Top 7 K-Dramas Featuring Pop Idols and Music Themes

K-pop idols and K-dramas share an intriguing connection, with the Korean entertainment industry producing a variety of dramas centered around pop idols and the music world. For some viewers, these series serve as a therapeutic escape from reality, immersing them in fictional tales.

Several K-dramas depict the demanding journey of pop idols, with varied narratives that intertwine the personal lives of these stars. Notably, Idol: The Coup offers a glimpse into the lives of pop singers, while So I Married an Anti-Fan tells a romantic story between a beloved idol and a reporter.

K-Dramas Focused on Pop Idols

• Top Management
• Idol: The Coup
• Dream High
• Part-Time Idol
• Will!
• The Heavenly Idol
• So I Married an Anti-Fan

1) Top Management

Top Management is a captivating K-drama focused on the lives of pop idols, first aired in October 2018. Spanning 16 episodes, this series follows Yoo Eun-sung, a girl gifted with the ability to see the future.

Seo Eun-soo plays Eun-sung, who undergoes intense training to pursue her dream of becoming a pop idol. Instead, she becomes the manager of a struggling boy band, S.O.U.L., at Starlight Entertainment.

This K-drama highlights the hurdles faced by the band and their eventual decline. Ahn Hyo Seop stars as Hyun Soo-yong, who joins the band with high aspirations.

Upon meeting Eun-sung at the agency, Soo-yong develops feelings for her, but their relationship complicates when Eun-sung begins to foresee future events.

Watch it on: YouTube

2) Idol: The Coup

Idol: The Coup, another K-drama that exposes the realities of pop idols’ lives, is directed by Noh Jong-chan and premiered in 2021. In this 12-episode drama, the narrative follows the girl group Cotton Candy, consisting of five members.

As Cotton Candy nears disbandment, the members, Jenna, Hyun-ji, Stella, El, and Chae-ah, confront their failures and rally together to rebuild their careers.

Ahn Hee-yeon plays Kim Je-na (Jenna), the leader and mediator of the group, emphasizing the mental health challenges faced by idols, rather than romantic entanglements.

Watch it on: Prime Video

3) Dream High

Dream High chronicles the often challenging path to becoming a pop idol, focusing on the life of students at a performing arts school. This acclaimed KBS2 drama, which aired in 2011, runs for 16 episodes and won numerous accolades, including awards from the Korean Drama Awards and the MAMA Awards.

The plot centers on Kirin Art High School and its six diverse students. Bae Suzy stars as Go Hye-mi, a talented but arrogant student aspiring to be an opera singer, who enrolls to help clear her father’s debts.

Featuring actors like Kim Soo-hyun, Ok Taec-yeon, and Jang Woo Young from the boy band 2 PM, the series showcases their experiences and growth as a six-member band comes together.

Watch it on: Netflix, Viki

4) Part-Time Idol

Part-Time Idol is a delightful K-drama that aired in 2017, exploring the production process behind creating pop idols. The series consists of five episodes and features actors like Kim Min-kyo, Lee Su-hyun, and Haha.

Kim Min-kyo stars as Jung Tae Kyung, a music producer who takes a sabbatical to discover himself before returning to mentorship. He trains several trainees, each grappling with their unique challenges.

As Tae-kyung aids them in overcoming their personal battles, they face opposition from their agency’s CEO, highlighting the harsh realities of the entertainment industry.

Watch it on: Netflix

5) Will!

Doona! features the talented Bae Suzy in a romantic narrative centered around a retired pop idol’s life. Directed by Lee Jeong-hyo, known for Crash Landing on You, the drama is based on the webtoon The Girl Downstairs by Min Song-ah.

In this drama, Bae Suzy portrays Doo-na, a former idol who yearns for a regular life while living near her university. She unexpectedly meets Lee Won-jun (Yang Se-jong), a quiet boy with a typical background, sparking intrigue when she expresses her desire for normalcy.

The narrative unfolds with complications arising from the entry of Kim Jin-ju (Shin Ha-young), Won-jun’s childhood crush, resulting in a captivating love triangle that keeps viewers engaged.

Watch it on: Netflix

6) The Heavenly Idol

The Heavenly Idol, a fantasy K-drama adapted from a webtoon, debuted in February 2023. Featuring Kim Min-kyu in dual roles, the series showcases his evolution as an actor.

Min-kyu plays Pontifex Rembrary, a priest who becomes trapped in the body of pop idol Woo Yeon-woo due to a sorcerer’s spell. This transition occurs just prior to a crucial performance, leading to a comedic series of events as Rembrary attempts to navigate the world of an idol.

Watch it on: Viki

7) So I Married an Anti-Fan

So I Married an Anti-Fan is a rom-com that tells a humorous love story between an idol and a magazine reporter. Released in 2021, the series consists of 16 episodes and explores themes of fandom and reality TV.

Choi Tae-joon plays Hoo-Joon, a globally recognized pop idol. A scandal involving reporter Geun-young (Soo-young) leads to Hoo-joon losing his job, making Geun-young his anti-fan. The two later participate in a reality show, where they must act as a married couple, leading to both comedic and heartwarming moments as their feelings blossom.

Watch it on: Prime Video, Viki

These K-dramas centered on Korean idols showcase the creativity and storytelling prowess of their writers and directors, while the presence of actual idols adds authenticity and relatability to the narratives.

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