13 Years Later, a Forgotten K-drama With Today's Top Stars Getting a Second Life on Netflix

Summary

• In the 2010s, Korean television began to gain global recognition.
• It was during this time that this musical K-drama was released, debuting many of the now famous stars of the Korean entertainment industry.
• The series is now available to stream on Netflix.

By the '00s, the Korean Wave had already gained some traction in global pop culture: the second generation of K-pop, represented by Boa and Rain, generated no small amount of hype; South Korean cinema was widely recognized with the release of films such as Bong Joon-ho's Memories of Murder and Park Chan-wook's The Vengeance Trilogy; and television was remembered for cult series from Winter Sonata to Coffee Prince and Boys Over Flowers. However, Korean pop culture exports at the time were primarily to Asian countries — not insignificant considering markets like China, Japan, and India, but still a relatively niche phenomenon in the rest of the world.

However, everything changed in the late '00s and early '10s, when everyone started singing along to Psy's Gangnam Style (and then BTS ). K-dramas became widely available thanks to streaming services like Netflix. And it was during this time that actors, musicians, and filmmakers who are now considered major stars made their television debuts. Of particular note is the 2011 teen musical that launched the careers of many of its cast members. It's a pretty good drama that was recently given a second life by Netflix.

What Is This Forgotten 2011 K-Drama About?

It's always fun to watch current stars at the beginning of their careers, and the musical romance Dream High is the best choice. The creative producer of the series is none other than Bae Yong-joon, who was once famous for Winter Sonata. The series was produced in collaboration with Park Jin-young. The script was written by Park Hye-ryun (While You Were Sleeping, Stand-Up) and directed by Lee Eung-bok, known for the Neftlix hits Mr. Sunshine and Sweet Home. Sunshine and Sweet Home, and Kim Seong-yoon of Itaewon Class fame.

Dream High follows six high school students from Kirin High School who dream of making it in the K-pop industry. The musical elements of the series are perfectly combined with teen drama elements, as the main characters not only hone their artistic skills, but also live ordinary teenage lives: fighting and bonding, competing and supporting each other, while trying to realize their place in the world and their goals for the future.

The Series Starred Now World-Renowned Actors and Musicians

Most importantly, Dream High was the debut project for many of the now popular stars of Korean television, film, and music. Let's find out which actors were involved in the series:

Kim Soo-hyun — One of Korea's top heartthrobs and highest-paid actors played a music prodigy who dreams of running a cattle farm.

Bae Suzy — For Suzy, who had debuted the year before as a member of Miss A, this was her very first role. She played a girl who wanted to be an opera singer but had to break into the pop industry to pay off her father's debts.

Lee Ji-eun — This was also IU's first role. She played a talented student with perfect pitch who was under pressure because of her overweight.

Ok Taec-yeon — 2PM's Taecyeon was already famous at the time, but this role was also a milestone for him. He played a troubled student who dreams of becoming a dancer to impress his father.

Hahm Eun-jung — The T-ara member played the role of Suzy's character's former friend and current rival.

Jang Woo-young — In addition to Taecyeon, fellow 2PM member Wooyoung also starred in the show, playing the role of a dancer who came to Korea from the US.

Dream High will not overwhelm you like modern K-dramas with high budgets and breathtaking acting performances. After all, these were just the first steps for the baby actors. Still, it's a heartwarming drama, which shows how far its stars have come since then.