% which is considered really negative. One of the reasons is the series of controversies surrounding the drama series. Among them, one was the fictionalization of several elements of the K-Drama. Its fictional kingdom drew many similarities from Japan, such as architecture and warships.
Moreover, the controversy related to the drama’s second female lead, i.e., Jung Eun Chae, didn’t sit right with the audience too.
Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bon Joo
- Premiere Period: November 16, 2016, to January 11, 2017.
- Director: Oh Hyun-jong.
- Genres: Sports, Coming of Age, and Rom-Com.
With an IMDb rating of 8.5/10, Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bon Joo became one of the most loved K-Dramas on Netflix for long years. Its perfectly crafted plot points and amazing couple chemistry made everyone fall head over heels for it. All the global K-Drama lovers were absolutely smitten with the series, and we are sure that it is still on their rewatching list.
Although, things were a bit different in South Korea. With a rating of 4.9, it became one of the not-so-good dramas for the domestic audience. While some called it a little unrealistic, others preferred watching “The Legend of Blue Sea,” which too was released at the same time.
Tempted
- Premiere Period: March 12, 2018, to May 11, 2018.
- Director: Kang In.
- Genres: Romance, Melodrama, and Youth.
Starring Woo Do-hwan, Joy, Kim Min-jae, and Moon Ga-young, Tempted successfully bagged the title for being the coolest K-Dramas out there from its global viewers with an IMBd rating of 7.3/10.
Undoubtedly, it is one of the intriguing drama series out there and stars one of the most-loved actors and actresses. As per many global viewers, they didn’t only deliver an interesting performance but also carried the whole show in a grand way making it one of the K-Dramas that was popular internationally.
In South Korea, the drama series received a nationwide viewership of only 2.4% on average. Several domestic viewers out there on the internet pointed out that the series lacks the needed depth. While many others pointed out that the Korean audience is tired of watching idols who can’t act being starred in drama series.
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Uncontrollably Fond
- Premiere Period: July 6, 2016, to September 8, 2016.
- Director: Park Hyun-suk and Cha Young-hoon.
- Genres: Romance and Melodrama.
Starring the heartthrobs, i.e., Kim Woo-bin and Bae Suzy, Uncontrollably Fond was one of the must-watch drama series in 2016. With an IMDb rating of 7.9/10, the drama series became one of the favorites of many global K-Drama viewers out there. The fact that it was one of the first K-Drama for many global viewers out there made it even more special.
In its domestic realm, the drama series saw an average viewership of 10.8%, which was an overall okayish percentage for it keeping its tragic ending in records. To sum it up, Uncontrollably Fond was certainly not a complete failure as compared to others on the list in Korea. It did see some fall in its ratings due to its tragic ending, but overall, it did better than many others.
True Beauty
- Premiere Period: December 9, 2020, to February 4, 2021.
- Director: Kim Sang-hyeop.
- Genres: Romance, Comedy, Slice of Life, and Coming of Age.
True Beauty was indeed one of the K-Dramas that was popular internationally on the list. Starring Moon Ga-young, Cha Eun-woo, Hwang In-youp, and Park Yoo-na, it became one of the hits of the year with an IMDb rating of 8.2/10.
The majority of the global viewers of the drama series claimed that the cast performance of the series is fabulous, and its plot execution, too, is a chef’s kiss.
Though, in Korea, the drama series saw an average viewership of 4.297%, which is included in one of the lowest rankings of the viewership graph. Many domestic viewers pointed out that the drama series has not been a good adaptation of the webtoon. Some also claimed that many plot points had been altered in the series.
Extraordinary You
- Premiere Period: October 2, 2019, to November 11, 2019.
- Director: Kim Sang-hyeop.
- Genres: Fantasy, Romance, and Comedy.
Extraordinary You has been one of the revolutionary K-Dramas as per all the global audiences out there. With an IMDb rating of 7.9/10, the show won millions of hearts globally with its unique plot points and perfect execution of the same. As per several global viewers, the show was a refreshing one and managed to provide them with something completely new.
However, in Korea, the average viewership of the show was only 3.2% which is like the lowest out there. According to many netizens out there, the romance between the characters was a bit messy and unsettling. Also, according to them, the lack of humor in the plot made everything look extremely robotic.
