A+E Networks announced that “Dramaworld” will premiere in Asia on April 2. In South Korea, it will premiere on the Lifetime Korea channel, and also on local OTT provider TVing. Additionally, global OTT platform iQIYI will air “Dramaworld” simultaneously in Southeast Asia, including Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Singapore, while in Japan, streamer U-NEXT will serve as the main platform. Leading into MIPTV, A+E Networks International holds all distribution and remake rights in Asia.
Co-produced by Third Culture Content and Raemongraein, “Dramaworld” is A+E Networks Korea’s second premium scripted drama. A new take on the genre, it is a fantasy romantic-comedy that follows the adventures of Claire Duncan (Liv Hewson), a twenty-year-old, American, K-drama fangirl, who gets magically transported into the world of her favorite Korean drama through her smartphone. She must quickly learn how to use the rules that govern this world in order to facilitate a happy ending for her favorite K-drama leading man, Joon Park (Sean Dulake). The story uses all the beloved romantic K-drama clichés and plot devices, giving fans of the genre a chance to truly enjoy the reasons why they love Korean dramas in the first place.
“Dramaworld” was a cult hit when first released on Netflix in 2016 as a web drama with mini episodes. This success led to its redevelopment through A+E Networks Korea as a longform drama incorporating the initial story as part of an expanded narrative. K-drama’s reigning leading lady Ji-won Ha and global sensation Henry Lau have joined Liv Hewson, Sean Dulake, Justin Chon, Brett Gray, Nuri Bae, Man-sik Jung, Myeong-been Choi, and Daniel Dae Kim to round out the diverse cast. The series was written by Josh Billig and Chris Martin, and all episodes were directed by Martin.
“A+E Networks continues to double down on creating relevant and globally monetizable IP. Building on the success of ‘Backstreet Rookie,’ our second scripted production, ‘Dramaworld,’ pays homage to the genre itself. We will continue to collaborate with local partners in Asia to develop and create interesting shows that are distinct and rise above the clutter,” remarked Saugato Banerjee, Managing Director for Asia at A+E Networks.
Youngsun Soh, General Manager of A+E Networks Korea, stated: “A+E Networks has been aggressively producing original content for both television and digital in close collaboration with world-class production and platform partners since launching in South Korea. We are very proud to be able to launch our second premium drama, ‘Dramaworld,’ the fruit of our endeavor and investment. We hope more viewers can enjoy themselves watching ‘Dramaworld’ on the Lifetime channel”.
Since A+E Networks expanded into South Korea in 2017, it has been dedicated to the production of original content for both television and digital broadcasting in conjunction with aggressive strategic investments. More than 40 titles of Korean original content have been produced in its short history, with many of them finding homes on platforms all around the world. The success of “Backstreet Rookie,” which aired in June 2020, paved the way to the full-scale investment of time and effort in Korean dramas. In addition to this premium scripted drama, “Dramaworld,” A+E Networks will continue to execute on effective creative and investment strategies in the competitive Korean content market.