Korean Dramas Revive Nostalgic 1980s and 1990s on TV and Streaming

As of October 10th, 2025, the Korean content market is experiencing a surge in period dramas that take viewers back to the 1980s and 1990s. The latest addition to this trend is the upcoming tvN weekend drama 'Taepung Sangsa', set to premiere on the 11th. The drama follows the struggles of a novice trading company employee during the 1997 IMF financial crisis.

Productions are going to great lengths to ensure authenticity in their portrayals of the past. The 'Taepung Sangsa' crew conducted interviews with former trading company employees and even sourced a "telex" machine from a museum. Similarly, JTBC's ongoing drama 'One Hundred Memories' painstakingly acquired and restored an actual bus from the 1980s for use as a key prop.

This retro wave extends beyond television to OTT platforms as well. The Netflix series 'Aema', released in August, meticulously reconstructed the Chungmuro film scene of the 1980s, earning praise for its attention to period-specific details like hand-painted theater signs and fashion.

While period dramas have always existed, the current boom is largely credited to the success of tvN's 'Reply' series. These dramas offer nostalgia to those who lived through the era and novelty to younger viewers. However, production challenges remain, as a focus solely on historical accuracy can sometimes come at the expense of narrative strength.