With the proliferation of platforms, the cultural influence of Korea has experienced a rapid global ascent. Out of the 230 million subscribers, over 60% had consumed Korean content at least once. In response, Netflix plans to invest over 2.5 billion dollars in Korea between 2023 and 2027.

However, a question arises as to whether Netflix's original K-dramas are representative of the genre or if the platform is reshaping Korean narratives. On one hand, Korean productions tend to be speculative, relying on external funding through strategies such as product and city placement. On the other hand, K-dramas are constrained in terms of content, as stories must fit into one of the three main Korean channels. While Netflix minimizes risks and provides creative freedom, there is a shift in themes, departing from the dominance of romantic and mundane themes established since the early 2000s with successful series like Winter Sonata.

Identifying the success of Squid Game, Netflix directs its substantial capital towards the creation of dark, suspense and violence dramas. This trend could lead the platform to limit future content, shaping a new specific archetype for K-dramas. The shift towards more intense plots suggests a transformation in the K- drama landscape, marked by Netflix's preference for impactful and global narratives.

Therefore, I find it compelling to analyze a series such as Something in the Rain, pre-Squid Game, which reveals the mundane aspects of Korean series while addressing societal taboos and Mask Girl, a Netflix original post-Squid Game, which starkly portrays how its protagonist confronts beauty standards and gender violence in a raw and forceful manner.

Keywords: Soft power, K-dramas, Korean Wave, Netflix

Bibliography:

Lee, S., & Hong, S. K. (Eds.) (2023). Is Netflix Riding the Korean Wave or Vice Versa?: Netflix and the Global Receptions of Korean Popular Culture: Transnational Perspectives (edited dossier). International Journal of Communication, 17, 6887-7074. https://ijoc.org/index.php/ijoc.

Oh, Y. (2018). Pop City: Korean Popular Culture and the Selling of Place. Cornell University Press.

Kim Y. (2013). The Korean Wave: Korean Media Go Global. Routledge.