Edited by Seo Hayne
Translated by Esther Lee
As K-pop grows in popularity, many dramas are starting to feature K-pop idol characters in its story. There are currently two shows on air that are about idol singers and the K-pop industry: SBS’ Let Me Be Your Knight and JTBC’s IDOL: The Coup. The SBS drama is about an idol singer who suffers from sleepwalking, and the JTBC drama is about an unsuccessful idol group that wants its last chance. These dramas drew much attention by showing the fierce competition within the industry and what the idol singers are like behind the scenes. Among many K-dramas that told stories about idol singers with a large fan base, let’s take a look at the five of the best series.
Imitation (2021)
Based on a webtoon of the same name, KBS’Imitation tells the story of the lives of singers in four different idol groups: the most popular SHAX, the budding Tea Party, the passionate Sparkling, and the charismatic solo singer, La Lima. The idol singers who dominated the 2000s, G.o.d’s Danny Ahn and Baby V.O.X’s Shim Eun Jin starred in the drama as the CEO of an idol agency and a tabloid journalist, respectively. The drama did a perfect job of portraying the K-pop industry and its structure. Plus, the mini-album-like soundtracks and the stage performance videos by each idol group doubled the fun of the drama.
Her Private Life (2019)
tvN’s Her Private Life is a romance drama that follows a passionate fangirl named Sung Deok Mi and her demanding boss, Ryan. The teaser poster of Park Min Young holding a huge camera at her favorite idol singer drew much attention even before its premiere. Having a mother who loves knitting and a father who collects rocks, Sung Deok Mi grew up to be a huge secret fan of an idol group named White Ocean. However, Deok Mi’s perfect double life is shaken up when Ryan is appointed as her new boss. Through various incidents, Deok Mi and Ryan begin to feel attracted to each other. It was enjoyable to see Ryan studying Deok Mi in order to understand her passion for loving the idol group.
Children of the 20th Century (2017)
If Her Private Life dealt with an ordinary office worker fangirling over an idol group, MBC’s Children of the 20th Century follows an actress obsessed with an idol singer. Dubbed as ‘the Cannes’ girl,’ Sa Jin Jin (Han Ye Seul) is a renowned actress who starred in a massively successful film that drew more than 10 million moviegoers. However, she has also been a huge fan of an idol singer named Anthony (Lee Sang Woo) in a fictional idol group called Boys Be Ambitious for 20 years. One day, Jin Jin gets lucky and joins Anthony in the reality show We Got Married as his fake wife. Children of the 20th Century used the existing reality TV show to portray the main characters’ complicated emotions. In the drama, the main female character’s heart sways between her first love and her favorite idol.
Hello, My Twenties! 2 (2017)
JTBC’s Hello, My Twenties! 2 is about five college students from different walks of life who end up living together in a fictional house share called Belle Epoque. Yoon Jin Myung (Han Ye Ri) is one of the characters that changed the most as the season’s gone along. For instance, she used to make bleak assessments about her bitter reality, saying, “only ordinary people can enjoy the luxury of getting lost in life,” in the first season. However, in the following season, she gets a job in a management team at a talent agency and goes through a significant transition as she encounters an idol member. The second season of the drama depicts the disbandment of a struggling idol group named Asgard, played by the existing idol group Pentagon members. In it, Asgard’s member Heimdal goes through many emotional struggles as he decides to become an actor instead of a singer, and the emotional challenge he faces in the drama touched the hearts of many viewers.
Dream High 2 (2012)
Dream High 2 tells the story of six students at Kirin Art High School who work to achieve their dreams of becoming Korean music stars. After seeing the success of Dream High 1, JYP and KeyEast participated in producing the sequel. The second season of Dream High begins as Kirin High School of Art gets taken over by Oz Entertainment due to its financial bankruptcy. Kang So Ra and Park Seo Joon, GOT7’s JB, 2AM’s Jeong Jinwoon, Sistar’s Hyorin, and more starred in the second season. Park Jin Young, who took part in both production and acting, expressed, “I really wish there was a school like this in real life. I was searching for an answer to the question ‘What goal should I have in order to live a happy life?’”
Editor Seo Hayne: I like actors as they faithfully lead through their long running-time. I also like idols who accomplish everything on stage within 3 minutes.
Translator Esther Lee: I’ll be providing you with up-to-date, reliable Korean entertainment news. Enjoy!
