Netflix gives green light to Korean drama ‘Doona!’ from ‘Crash Landing on You’ Director – The Hollywood Reporter
Netflix revealed on Monday that it has ordered a series adaptation of the popular Korean webtoon Doona!
The show will tell the story of a coming-of-age romance between an ordinary college freshman and a former K-pop idol who meet at a shared house. The college student will be played by Yang Se-jong (temperature of love, Still 17 and romantic doctor), while the former idol, named Doona in the series, will be inhabited by real-life K-pop star Suzy (aka Bae Su-ji, the star of starting a business, anna and uncontrollable love).
Doona! will be directed by veteran K-drama director Lee Jung-hyo, the talent behind Netflix’s hit series Accident landed on you and Romance is a bonus book.
Netflix released some year-end viewership data for its Korean content in tandem with Monday’s series announcement. While a bit vague, the numbers underline streamers’ optimism towards Korean content. According to the company, more than 60% of global Netflix members have watched Korean content by 2022, with Korean titles making it to Netflix’s weekly Top 10 list in more than 90 countries. And three of Netflix’s ten most popular non-English shows are from Korea (Squid game, We are all dead, Special Attorney Woo), while Squid game continues to be the most watched Netflix title of all time across all content categories (English or non-English).
Netflix summary of Doona! read: “Suzy takes on the lead role of Doona, once the main vocal of an idol group and a key member of the group’s popularity, who suddenly announced her retirement and lived alone in a house. college town collective. … Yang Se-jong plays Joon, Doona’s love interest, an ordinary, needy college student who shields Doona from her harsh reality with warmth and integrity.”
The streamer added that director Lee “promises to deliver an unusual love story that touches the hearts of young people in their twenties and is sweet.”
Doona! written by Jang Yu-ha, adapted from Min Song-a’s original webtoon on Naver Lee Doona! The series is produced by Studio Dragon, Showrunners, and Studio N. Target release date is not disclosed.
