As 2023 starts to wrap up its first months, K-dramas fans are bringing up legendary K-drama released exactly a decade ago.
That Winter, The Wind Blows (Song Hye Kyo, Jo In Sung)
Starring Song Hye Kyo and Jo In Sung, the melodrama “That Winter, The Wind Blows”, which is based on Japanese series “Forget Love”, left a lot of viewers in tears. Here, Jo In Sung plays a con-man who pretends to be the long-lost brother of a blind heiress (Song Hye Kyo), only to later fall in love with her.
With such an all-star lineup and a tear-jerking plot, “That Winter, The Wind Blows” managed to sweep through awards ceremonies and recorded high ratings. The iconic “cotton candy kiss” in the series would remain viral for years to come.
The Heirs (Lee Min Ho, Park Shin Hye)
Back in 2013, “The Heirs” became a sensation immediately after its release. The romance series revolve the life of Cha Eun Sang (Park Shin Hye), a poor girl who enrolled into a high school for the rich, and ended up falling in love with wealthy heir Kim Tan (Lee Min Ho). With various viral scenes and intriguing chemistry, the drama ended up surpassing 25% in viewership and boosting the career of all its cast members.
At the same time, it also took home awards from prestigious ceremonies such as Baeksang, SBS Drama Awards, and APAN Star Awards with popularity that transcended outside of Korea.
I Can Hear Your Voice (Lee Jong Suk, Lee Bo Young)
“I Can Hear Your Voice” integrated a fantasy element into a law setting by giving male lead Park Soo Ha (Lee Jong Suk) the ability to read minds. At the same time, the series also introduces an attention-grabbing love triangle between Jang Hye Sung (Lee Bo Young), Gwan Woo (Yoon Sang Hyun), and Soo Ha.
As a perfect combination of investigation, law, and romance, “I Can Hear Your Voice” became so popular, its ratings rose from a mere 7% to over 26%, even getting an extension of 2 episodes. Even now, it is considered a legendary work.
My Love from the Star (Kim Soo Hyun, Jun Ji Hyun)
Last but not least is “My Love from the Star”, which was the talk of town for 2013 K-drama fans both in and outside of Korea. The fantasy rom-com follows the life of Do Min Joon (Kim Soo Hyun), an alien who was stranded on earth for 4 centuries. Powerful, cynical, and cold, yet he ended up falling for Cheon Song Yi – a top star whose haughty demeanor put her in great trouble.
Starting with a rating of 15%, “My Love from the Star” ended up crossing the 28% mark in its finale, with overwhelming popularity all across Asia, turning its cast members into Hallyu stars.
Source: Daum
