As the 16-episode “Descendants of the Sun” airs its last episode tonight, fans of hallyu are asking what’s the next Korean drama to follow and who would be the next actor to fall in love with after Song Joong-ki?
Viu, one of the broadcasters that aired “Descendants of the Sun” said that it would not let the K-drama fever just die when the drama set in a war-torn country revived interest across Asia and other parts of the world in hallyu. With a Season 2 out of question and a movie version a distant possibility, Viu has offered four Korean dramas to whet viewers’ appetite for more, reported Weekender.
Topping the list is “Come Back Mister” which is about Kim Young-Soo, played by Kim In-Kwon, who died from overwork and the stressful job environment in South Korea. His spirit possesses Lee Hae-Joon, played by Rain.
Next on the list is “Marriage Contract,” which focuses on Ji-Hoon, played by Lee Seo-Jin, scion of a wealthy family, but because of his mother’s illicit relationship with a married man, who is his biological father, Ji becomes cynical about love. His dislike for his mother is changed when Ji discovers she has liver ailment and entering into a marriage contract appears to be the only way to save his mother.
The third hallyu is “The Royal Gambler.” It is a period drama set in the Joseon dynasty where Dae-Gil, played by Jang Keun-Suk, gambles his life away, while King Yeongjo, played by Yeo Jin-Goo, makes an even bigger gambit by betting the whole kingdom of Joseon.
Finally, vampire fever persists in South Korean television via “The Vampire Detective,” starring Lee Joo, who plays private detective Yoon San. While he solves several case, Yoo also attempts to uncover his own mystery because he also turned into a bloodsucker with fangs.
Unlike “Descendants of the Sun” which required Chinese viewers to pay a fee to video platform iQiyi, followers of these four shows would not pay anything because it is shown legally and for free on Viu, although it would not be simultaneous with the Korean premier but eight to 12 hours after.
Korean drama is so popular that a North Korean defector revealed that his family were able to watch the first eight episodes of “Descendants of the Sun.” It was made possible through the distribution of more smartphones and better internet networks in the communist country, reported Kyunghyang Shimmun.