10 K-Dramas That Bombed In Korea, But Became Worldwide Success 

South Korean TV shows are actually the most mysterious niche the industry has to offer. People either never even try to watch them, or if they do watch at least one series, they become obsessed and binge on every show that has ever been released.

Especially as the quality of South Korean TV shows has increased in recent years, it's no surprise that the fandom is growing. However, these ten movies are considered huge successes across the seas, even though they haven't done well enough at home.

1. It's Okay to Not Be Okay

The show centers around a children's book author and a psychiatrist who become a couple and begin to carefully take care of each other's real needs. The show was an instant success worldwide, earning an 8.6 on IMDb. In South Korea, however, the series received low ratings, with episode 10 scoring a shocking 4.2.

2. The King: Eternal Monarch

The Netflix release helped the show gain a large audience. The heart of the series is a love story set in two parallel worlds and a lot of other little complications. In South Korea, the drama also started off great, but then the ratings started to drop, and the reason for that was actually the main twist, which just seemed a little too complicated for domestic viewers.

3. Hwarang

Probably the show that people talked about the most when it just released. Set in the pre-10th century times, the show told the story of beautiful men trained to guard the King in hiding. But in South Korea, the ratings were 7.2%.

4. Welcome to Waikiki

This K-drama has earned a fair 8.2 on IMDb, but Korean fans rate it only 1.7, making it one of the lowest rankings for a K-drama ever. The show revolves around three friends who try to become business partners and open a guesthouse. Their attempts to make the business work are hilarious.

5. Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo

No foreign fan would ever think that this show is not going to be liked back home, but it's true. The K-drama revolves around a girl who goes back in time and gets involved in love and politics of the traditional era. The ratings varied between 11% and 5%, but international fans are right there to defend the show.

6. True Beauty

The series follows the story of a girl who undergoes a major makeover just to fit in at her new school. It's a fun, cozy show that quickly became popular around the world. The South Korean audience wasn't as enthusiastic about it. The show only got a rating of 4% for not giving any new ideas in its plot.

7. Uncontrollably Fond

This K-drama follows long lost lovers who are reunited after years apart. The show had a star-studded cast, so expectations were pretty high, but even after the strong start, it didn't do well with South Korean viewers. However, the drama went on to become the biggest hit in China.

8. Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-joo

The show is now considered a cult classic and has an IMDb rating of 8.5. People all over the world just love the cute and humorous K-drama starring one of its A-listers, Lee Sung-kyung. However, even that didn’t help the show become a hit in South Korea, which only gave it a 4.9 domestic rating.

9. Doom at Your Service

The show follows a young woman who finds herself broken after the death of her parents. She also suffers from constant pressure at work, but the worst thing that could happen in this already bad time was that she was diagnosed with a disease. So she wants it all to go away, and that's when Doom shows up to help her. Apparently, the story seemed way too fictional for the fans at home – how else would you explain the anticlimactic rating of 4?

10. Extraordinary You

The series is about a rich girl with a heart condition that significantly lowers her chances to live past her teens. Not only that – she also realizes she is just a side character in a web manga. Frustrated with her character arc, she sets out to write her own story. People abroad loved the series for its twisted plot and the romance, while viewers in Korea weren't too impressed, judging by the modest rating of 5.