Actors strike a pose at the press conference for the film Butterfly, held on the 21st at CGV Yongsan I’Park Mall in Seoul. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, Aug. 26 (Korea Bizwire) — A drunken brawl in a neon-lit karaoke bar, a bottle of soju in hand, unfolds to the sound of ABBA’s “Dancing Queen.” It may look like a scene from a Korean drama, but it is in fact from Butterfly, a new American series that wears its Korean influences proudly.
Premiering in South Korea on August 22, the Amazon MGM production is set in Korea, features mostly Korean characters, and includes significant dialogue in Korean.
Directed by Kim Jin-min and starring actors Kim Tae-hee, Park Hae-soo, and Sung Dong-il, the series was executive-produced and headlined by Korean American actor Daniel Dae Kim, with a script by Korean American writer Steph Cha. Even its promotional poster bears both the English title Butterfly and its Korean translation, “나비.”
“This show is like me — an American drama with a Korean heart,” Daniel Dae Kim said.
Butterfly is the latest example of a growing genre that some in the industry describe as “American dramas made like K-dramas.” It follows the success of Apple TV+’s Pachinko, based on Min Jin Lee’s novel and produced by Korean American Soo Hugh, with directors Kogonada and Justin Chon and a predominantly Korean cast, including Oscar-winner Youn Yuh-jung.
Drama Pachinko Season 2 (Image courtesy of Apple TV+)
At the same time, Korean directors are increasingly at the helm of overseas productions. Kim Hong-sun directed Season 3 of Gangs of London, while Park Chan-wook served as showrunner for HBO’s The Sympathizer — the first time he oversaw a U.S. series from planning to execution.
The trend also flows the other way: “K-dramas made like American shows” are emerging as Korean studios collaborate with global partners and foreign actors. Disney+’s Polaris stars Korean actress Jun Ji-hyun opposite Hollywood actor John Cho, while Studio Dragon partnered with Japan’s TBS for First Love Dogs and SLL co-produced Mamool with TV Asahi.
Industry insiders say the convergence is a natural outgrowth of the global “K-wave,” fueled by the popularity of Korean dramas, music, food, and beauty. “Hollywood studios are eager to localize Korean IPs or co-produce with Korean creators,” one production executive said.
As boundaries blur, the question of whether a show is a “K-drama” or an “American drama” may matter less. Increasingly, it is simply both — a reflection of how Korean culture has become embedded in the global mainstream.
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
