A Forgotten Pioneer Behind the Global Rise of Korean Dramas
Long before Korean dramas became global streaming sensations watched by millions of viewers from Los Angeles to London, a small group of television executives were working to introduce Korean storytelling to international audiences. Among them was Park Jae-bok, a former executive at South Korea’s MBC who helped open the door for Korean television content overseas.
Park died on Aug. 7, 2026, at a hospital in Bucheon, South Korea, at the age of 66, according to Yonhap News Agency. He was widely recognized in South Korea’s broadcasting industry as one of the early figures who helped establish the foundation for what would later become known worldwide as the Korean Wave, or Hallyu — the global spread of Korean culture through music, television, film and other forms of entertainment.
For many international audiences, the global popularity of Korean dramas is associated with recent streaming hits such as Netflix’s “Squid Game” or romance series that have built large international fan communities. But the expansion of K-dramas began decades earlier, when Korean broadcasters were still searching for ways to introduce their shows to viewers beyond the country’s borders.
“What Is Love?” and the First Steps Into Global Markets
Park’s most notable achievement came through the 1992 MBC drama “What Is Love?” (“Sarang-i Mwogil-lae” in Korean). At the time, South Korean television was primarily focused on domestic audiences, and the international distribution systems that now allow Korean content to reach viewers instantly were not yet developed.
After moving to MBC Production in 1992, Park worked to export “What Is Love?” to Hong Kong, while also arranging the overseas sale of another major drama, “Eyes of Dawn,” to Turkey. These efforts represented an early attempt to treat Korean television dramas as cultural products with international value rather than simply programs made for local consumption.
“What Is Love?” later became one of the most important early examples of Korean entertainment gaining popularity abroad. When the drama was broadcast across China in 1997 after a licensing agreement with China Central Television, it attracted significant attention among Chinese viewers. The success helped accelerate interest in Korean popular culture and coincided with the emergence of the term “Hallyu,” which Chinese media began using to describe the growing influence of Korean entertainment.
Building Bridges Before the Korean Wave Had a Name
Park’s work took place during a period when international television sales required personal relationships, direct negotiations and a willingness to introduce Korean content to unfamiliar markets. Unlike today’s streaming environment, where platforms can distribute a series globally within hours, television exports in the 1990s depended heavily on executives traveling overseas, meeting broadcasters and explaining why foreign audiences might connect with Korean stories.
Park continued expanding MBC’s overseas drama business throughout the 1990s. He helped export programs including “The Woman’s Room,” “Jealousy” and “Sons and Daughters” in 1993, followed by dramas such as “The Last Match” and “The Season of Storms” in 1994.
One notable moment came in 1994, when Park attended the Sichuan TV Festival in China with program materials translated into Mandarin. Through those efforts, he helped sell Korean dramas including “Jealousy” and “Eyes of Dawn” to Chinese broadcasters. These early business relationships became part of the foundation for the later expansion of Korean entertainment throughout Asia.
From Television Exports to a Global Cultural Industry
The significance of Park’s career extends beyond individual drama sales. His work demonstrated that Korean television content could compete internationally and that cultural exports could become an important part of the country’s economy.
Following the success of early exports, Korean dramas gradually reached more regions around the world. Park was also involved in expanding the overseas presence of dramas such as “Star in My Heart,” which gained attention in Latin America, and “Jewel in the Palace” (“Dae Jang Geum”), one of Korea’s most internationally recognized historical dramas.
In a 2005 interview with K-Gonggam, Park said the drama exports he directly handled after 1992 generated approximately $45.38 million in sales. MBC Production later received recognition for its broadcasting content exports, including a 2000 “Tower of Export” award during South Korea’s Trade Day celebrations. Park also received industry honors, including a special award from the Korea Broadcasting Awards in 2001 and a presidential commendation.
The Long Road From Korean TV Screens to Global Streaming Platforms
Today, Korean dramas are consumed in countries across North America, Europe, the Middle East and Latin America through platforms including Netflix, Disney+ and other streaming services. International audiences now expect Korean productions to compete alongside major entertainment industries from Hollywood and elsewhere.
However, the global success of K-dramas did not happen overnight. It was built through decades of experimentation, investment and international outreach by people who recognized the potential of Korean storytelling before global demand existed.
Park’s career highlights an often overlooked part of the entertainment industry: distribution. A compelling story requires a pathway to reach audiences, and early international sales efforts helped create the connections that allowed Korean dramas to travel across cultural and linguistic boundaries.
A Legacy in the Era of Hallyu
Broadcasting experts in South Korea described Park as a foundational figure in the overseas expansion of Korean dramas. Kwon Ho-jin, an external cooperation director of the Korean Association for Broadcasting and Telecommunication Studies, called Park someone who “built the foundation of Hallyu at a time when even the word Hallyu did not exist.”
For American audiences who discovered Korean entertainment through recent global hits, Park’s story offers a look at the earlier chapter of the Korean Wave. Before global fandoms, international streaming charts and worldwide premieres, there were executives working to convince overseas broadcasters that Korean stories could resonate beyond Korea.
The success of Korean dramas today reflects not only the creativity of writers, actors and producers, but also the efforts of early pioneers who built the international bridges that made global audiences possible. Park Jae-bok’s legacy remains tied to that first generation of cultural ambassadors who helped transform Korean television from a domestic industry into a worldwide phenomenon.
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