CJ ENM Dominates Time Magazine's Best K-Dramas of 2024

CJ ENM's dramas are gaining global recognition for their exceptional K-content capabilities, surpassing domestic boundaries. In the recent 'Top 10 K-Dramas of 2024' list published by Time magazine, CJ ENM secured the top two spots, with all five of its nominated works making it into the top ten. Time highlighted the strength of K-content, particularly Korean storytelling, declaring 2024 as the 'Golden Age of Korean TV.'

Unlike the past three years, where most top K-dramas were Netflix releases, this year saw a diverse range of shows from various OTT platforms in the top ten. A representative from CJ ENM attributed this success to their strategy of distributing content across global platforms like Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, and Rakuten Viki, effectively expanding the valuation of their intellectual properties.

The five CJ ENM dramas featured include 'Sunjai Up Go' (1st place on Rakuten Viki), 'Jeongnyeon' (2nd place on Disney+), 'Pyramid Game' (7th place on Paramount+), and 'Marry My Husband' (8th place on Amazon Prime Video) and 'Lee Jae, Soon to Die' (9th place on Amazon Prime Video).

'Sunjai Up Go' (written by Lee Si-eun, directed by Yoon Jong-ho and Kim Tae-yeop), which topped the list, was praised by Time for its well-crafted story despite lacking a big budget or star power. Previously, it was also recognized as the second-best K-drama of 2024 by the UK’s NME, which noted its balance of clichés. The show has achieved remarkable success on Rakuten Viki, ranking first for six consecutive weeks in 109 countries, including the US, Canada, the UK, France, Brazil, and Mexico.

In second place, 'Jeongnyeon' (directed by Jeong Ji-in, written by Choi Hyo-bi) is notable for being the first K-drama to focus on female traditional Korean opera, reviving interest in this art form both domestically and internationally. It has sparked significant cultural discussions, even leading to a fivefold increase in online mentions of 'gukgeuk' (national opera) from September to October.

'The Pyramid Game' (directed by Park So-yeon, written by Choi Soo-i), a Tving original series, ranked seventh. NME previously called it a must-watch for its dark charm, placing it sixth in their own rankings. The series was the only Korean work invited to the French drama series event 'Series Mania' in March, receiving acclaim for its unique world-building and strong performances.

'Marry My Husband' (written by Shin Yu-dam, directed by Park Won-guk and Han Jin-sun) made it to eighth place, becoming the first K-drama to reach number one in global daily TV show rankings on Amazon Prime Video. It also ranked third in NME's best K-drama list for 2024, achieving high ratings not only in Asia but also in the US, Canada, France, and the UK, maintaining a top ten position for 27 consecutive weeks after its conclusion.

Lastly, 'Lee Jae, Soon to Die' (directed and written by Ha Byeong-hoon) secured the ninth spot. Following the release of its second part in January, it reached second place in global rankings on FlixPatrol for Prime Video, igniting a K-content craze. In March, it re-entered the top ten of global TV show rankings on Prime Video, thanks to the release of dubbed versions, resonating with universal themes of life and death.