'Reborn Rich' K-drama becomes most watched show in multiple countries

Poster for the JTBC drama series "Reborn Rich" (2022) starring Song Joong-ki [VIU]

The JTBC K-drama “Reborn Rich” starring Song Joong-ki is topping streaming platforms in the Asian market, according to Hong Kong-based streaming service Viu on Thursday.

“Reborn Rich” launched on Nov. 18 on Korean television channel JTBC. Six episodes have been released so far, and the show quickly became “the most watched show” in Indonesia, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines over the span of the past 10 days.

Actor Song plays the lead role, a loyal employee who works for the large conglomerate Sunyang Group but is betrayed and murdered by his company. He wakes up to find himself reincarnated in the body of the youngest grandson of the Sunyang Group head.

Song is known globally, mainly through hit K-dramas such as KBS’s “Sungkyunkwan Scandal” (2010) and “Descendants of the Sun” (2016). Actors Lee Sung-min and Shin Hyun-been also play leads in the fantasy series.

Viu, which currently holds the exclusive rights to distribute “Reborn Rich” to foreign markets, commented that the series’ popularity is noteworthy considering that K-dramas which have gained global popularity before were usually focused romance, while “Reborn Rich” generally focuses on revenge and corporate infighting.

“Asian viewers tend to prefer romantic comedy K-dramas the most,” Viu analyzed. “‘Reborn Rich,’ despite being a corporate drama, is being loved thanks to its tightly-knit plot and acting by Song.”

Unlike most K-dramas that air two episodes a week, “Reborn Rich” releases three episodes per week, which Viu also pointed to as a contributor to the show’s quick rise in viewership.

BY HALEY YANG [yang.hyunjoo@joongang.co.kr]