5 K-Dramas About Seemingly Perfect Lives of the Ultra-Rich
They say it’s not always about the money, and these five K-dramas focus on the wide range of problems that often come with a luxurious lifestyle.
Most of us have dreamed of bathing in infinite wealth at least once in our lives, entranced by the veneer of luxurious living we see on the Internet and television.
However, the ultra-rich lifestyle is not always as carefree as it seems and often comes with its own set of problems, and these five K-dramas do a good job of delving into the subject.
Reborn Rich (2022)
Yoon Hyun-woo has been a loyal employee of a huge chaebol conglomerate for many years, until he fell victim to an elaborate plot to cover up a tax evasion, getting blamed for it and murdered shortly after.
But he is given a chance when he wakes up in 1987 in the body of the youngest grandson of the family responsible for his death, setting him on a quest to exact revenge and take over the company.
Sky Castle (2018-2019)
The story focuses on four women from upper-class families who live in a luxurious residential area in Seoul.
Eager to preserve their heritage, they try to make their husbands even more successful and ruthlessly raise their children to become "worthy" members of high society, regardless of the toll it takes on them.
The Penthouse: War in Life (2020-2021)
The show follows the residents of a luxurious skyscraper who live seemingly perfect lives that are actually filled with elaborate plots and schemes.
Each of the three seasons focuses on a different side of the ugly underbelly of the wealthy lifestyle, while maintaining the overall storyline.
Mask (2015)
Byun Ji-sook struggles to make ends meet and dreams of a wealthy life, but continues to work as a saleswoman in a department store and deals with her father's ever-growing debts.
One day, however, she gets the chance to change her life drastically when she meets Seo Eun-ha, a woman from a wealthy family who looks absolutely identical to her.
Perfect Marriage Revenge (2023)
Han Yi-joo is unhappy with her current miserable life, trapped in a dysfunctional marriage and desperately seeking the approval of her rich family.
But after she is betrayed by her relatives, finds out that her husband is unfaithful to her, gets into a serious accident and is finally murdered, all on the same day, she wakes up one year before the chain of disasters and decides to take matters into her own hands.