Korean Drama Names Vs. Their Official English Counterparts: Is One Better Than The Other?

KBS / MBC

How many times have you followed all the updates about highly anticipated Korean dramas prior to their release, only to find that the English titles they were going by have suddenly changed? Usually, this happens when the production team and the concerned network decide to use brand-new English titles for the Korean dramas to promote them internationally. For the most part, these English names are literal translations, more creative interpretations, transliterations, or something else entirely.

Although it takes some time, these English names catch on in the community and gain traction. However, this does not mean all fans are always satisfied with the titles. In some cases, the Korean title or the literal translation of the Korean title in English becomes more popular and beloved in the fandom despite the drama having a specific official English name, as fans insist on using the title that they believe suits the K-Drama better. So, you'll often find that certain K-Dramas have more than one English name, too!

For example, "Chief Kim" is also called "Good Manager". Both names are relatively well known, but the latter is the official name that you'll find on streaming sites like Amazon Prime and Viki, whereas the former is the translation of the Korean title "๊น€๊ณผ์žฅ" or "Kim Gwajang" and is instantly recognizable. Similarly, "Hello Monster" is interchangeably called "I Remember You", which is the translation of the Korean title "๋„ˆ๋ฅผ ๊ธฐ์–ตํ•ด" or "Neoreul Gieokhae" and both titles are equally popular. Likewise, "Love In The Moonlight" and "Moonlight Drawn By Clouds" are

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