According to the Korea Times, in November 2015, a drama that spread across Korea with a wave of nostalgia and warmth was " replied 1988" by tvN cable TV.
Set in the Ssangmun-dong working-class neighborhood in the late 1980s in Seoul, the film depicts family love, the innocent love of youth and the deep relationships between neighbors.
For the older generation of audiences, the film has aroused a wave of memories. As for young viewers, the film is a fresh look at the past.
The success of " Reply 1988" has brought the film's stars such as Hyeri, Park Bo Gum, Ryu Jun Yeol, Lee Dong Hwi, Go Kyung Pyo, Ahn Jae Hong... to the center of attention.
Reply 1988 has helped tvN - once a disadvantaged place in the context of dominating reality TV - rise to become a formidable force, to the point that many people have started to classify tvN as the big four of Korean television, along with KBS, MBC and SBS.
The Korea Times emphasized that " Reply 1988" is not only popular but also a cultural phenomenon, widely praised as a "national drama".
Currently, after 10 years, another drama is attracting audiences - "When life gives you tangerines" produced by the online platform Netflix.
Set between the years 1960 and 1990, the film follows the life of a girl born and raised on Jeju Island, Oh Ae Sun (played by IU), and a man who always respects and loves her throughout the 4 seasons of Gwan Sik (Park Bo Gum). At the same time, it depicts many aspects of Korean social history.
The film created a huge buzz when depicting the indescribable sacrifice of parents and the silent rebellion of children who wanted to change. On forums, many Korean audiences call this a " masterpiece" and "TV series of the year".
Unlike Netflix's global hit films like "Squid Game", "The Glory" are both thriller and thriller genre that attracts international audiences, "When Life Is for You" is a film set in a specific historical period, based on inspiration from Korean experiences and stories. The film is built for "national" rather than "world".
According to Good Data Corporation's analysis in the week from March 3-9, 25.8% of audiences in their 40s and 14.8% of audiences over 50 watched the film. This shows that older generations - often more suitable for reality TV and cable TV - are now drawn by the Netflix platform.
The Korea Times commented that at this rate, "When Life Is for You" could become the next "national drama". Previously, this rare title and prestige were mainly recognized only for films of long-standing TV stations.
Industry sources said that Netflix has invested about 60 billion won in the production process, equivalent to more than 3.7 billion won per episode (total of 16 episodes). Other than Netflix, few platforms in Korea have the ability to spend such a large sum of money on a historical drama.
Since its launch in Korea in 2016, Netflix has marked a number of important milestones, and "When Life Is for You" could be the next moment of formation for the platform in this country.
Even Netflix, once considered a remote "global online service", could become a new "national television station" in Korea.
