Over the past few years, many K-dramas have given their fans some of the most interesting and charming characters living ultra-luxurious lifestyles as chaebols. These characters own huge palace-like houses, have a number of top-class vehicles, and generally run conglomerates. The creators pair these chaebols with interesting storylines about their lifestyles and introduce drama. The leads of these dramas are either chaebol heir or heiress, trying to live their lives either in or away from their rich backgrounds.
Some of the more recent (new and upcoming) K-dramas about chaebols include Queen of Tears, Flex X Cop, My Demon, and several others. Meanwhile, the concept of chaebol isn’t recent. Old-school K-dramas like Boys Over Flowers, The Heirs, and others introduced a K-drama fan to the world of the crème de la crème of South Korean society.
Check out our recommendations about the upcoming and popular K-drama about chaebols.
Queen of Tears
Queen of Tears is an upcoming tvN K-drama that will release on March 9, 2024. The series follows the story of the chaebol heiress of Queens Group, Hong Hae-In (Kim Ji-Won), who gets married to a Yongduri village resident, Baek Hyun-Woo (Kim Soo-Hyun). He ultimately becomes the legal director of the group but faces marriage troubles three years later with his wife. The drama shows how the two set aside their differences and fall in love all over again. It will also be available on Netflix.
Flex X Cop
Flex X Cop is an ongoing SBS drama about a third-generation chaebol heir, Jin Yi-Soo (Ahn Bo-Hyun). After an unfortunate incident that leads him to prison, Yi-Soo gets appointed as a cop overnight due to his background as the Hansoo Group heir. He begins his duties as a cop and meets detective and team leader Lee Kang-Hyun (Park Ji-Hyun). Meanwhile, he uses his chaebol connections to solve cases, which infuriates Kang-Hyun. The drama premiered on January 26, 2024, and is also available to stream on Disney Plus.
My Demon
My Demon is a popular K-drama that premiered on November 24, 2023, on SBS. The series follows the story of chaebol heiress Do Do-Hee (Kim Yoo-Jung), who crosses paths with demon Jung Gu-Won (Song Kang). The two enter into a marriage contract for their own selfish reasons but eventually end up falling in love amid a tragic past-life connection. The drama is also available to stream on Netflix.
Boys Over Flowers
Boys Over Flowers is an old-school favorite that tells the story of Geum Jan-Di (Koo Hye-Sun), who comes from a poor family. She joins a prestigious school only meant for elites on a scholarship. There, Jan-Di meets an elite group of boys, including the group’s leader, Go Jun-Pyo (Lee Min-Ho). Although initially she becomes a target of the boys, they come to understand her, especially Jun-Pyo, who falls in love with her. The drama premiered on January 5, 2009, and is available on Viki and Netflix.
The Heirs
The Heirs is a popular K-drama which premiered on October 9, 2013. The series follows the story of a group of individuals belonging to elite-class families. They navigate their lives as they are groomed to become heirs to their respective family businesses. The story centers around Kim Tan (Lee Min-Ho), heir to the Jeguk Group, who falls in love with Cha Eun-Sang (Park Shin-Hye), the daughter of the family housekeeper. The two navigate societal struggles to be together. The drama is available to stream on Netflix and Viki.
Other popular K-dramas that center around chaebols and their lives include Sky Castle, What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim, Perfect Marriage Revenge, Reborn Rich, Strong Woman Do Bong-Soon, Business Proposal, and several others. The list is endless, and chaebol K-dramas promise a perfect blend of luxury and entertainment.
