Following the massive success ofKPop Demon HuntersandSquid Game,Netflixis understandably continuing to invest in Korean content.Netflix is the distributor of many popular K-dramas, but this genre and related content have truly taken off in recent years.
Squid Gamebecame a rare phenomenon when it debuted on the streamer in 2021,and in its subsequent seasons, gave stars such as former K-pop idol Jo Yu-ri major acting breakthroughs. Meanwhile, this summer, Netflix has been taken by storm asKPop Demon Huntersmaintains the top spot on streaming charts.
WhileKPop Demon Hunterspresents a fantasy and family-oriented take on the world of K-pop, Netflix just announced an upcoming series that could act as a replacement. ViaX, Netflix revealed thatthe new seriesVariety, followingCrash Landing On You’s Son Ye-jin as an executive in the K-pop industry and Jo Yu-ri as an obsessive fan, is in development.
Additionally,Varietyreported that the synopsis for the showVarietyis as follows:
The series aims to examine the complex dynamics between industry executives and fans. Son Ye-jin’s Se-eun, a top entertainment executive fighting to revive a struggling idol group, reflects the high-stakes nature of Korea’s entertainment business. Meanwhile, Jo Yu-ri’s Seung-hui — an obsessive fan — allows the former Iz*One member to explore the fan-idol dynamic from a perspective she knows intimately.
What Variety Means For Jo Yu-ri & Netflix
This Is A Promising Project That Will Offer A Different Look At K-Pop
Varietydoes not seem to be the most direct replacement forKPop Demon Hunters,as it will apparently be more dramatic and mature. However, what it will offer is a deeper dive into the harsher aspects of the K-pop industry.KPop Demon Hunterspresents Huntr/x’s lives as strenuous at times, but largely because they are moonlighting as supernatural warriors.
Meanwhile, Huntr/x’s relationship with their fans is almost entirely positive and vital to the movie’s plot, as they need to compete with the demon boy band Saja Boys to retain their fans to power the barrier protecting the world from demonkind. However,Varietycould also be huge for Netflix due to the perceivable interest in dramas about the world of K-pop.
Our Take On Jo Yu-ri Starring In Variety
We Can’t Wait To See Her In A Different Netflix Role – & More K-Pop!
Jo’s performance inSquid Gamewas gut-wrenching,as a young mother who gives birth during the deadly games and fulfills the recurringSquid Gamenarrative role of reminding other players of their humanity.Varietywill give her an entirely new challenge, which may also be dramatic but perhaps with some layers of comedy if it leans into the occasional absurdity of fan culture.
In addition to more exposure for some fantastic K-drama stars, I am looking forward to another fictional property that highlights K-pop music.KPop Demon Huntershas potentially proven thatNetflixhas a keen eye in this regard, and the company will be eager to show how it can replicate this success.
