7 Korean Dramas that were Initially Underestimated or Thought to Fail but Turned Out to be a Huge Success, Latest LOVELY RUNNER

Kapanlagi.com - Korean dramas have long provided many shows that you can choose for entertainment in various genres. From the many popular dramas and actors, it's no wonder that some are underrated, not meeting expectations, or exceeding initial expectations, like some Korean dramas that were once underestimated.

Yes, from the big names in Korean dramas, it turns out that some were underestimated or thought to fail because of low viewership, KLovers. Everything is seen from various factors, such as the script not being interesting enough or being rejected by many actors and production houses. Some also aired on small channels, and many more.

So, what are some of the dramas that were initially not expected to do well but ended up being a huge success? Here are some Korean dramas that were once underestimated but turned out to be a big success. Let's check it out, KLovers.

1. PRINCESS HOURS (2006)

Drama Princess Hours (credit: imdb.com)

The drama PRINCESS HOURS was initially underestimated. The drama, adapted from the manhwa titled Goong, actually has a unique story behind the scenes. After airing for more than a decade, many interesting facts have recently been discovered.

Both Ju Ji Hoon and Yoon Eun Hye, as the main cast, were initially unsupported and underestimated by Goong manhwa fans. Many doubted their acting abilities because it was their first drama venture.

Ju Ji Hoon also mentioned that he was traumatized by being called more like a farmer due to his appearance. However, despite all the dissatisfaction, this drama has become more successful over time and has become one of the best dramas of all time.

2. BOYS BEFORE FLOWERS (2009)

Drama Boys Before Flowers (credit: imdb.com)

Drama Korea that was once underestimated, it turns out there is a drama called BOYS BEFORE FLOWERS. Who would have thought that BOYS BEFORE FLOWERS would become a drama that would become popular internationally and bring Lee Min Ho's name to great heights like today.

The drama BOYS BEFORE FLOWERS itself was initially rejected by Jang Geun Suk. This drama, which is adapted from a manga titled Meteor Garden, was also not expected to become a big hit. In fact, it was so big that for some people it was considered overrated. What do KLovers think?

3. DESCENDANTS OF THE SUN (2016)

Drama Descendants of the Sun (credit: imdb.com)

Memiliki rating yang luar biasa tinggi dan populer ke berbagai negara, ternyata drama DESCENDANTS OF THE SUN ini sempat tidak diharapkan sejauh ini loh KLovers. Bukan rahasia umum lagi bila drama DESCENDANTS OF THE SUN sempat ditolak oleh banyak sekali aktor-aktor ternama.

Misalnya saja seperti aktor senior Won Bin, Jo In Sung, Kim Woo Bin, hingga Gong Yoo. Awalnya tim produksi juga merasa ragu dengan kualitas serta kepopuleran drama ini loh KLovers. Hal itu karena melibatkan seorang tentara mungkin tidak cukup mendapat perhatian tinggi.

Ini bisa dilihat ketika SBS merasa ragu untuk melanjutkan produksi drama ini dan akhirnya di ambil alih oleh KBS. Namun, siapa sangka ternyata drama DESCENDANTS OF THE SUN menjadi salah satu drama paling populer dengan rating tertinggi sepanjang masa.

4. SKY CASTLE (2018)

Drama Sky Castle (credit: imdb.com)

Siapa sangka, drama SKY CASTLE menjadi drama Korea yang sempat diremehkan loh. Drama SKY CASTLE yang punya jalan cerita menarik ini ternyata memiliki budget yang sangat mini dari drama-drama pada masa itu. Drama MY ID IS GANGNAM BEAUTY saja lebih besar dari drama ini.

Selain itu, jam tayang dari drama SKY CASTLE juga tidak menguntungkan. Drama ini tayang di jam malam yaitu pukul 11 malam. Dengan aktor-aktris yang tidak populer, membuat drama ini sempat tidak diharapkan populer. Di episode perdana saja, drama ini hanya mendapat rating 1,7% saja.

Namun, siapa sangka, drama dengan kisah sisi gelap sistem pendidikan Korea ini berhasil meraih rating yang sangat tinggi. Bahkan, episode terakhirnya saja mencapai 23,7% dan jadi drama tv kabel rating tertinggi sepanjang masa di posisi ke dua.

5. A-TEEN (2018)

Drama A-Teen (credit: imdb.com)

Drama Korea yang sempat diremehkan berikutnya ada drama berjudul A-TEEN. Judul sepopuler ini, mungkin gak banyak yang tau kalau ternyata drama ini hanya sebuah web series. Yup! Drama A-TEEN merupakan web series yang diproduksi oleh NAVER TV.

Biaya produksi drama ini saja sangat-sangat minim loh KLovers. Namun, siapa sangka drama A-TEEN menjadi drama web series yang sangat populer dengan penonton yang tinggi. Produk makeup hingga OST drama A-TEEN ini jadi perbincangan hangat di Korea.

6. EXTRAORDINARY ATTORNEY WOO (2022)

Drama Extraordinary Attorney Woo (credit: imdb.com)

In 2022, there was a Korean drama that was initially underestimated titled EXTRAORDINARY ATTORNEY WOO. Yes, this drama itself was considered unlucky because it had to be produced by the ENA television station. This pay-per-view station has a very limited audience reach.

In addition, ENA is a new television station and EXTRAORDINARY ATTORNEY WOO is their debut drama. At that time, this drama also had to compete with OUR BLUES, which was filled with A-list stars. As a result, the first episode only received a rating of 0.9%.

However, Park Eun Bin's extraordinary acting went viral on social media, which made many Korean drama lovers in various countries curious. Eventually, EXTRAORDINARY ATTORNEY WOO became one of the highest-rated dramas and was quite popular on Netflix.

7. LOVELY RUNNER (2024)

Drama My Lovely Runner (credit: imdb.com)

The latest and phenomenal Korean drama that was initially underestimated is called LOVELY RUNNER. Yup! This drama became one of the highest-rated and most successful dramas in 2024. The drama LOVELY RUNNER itself was initially underestimated and not expected to succeed.

This drama was delayed for 3 years due to various factors. First, because some actors like Cha Eun Woo, Lee Jun Young, and Moon Sang Min rejected the offer. This drama also initially didn't have a production house, so the writer had to search for one.

Various other obstacles such as not having a reading script, almost being boycotted, not being tvN's flagship drama, unfavorable airing time, and an OST that was only made on Byeon Woo Seok's initiative. However, behind all these unfavorable circumstances, this drama was very, very successful.

Those are some Korean dramas that were initially underestimated but turned out to be hugely successful. Do you have any favorite dramas among these? Or maybe there are some you haven't watched yet?

(kpl/dhm)