[theqoo] NETFLIX STOCK PLUNGES IN THE U.S...... WILL KOREAN DRAMAS, COSTING 80 BILLION WON, BE A HIT?

(T/N: 80B won = ~60M USD)

While Netflix faces a sharp decline of over 5% in its U.S. stock price, the platform is set to release a major, high-budget production in Korea—with an investment of approximately 80 billion won. All eyes are on whether "Tantara", a project generating significant buzz for marking the first on-screen pairing of actors Song Hyekyo and Gong Yoo, can achieve global success by the end of the year.

On the 22nd, Netflix confirmed that its new series, "Tantara," will premiere on December 11. The project brings together writer Noh Hee-kyung and director Lee Yoon-jung, and features a star-studded cast including Song Hyekyo, Gong Yoo, Kim Seol-hyun, Cha Seung-won, Lee Ha-nee, and Na Moon-hee.

Netflix, in particular, has been struggling in the U.S. stock market recently. On the 21st, its share price fell by approximately 5.3%. This decline is attributed to investor concerns following the company’s third-quarter earnings report, specifically regarding lowered forecasts for advertising revenue and a slowdown in growth.

Meanwhile, a new production with a massive budget is set to be released in South Korea. According to industry sources, the production cost for the project, tentatively titled "Tantara", is estimated at around 80 billion won. Given the fierce competition among global OTT platforms, there is significant interest in how this title will perform.

The story follows the lives of individuals chasing success within the South Korean entertainment industry from the 1960s to the 1980s. Min-ja (played by Song Hyekyo), who spent a poverty-stricken childhood, ventures into the record business, while her childhood friend Dong-gu (played by Gong Yoo) stands by her side as they forge their future together. Kim Seol-hyun plays Min-hee, a character whose life is intricately intertwined with Min-ja’s, and Cha Seung-won portrays Seok Gil-yeo, a star composer.

The accompanying poster depicts the characters' personal growth, centered around a turntable. It captures various stages of their lives, from Min-ja and Dong-gu, who once took on odd jobs to make ends meet, as they enter the entertainment industry, to Min-hee performing on stage and Seok Gil-yeo playing the saxophone.

For Song Hyekyo, this project marks her return following last year’s film 'The Black Nuns' and serves as her first work released since she moved to a new agency after leaving UAA earlier this year. Gong Yoo also makes his return to a new series after about two years, following his appearances in the Netflix production 'The Trunk' and 'Squid Game' Season 2. This marks the first time the two actors have worked together on the same project.

original post: here

1. 80 billion won for a Noh Hee-kyung project?? I'm not really sure about her sensibilities (T/N: Her notable dramas are 'That Winter, the Wind Blows' and 'It's Okay, That's Love')

2. Investing 80 billion won in a niche writer like Noh Hee-kyung...

3. 80 billion won for Noh Hee-kyung??

4. I mean, in an era where dramas using AI are everywhere, Netflix needs to adapt to stay relevant, they really ought to read the signs of the times

5. 80 billion won? It doesn't seem to fit the style of a Noh Hee-kyung drama

6. 80 billion won for Noh Hee-kyung? What did they see in it to justify that investment...

7. I've heard that period dramas set in the modern era actually cost more to produce than sageuks. Still, 80 billion won is likely mostly going toward the actors' fees... A Netflix series by Noh Hee-kyung feels like a total "all-or-nothing" gamble

8. 80 billion won for a Noh Hee-kyung project? It's not like it's going to be some flashy, high-spectacle story, so... hmm...

9. Are they not releasing another season of Kingdom?

10. Netflix Korea really has no sense for what works. Spending 80 billion won on some gritty, low-rent, "yellow-stained wallpaper" aesthetic? Please, just put that money toward Kingdom Season 3 instead

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