The year 2021 was full of entertainment for K-Drama lovers. While the violent yet intriguing ‘Squid Game’ took over the global platform, it was Song Joon Ki who charmed everyone as an anti-hero for the first time in ‘Vincenzo’. On the other hand, Kim Seon Ho and Shin Min-a are flying high with the success of ‘Hometown Cha Cha Cha’ and the list goes on! In case you missed it, here’s a recap of the biggest hitmakers of 2021 in the KDrama scene.
Vincenzo
Song Joon Ki made his official comeback with the highly anticipated dark-comedy drama ‘Vincenzo'. The drama featured Song Joong Ki in a titular role as an Italian lawyer hailing from Korea who serves as a consigliere to the Mafia world. While he moved back to Korea after having a conflict with his old organization, later he collaborated with lawyer Hong Cha Young against the Babel of Korea. Winning several titles, the show made history and became the ninth highest-rated drama in Korean cable television history.
Steven Spielberg calls 'Squid Game' cast 'unknown people
Squid Game
Spreading the Hallyu wave further, ‘Squid Game’ emerged as the most-watched series on Netflix in more than 94 countries. Whether you are an avid fan of K-Drama or not, this series needs no introduction. Made in South Korea, the nine-part thriller, in which cash-strapped contestants play deadly childhood games in a bid to win 45.6 billion won ($38 million), became a worldwide sensation when it premiered in September. Featuring a star-studded cast including Lee Jung Jae, Anupam Tripathi, Oh Yeong-su, Seong-ju Yoo, Kim Joo-Ryung, Lee Yo Mi, Park Hae Soo and more, actor Gong Yoo also made a cameo appearance in the show.
Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha
Dimple stars Shin Min-A and Kim Seon Ho made a remarkable impact with tvN’s romance-drama ‘Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha’ and set the highest ratings of all time, as per Neilsen Korea. The heartwarming storyline was based on a fictional coastal city Gongjim where a dentist and a man with odd jobs cross paths. Apart from the sparkling chemistry between Kim Seon Ho and Shin Min-A, the supporting cast such as Lee Sang-yi, Gong Min-jeung, Kim Young-ok, Cha Chung-Hwa, Jo Han-chul and others made a huge difference in the show that received massive critical acclaim.
Hospital Playlist 2
2021 was the year of sequels and ‘Hospital Playlist 2’ topped the list. The group of doctors, Jo Jung Suk, Yoo Yeon Seok, Jung Kyung Ho, Kim Dae Myung and Jeon Mi Do reunited once again to embark on a medical journey while dealing with heartbreaks, complicated friendships and much more. Season 2 finally gave the audience closure about their favorite characters and ended with the highest ratings in cable television history. After a successful sequel, there’s no plan for a third season so far.
Nevertheless
Giving a fresh take on relationships, Song Kang and Han So Hee starrer ‘Nevertheless’ was all about modern romance that highlighted issues of commitment, intimacy, attraction and relationship issues, something that usually goes unnoticed in K-Drama. While the show sparked a debate among the audience for promoting toxicity in relationships, it undoubtedly stood out with its unique plot.
My Roommate is Gumiho
Actor Jang Ki Yong and Hyeri finally came together for the fantasy drama ‘My Roommate is Gumiho’ and emerged as one of the best on-screen pairs of the year. Jang Ki Yong essayed the role of Shin Woo-yeo, a 999-year-old Gumiho aka fox, who needs to fill his fox bead with human energy before he turns 1,000 years old. Things take a different turn when Hyeri, a college girl, accidentally swallows fox bead.
