Take a Trip Down Memory Lane: Revisiting 7 K-Dramas Released Twenty Years Ago (2003)

AKP STAFF

The current popularity of various K-Dramas has started from the earliest dramas that have penetrated the hearts of both domestic and international viewers. One of the first K-dramas to cross on through terms of popularity in Asia was KBS2's "Winter Sonata" in 2002. The Korean Wave made its debut in several Asian nations thanks to the devoted fan base that "Winter Sonata" garnered and the subsequent sales of products, particularly DVD sets and novels.

Alongside the development of social networking services and online video-sharing platforms, the growth of the Korean entertainment industry has reached numerous feats, including bagging a huge worldwide audience since the 2000s. Korean wave, or the Hallyu Wave, has been helped by the availability of dramas on various streaming services, many of which feature several language subtitle options. Numerous K-dramas have been translated into other languages and are also broadcasted in the respective major public television channels among countries, making them more famous overseas. After 2002, entertainment content patterns in Asia have begun to shift as South Korean dramas started to take over primetime television slots that were traditionally designated for Hollywood blockbusters.

Here are seven dramas which have been released twenty years ago, in 2003, which further kickstarted the K-Drama Wave worldwide.

"Stairway to Heaven"

The 2003 South Korean television series called Stairway to Heaven starred Choi Ji Woo, Kwon Sang Woo, Kim Tae Hee, and Shin Hyun Joon, and was broadcasted from December 3, 2003, to February 5, 2004, on SBS. With an audience rating of 38.8% on average and 45.3% for the conclusion, the drama was a success. The drama was centered on Song Joo and Jeong Seo, who lost their own parents and spent their youth like actual siblings despite having lost a parent. Jeong Seo leans heavily on Song Joo, who is always there for her whenever she experiences loneliness or difficulty. However, out of envy, when Jeong Seo's father marries Tae Mi Ra, Mi Ra and her daughter Yu Ri continue to abuse Jeong Seo. Tae Hwa, Yu Ri's rough-and-tumble older brother, seems to have a crush on Jeong Seo because she is different from him in that she is innocent and kindhearted.

Its broadcast rights for Japan became a record-breaker as it was sold to Japan for ₩1.2 billion and received a high viewership rating on various channels. The broadcast rights of this drama were also sold to several countries in Asia, such as Vietnam, the Philippines, Thailand, and Indonesia, and across Latin America, including Mexico, Peru, and Costa Rica. Due to its popularity, "Stairway to Heaven" also had various remakes in the Philippines, Indonesia, Russia, and Cambodia.

"Jewel in the Palace"

"Jewel in the Palace," or "Dae Jang Geum," is a 2003 South Korean historical drama television series that aired on MBC from September 15, 2003, to March 23, 2004, and was hailed as the top show gaining an average viewership rating of 45.8% and a peak of 57.1%, and became the 10th highest rated Korean drama of all time. It was then distributed to 91 countries, where it generated US$103.4 million and received recognition as one of the leading advocates of the Korean Wave by accelerating the dissemination of Korean culture overseas. The drama's immense popularity has had a significant cultural impact, such as tourism and the promotion of Korean cuisine.

It recounts the story of Seo Jang Geum (Lee Young Ae), an orphaned and underprivileged kitchen servant who later became the first female physician to serve the King. Young Jang-geum, a trainee cook in a time when women had limited social power, aspires to master Korean cookery and medicine in order to treat the King's various illnesses. It is inspired by the real-life experiences of Jang-geum, the first royal female doctor during the Joseon Dynasty. Her tenacity and the depiction of traditional Korean culture, featuring food served at Korean royal courts and traditional medicine, are the central topics.

"All In"

From January 15 through April 3, 2003, "All In" is a 2003 South Korean television drama series broadcasted on SBS. The story follows a man's journey through the incredibly competitive industry of casino gambling as he contends with his opponents over wealth, power, and romance. It was based mostly on the story of professional poker player Jimmy Cha. The drama had good ratings in South Korea, with its final episode ranking 42nd among all Korean drama episodes in terms of peak viewing ratings at 47.7%. It has also received several awards, such as Grand Prize (Daesang) for TV during the 39th Baeksang Arts Awards. The drama starred Song Hye Kyo, Lee Byung Hun, and Ji Sung.

It tells the story of Kim In Ha, who all ever did as a child was to accompany his uncle around and assist him in gambling trickery. He used to hang out with his friends in a theater's basement while he was a high school student, where he gets to know Choi Jeong Won, a model student and the son of a wealthy family. In Ha befriends him and tries to persuade him to commit nefarious acts, and they both fall for Min Su Yeon, the daughter of the projectionist in the theater. Due to a tragic event, all of them will end up in different situations, only to meet up years after and try to turn their lives around.

"The Great Ambition"

"The Great Ambition," or "Daemang," was a weekend television series aired on SBS from 2002-2003 and starred Jang Hyuk, Son Ye Jin, Lee Yo Won, and Han Jae Suk. The drama series revolved around Park Jae Young, who was abandoned at his father's doorstep as a baby and develops into a kind but innocent guy, in contrast to his cunning and cruel older brother, Park Si Young, and his father, Park Hee Chan, who engages in dirty business tactics. Yoon Yeo Jin, a member of the aristocratic elite whom he has known since their youth, was his innocent first love. Park Jae Young, who refuses to follow the manner of his brother in managing businesses, flees from his house upon learning of his family's violent practices. After that, he runs into Choi Dong Hee and her trader father, and encounters his mother once more, who is now a dominant public official.

"Damo"

"Damo," also known as "The Legendary Police Woman," is a 2003 South Korean fusion historical drama, starring Ha Ji Won, Lee Seo Jin, and Kim Min Jun. It is set in the Joseon Dynasty and depicts the story of Chae Ok, a damo assigned to the low-status position of a female police detective who looks into criminal offenses committed and related to upper-class ladies. It has 14 episodes and broadcast on MBC on Mondays and Tuesdays from July 28 to September 9, 2003.

The plot revolves around Chae Ok, who is a child of a nobleman who was falsely accused of conspiring and later killed himself. When she was 7, an official captured her and brought her to be a slave for Hwangbo Yoon's family, separating her from her brother. She grew up with him in the highlands, learning the sword and martial arts. She has been secretly in love with Yoon for years, but she is aware that they are unable to be a couple due to his superior social position. Instead, she enters his department as a damo after he is promoted to the police commander in order to remain close to him and keep working with him. Chae Ok encounters the rebel commander Jang Sung Baek after she goes undercover to look into a forging ring. Amidst her courage and conviction, she ends up falling for Sung Baek as she attempts to arrest him.

"Sang Doo, Let's Go To School"

"Sang Doo! Let's Go to School!" is a 2003 South Korean television series starring Rain, Gong Hyo Jin, Lee Dong Gun, Hong Soo Hyun, and Song Min Joo and aired on KBS2 from September 15 to November 4, 2003. The story revolves around the story of best pals Cha Sang Doo, and Chae Eun Hwan were also secretly liking each another. Sang Doo accidentally throws a guy off a bridge and puts him in a coma in an effort to shield Eun Hwan and her family from the debt collector who seeks to confiscate their possessions. After being imprisoned for assault, Sang Doo is released and learns that Eun Hwan has fled with her family and that his parents have abandoned him and emigrated to America.

After some time passes, Sang Doo has a daughter named Cha Bo Ri, his child from a one-night encounter with Han Se Ra. He had to look for a job and become a gigolo because his daughter is ill and was stricken with leukemia. He later meets Eun Hwan again, who is currently a math instructor at a local high school. He goes back to high school, initially as a security guard and then as a pupil in her classroom, all in an attempt to win her love. However, Kang Min Suk, the doctor of his child, is engaged to Eun Hwan. Beginning as rivals fighting for Eun Hwan's affection, Min Suk and Sang Doo eventually become close friends. Even though Sang Doo and Eun Hwan's relationship appears to be progressing well, a number of factors hinder them from remaining together.

"Bodyguard"

Bodyguard is a 2003 South Korean television series starring Cha Seung Won, Lim Eun Kyung, and Han Go Eun. It aired on KBS2 from July 5 to September 14, 2003, on Saturdays and Sundays for 22 episodes. The drama bagged various awards, including the 2003 Best Actor of the Grimae Awards for Cha Seung Won and more awards from the 2003 KBS Drama Awards.

From the title, the story revolves around the story of Kyung Tak, a bodyguard, and how he ended up being a bodyguard. Kyung Tak, who is currently unemployed and attempting to make a living by working at his parent's restaurant, was compelled to resign from his military position as a result of the misconduct of his superior. As fate would have it, he rescues a client of Yoo Jin, a bodyguard, while looking for new employment, which leads to Kyung Rak being hired by the security company that she works for, which is led by Sung Soo. As Na Young relocates to the area with her grandmother and develops friendships with Kyung Mi, Kyung Tak's life is about to undergo more upheavals.