The following Korean dramas could have been broadcast by other networks.
For various reasons, K-drama broadcasters sometimes rejected high quality scripts, resulting in successful dramas being given away to other stations.
1. Descendants of the Sun
In 2016, SBS was revealed to have refused to air the project of screenwriter Kim Eun Sook, who worked on 9 successful dramas broadcast on this major network. The reason given was that the budget for Descendants of the Sun is too big, especially for filming overseas. The context of the drama is also difficult for commercials to be featured. KBS then agreed to pour money in for this important project despite financially struggling with flopped dramas in 2015. Needless to say, this is the wisest decision of KBS in recent years when Descendants of the Sun became a legendary hit.
2. Mr. Sunshine
Similar to the above case, “golden screenwriter” Kim sent the script for Mr. Sunshine to SBS and once again got rejected because of funding problems. tvN then became the “home” to Mr. Sunshine and gained positive results. To this day, Mr. Sunshine stays at the top of the highest-rated dramas in the history of cable TV.
3. Strong Woman Do Bong Soon
It comes as no surprise that the screenplay of Strong Woman Do Bong Soon was first sent to tvN because a fantasy rom-com seems to be a perfect match for tvN dramas. However, tvN rejected the drama, giving JTBC the chance to broadcast a drama that gained popularity across Asia.
4. My Golden Life
Unlike the above cases, “My Golden Life” was created for KBS after writer So Hyun Kyung was rejected by SBS. Specifically, screenwriter So Hyun Kyung had intended to collaborate with SBS on a mini-series. The initiative was canceled due to concerns about a mini-series-war between the three central stations. Thus, writer So came to KBS to write “My Golden Life”. As a result, KBS had a work with a rating of nearly 50%, a figure that SBS could only dream of.
5. Woman of Dignity
JTBC is well-known for its 18+ series, thus it’s not unusual for this station to air Woman of Dignity. However, SBS initially took the script of “Woman of Dignity”. SBS, on the other hand, rejected it due to the 18+ details. As a result, JTBC has a blockbuster on its hands.
