Nowadays, many dramas are giving out budgets for their production and that is gaining attention to many people. The dramas that are fantasy and action require more budget for its sets and special effects. Some other production teams even shoot and film outside Korea or to other countries, and not to mention the casting of the top Hallyu actor is also the most significant part of the budget.
However, it's not only films or movies that spend a lot on production costs but also K-Dramas as well. In order to provide the best quality, the production must always prepare a big budget for the film or drama.
Have you ever asked yourself, how much really is the production cost of a drama? Well, here is the list that is reported to have given a big budget in order to produce a beautiful creation.
1. "Arthdal Chronicles" spent 54 billion won
The "Arthdal Chronicles" is considered to be the first ancient times' fantasy drama of Korea. Part of the cast of this drama is the top Hallyu actors Song Joong-ki and Jang Dong Gun. This is an 18 episodes drama which is divided into three parts. Some part of the production was done in the country of Brunei. Another part of the filming scene was also done in the city of Osan which is located down in the South of Seoul in Gyeonggi Province.
The producer of this drama is the famous Studio Dragon that has produced high-quality dramas like "Mr. Sunshine", "Memories of the Alhambra" and more. The production was estimated to be at least 3 billion won per episode.
2. "Mr. Sunshine" spent 30 billion Korean won
The drama "Mr. Sunshine" is being starred by Lee Byung-hun and Kim Tae Ri. It is on the top 2 among the expensive K-Dramas. It is said that they spent more than 1.5 billion Korean won per episode. You can check out the short teaser of the film so you can understand why it has become that expensive.
3. "Vagabond" spent 25 billion Korean won
"Vagabond" is a drama that is being starred by Lee Seung-gi and Suzy. Both celebrities re-unite for this drama. And to add, Shin SungRok is also part of the cast. There was a part of the production that was done outside of Korea. This drama contains a lot of action scenes. You can watch "Vagabond" on Netflix as well.
4. "Kingdom" spent 20 billion Korean won
"Kingdom" is a drama on Netflix that was aired last January 2019. This drama is a thriller series with zombies that is set in the historical period of the Joseon Dynasty. The famous actors such as Ju JiHoon, Ryu SeungRyong, and Bae Doo Na are also part of the cast. It is said that the production cost for just one episode of this drama is worth around 1.5/2 billion.
5. "Criminal Minds" spent 20 billion Korean won
The drama "Criminal Minds" (2017) starring actor Lee Joon G is the K-Dramas that is a remake from U.S. TV Series. The said production cost of "Criminal Minds" is worth about 1 billion per episode.
6. "Iris 2" spent 20 billion Korean won
The series "Iris 2" (2013) is espionage or a spy drama that starred actors Jang Hyuk, Lee DaHae, and Lee BeomSoo. It is the sequel to 2009's Iris which was a big success.
7. "Saimdang, Light's Diary" spent 20 billion Korean won
In the year 2017, the drama "Saimdang, Light's Diary" gained much attention since it was the big come back of actress Lee Young Ae. The drama is about the famous artist and calligrapher that lived during the historical times, the Joseon Dynasty. "Saimdang, Light's Diary" takes place both in the present and the past.
8. "Are You Human Too?" spent 10 billion Korean won
Seo Kang Joon and Gong Seung Yeon are leads stars in the drama "Are You Human Too?" The production people of this drama spent a hefty amount of money in on CG and special effects as the drama are related to robotic. In addition, some part of the drama was partially filmed in the country of Czech Republic.
