Leading OTT (online video services) such as Netflix, Coupang Play, and Tving are engaging in a fierce box office battle in February, each with new romance dramas. All eyes are on the industry and beyond to see what kind of box office results the romance dramas that combine different genres or feature special materials will have.

Netflix, the undisputed No. 1 OTT, is determined to continue the box office success of its first original drama released this year, the medical action drama ‘Trauma Center’, with ‘Melo Movie’, which will be released on the 14th.

This is the new work of writer Lee Na-eun, who was praised for showing the essence of youth romance with ‘That Year, We’, and it contains a movie-like time in which ambiguous youths who want to be in love and achieve their dreams discover each other, become inspirations for each other, and overcome their own traumas.

Choi Woo-shik plays Go Gyeom, a movie fanatic who turns from a bit part actor to a critic, and Park Bo-young plays Kim Moo-bi, a woman who used to hate movies but becomes a film director, and they will be chemistry in the romantic comedy. Lee Jun-young, who plays the unknown composer Hong Si-jun, and Jeon So-ni, who plays his lover and screenwriter Son Joo-ah, also lend their support.

In advance, Tving and Coupang Play will take the lead with ‘Chunhwa Yeonaedam’ and ‘Newtopia’, which will be released first on the 6th and 7th, respectively.

‘Chunhwa Yeonaedam’, starring Go A-ra and Jang Ryul, is armed with the unconventional subject matter of ‘Joseon Dynasty erotic novels’. The story is about Princess Hwa-ri (Go Ara), who failed in her first love while the city was in an uproar over the unconventional romance collection ‘Chunhwayeonaedam’, and what happens when she sets out to find her husband herself.

With the lead character being a female protagonist, which is rare in historical dramas, the drama is drawing attention, and director Lee Kwang-young explained, “I tried to boldly and provocatively tell the story of how Princess Hwa-ri can start love again.”Newtopia’, which depicts the story of soldier Jae-yoon (Park Jung-min) and his girlfriend Yeong-ju (Jisoo) running towards each other through downtown Seoul attacked by zombies, arouses curiosity by claiming to be a ‘Zomcom’ genre that combines zombies and romantic comedy.

Above all, the drama is garnering even more anticipation as it stars world star BLACKPINK Jisoo, and based on Jisoo‘s global popularity, it will be released in over 240 countries and regions through the global OTT Prime Video.


Reporter Seungmi Lee smlee@donga.com

This article is automatically translated using Google AI. If you notice any inaccuracies, please let us know at allkstar@donga.com.