The evolving world of Korean science fiction

There was a time when a post on Korean science fiction would be a very short one, comprising as it would an essay on the 2017 drama, Circle and little else.

As far as genres go, science fiction is stylistically very different to the classic Korean drama. Even those times where writers decided to include elements that could be considered part of the science fiction canon (such as time travel) they were utilised as fantasy rather than science. Popular time travel shows like Signal or Tunnel, Queen In-hyun’s Man or Live Up to Your Name are either outright fantasy or a different genre (such as crime) with a supernatural twist.

Not that Korea is alone in its lack of science fiction television. Internationally, there has been a significant decline in science-based narratives produced over the last decade. With the notable exception of the wonderful The Expanse, investment in science fiction as a genre is down everywhere (and The Expanse had a legendarily difficult time maintaining support from a network to keep itself going). Of course, speculative fiction is thriving in the young adult space but these tend to be made into big budget films rather than television shows.

At the same time, fantasy has grown in popularity and there has been an explosive increase in hybrid dramas: those that merge the speculative fiction elements of science fiction with fantasy. The growth of both the zombie craze and the superhero craze has seen the green lighting of a plethora of fantasy shows with science-lite explanations underpinning them. Korea has been an enthusiastic participant in this trend, producing popular shows like Happiness and Kingdom, as well as movies such as Train to Busan and Alive.

But there is a difference between a move away from science fiction and a narrative tradition that classically never had science fiction at all. While an international runaway success, Squid Game demonstrated the reason why Korean television writers struggle with the genre. Korean dramas have generally been reflective character pieces that are almost entirely character driven. In contrast, science fiction is plot driven to the point where flat and simplistic characterisation is often its greatest flaw. The tension between these two traditions is noticeable in Squid Game, where they often clash.

It does hold out the possibility though – if Korea could combine its exceptional character writing with a tight and interesting plot then it could potentially create some of the best science fiction television there is; speculative fiction with strong three-dimensional characters and some genuine heart.

Over the last year or so, Korean television writers have been dipping their toes into the genre and seeing what they can come up with.

Why? or Why now? is the matter of some debate. Some commentators believe that the demands of international audiences are changing the type of content that Korea is producing. A more likely explanation is that the advent of streaming platforms such as Netflix, Disney+ and Prime Video has given Korean writers new distribution channels that allow them to experiment without the tight restrictions set down by domestic channels. So it may be that writers have wanted to do speculative fiction for a long time but simply haven’t had the means to do so.

Over the next few months, I’m planning to dive deep into Korean science fiction and review the current offerings to see whether or not Korea’s recent crop is living up to their potential. I already started with the 2020 scifi anthology, SF8: The Prayer, Manxin, Joan’s Galaxy, Blink, Baby It’s Over Outside, White Crow, Love Virtually, and Empty Body. Dubbed “Korea’s Black Mirror”, the anthology began the new wage of speculative fiction that followed.

For the moment my review list with a tentative schedule is as follows:

Silent Sea (September)

Alice (October)

L.U.C.A.: The Beginning (November)

Grid (December)

Nostalgia Watch: Circle (TBA)

Do you have a science fiction drama you’d like to see reviewed on Invisible Pink Dragon? Happy to consider any suggestions.