What is the 'Reply' series?

The 'Reply' series of Korean dramas is credited with igniting the current retro boom, offering nostalgia to viewers who lived through the 1980s and 1990s.

How are Korean dramas accurately portraying the past?

Korean drama productions are going to great lengths to ensure authenticity, from sourcing vintage props like a "telex" machine to painstakingly acquiring and restoring actual buses from the 1980s for use as key props.

What challenges do Korean drama producers face in recreating the past?

While period dramas have become an attractive genre, production teams face the challenge of balancing historical accuracy with maintaining the narrative strength of the story.

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

10 Oct

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Summary

Korean dramas meticulously recreating past eras for authenticity
Dramas on TV and streaming platforms tapping into viewer nostalgia
Production challenges in sourcing accurate props and sets

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.

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