South Korean dramas not only consist of fantasy and fictional romance but many are based on real-life events. Among the many K-dramas based on true stories, some of the fan-favorite shows include Crash Landing on You, The Glory, and Hwarang.
While most Korean dramas may have unrealistic storylines, a few contain true stories. However, it doesn’t mean the entire series is based on true events. The directors and writers seek inspiration from real-life scenarios and work around those stories to create an interesting plot for viewers.
For example, The Glory’s theme of bullying within school premises and Crash Landing on You’s cross-border idea were derived from real events. On that note, here’s a look at more of these K-dramas based on true stories.
Crash Landing on You
Crash Landing on You is one of K-dramas based on true stories. Yoon Se-Ri (Son Ye-Jin), a heiress of a big firm, crash-lands in North Korea after a paragliding accident. Ri Jeong-Hyeok, played by Hyun Bin, finds her and helps her return to her homeland. Amid several obstacles and chaos, the two fall in love.
Park Ji Eun, the writer of the series, revealed in an interview with tvN that actress Jung Yang was the inspiration for the story. She said, “An actress took a ferry from Incheon and met a current of wind. When she came to, she found herself off the shores of North Korea, and the North Korean coast guard was chasing after her. It was a major incident that was on the news. That’s when I first realized, ‘Is North Korea that close?’” This inspired her to write Crash Landing on You.
The K-drama is available to stream on Netflix.
The Glory
The Glory is a critically acclaimed K-drama starring Song Hye-Kyo and Lee Do-Hyun. It is the story of a young woman, Moon Dong-Eun, who drops out of school because of bullying. Seeing her dream crash, she decides to seek revenge on her tormentors. Interestingly, she becomes a primary school teacher in the class where the daughter of one of her bullies studies.
The K-drama is not entirely based on a true story but inspired by real-life events. As per a report on ScreenRant, writer Kim Eun-Sook based the bullying storyline on the increasing rate of bullying cases in South Korea. Another inspiration for the K-drama was an important conversation the writer had with her daughter.
Viewers can watch the series on Netflix.
Taxi Driver
Taxi Driver is also one of K-dramas based on true stories. The highly-rated Korean series, starring Lee Je-Hoon, tells the story of Rainbow Taxi Company and taxi driver Kim Do-Gi. The company offers a “revenge call” service to clients who have been wronged. Do-Gi then seeks revenge on the culprits on behalf of the passengers.
The series is based on a collection of true stories that exist in South Korea. It is available on various streaming platforms, including Viki and Amazon Prime.
Hwarang: The Poet Warrior
Hwarang: The Poet Warrior is a historical drama. Park Seo-Joon, Park Hyung-Sik, BTS V, and Go Ara starred in the series. It is the story of a group of young men recruited as protectors of the kingdom. They receive special training and are known as Hwarang.
As per Britannica, a group of elite young warriors known as Hwarangdo used to exist during the Silla dynasty in Korea. The warriors allegedly played an important role in the “establishment of the unified Silla dynasty.”
Fight for My Way
Fight for My Way is a 2017 K-drama inspired by true events. Starring Park Seo-Joon and Kim Ji-Won, the series is a sports romance story between a former taekwondo champion and a receptionist. It revolves around how they work towards achieving their respective dreams with each other’s support.
In an interview, writer Im Sang Choon revealed that he got inspiration from MMA fighters. He said, “I started getting interested in martial arts when I saw Choo Sung-Hoon and Yano Shiho together. It felt sad watching Yano Shiho cry as she watched her husband fight in a match. I started paying more attention to the families of martial arts fighters.” Interestingly, the couple appeared in a show called The Return of Superman.
