Top 10 Most Expensive Korean Dramas: Arthdal Chronicles Takes First Place

Korean dramas have become increasingly popular worldwide. Their captivating storylines, renowned actors and actresses, and lavish special effects and set designs are key factors driving their global appeal.

This popularity, however, comes at a significant cost. Many Korean dramas require substantial production budgets to achieve the highest quality. Below is a list of 10 of the most expensive Korean dramas:

1. Arthdal Chronicles

Arthdal Chronicles holds the title of the most expensive Korean drama ever produced, with a budget of 54 billion won, equivalent to approximately 665 billion rupiah. This hefty budget covered CGI effects, costumes, and set design.

The drama also starred top-tier actors such as Song Joong-ki, Kim Ji-won, and Jang Dong-gun. Filming locations included South Korea and Brunei Darussalam.

2. The Legend

The Legend ranks second, with a production cost of 43 billion won, or approximately 529.6 billion rupiah. The budget for this 24-episode drama covered special effects and the actors' fees, with lead actors earning 250,000 won (approximately 3.07 billion rupiah) each.

3. Kingdom 1 & 2

Kingdom 1 & 2 are estimated to have cost 35 billion won, or approximately 431 billion rupiah. This Netflix original series depicts a zombie outbreak in 15th-century Korea. A single episode is estimated to have cost 2-3 million won, or nearly 25 billion rupiah.

4. Immortal Admiral Yi Sunsin

Immortal Admiral Yi Sunsin comes in fourth, with an estimated budget of 31 billion won, or approximately 381.3 billion rupiah. This 142-episode historical drama, aired in 2004-2005, starred Kim Myung-Min, Choi Jae-Sung, and Lee Jae-Ryong.

KBS invested approximately 26 billion won (319.8 billion rupiah) in the production, while the remaining 5 billion won (61.5 billion rupiah) came from the Buan region.

5. The King: Eternal Monarch

Starring Lee Min-ho and Kim Go-eun, this drama is estimated to have cost 30 billion won, or approximately 369 billion rupiah. The production utilized extensive special effects for action scenes and fantasy elements.

6. Sweet Home

This Netflix original series also had an estimated budget of 30 billion won, or approximately 369 billion rupiah. Starring Song Kang, Lee Jin-wook, Lee Si-young, and Lee Do-hyun, the drama heavily invested in special effects and CGI for its monsters.

7. Mr. Sunshine

Mr. Sunshine's estimated production cost reached 30 billion won, or approximately 369 billion rupiah. This budget covered historical settings, special effects, and the fees for renowned actor Lee Byung-hun.

8. Dae Jo-Yeong

This 134-episode historical drama, aired from 2006-2007, also had a budget of 30 billion won, or approximately 369 billion rupiah. Starring Choi Soo-jong and Hong Soo-hyun, the drama enjoyed immense popularity, running for 15 months with ratings nearing 30%.

9. Six Flying Dragons

Six Flying Dragons, a historical drama, had a production cost of approximately 30 billion won, or approximately 369 billion rupiah. This 50-episode series starred Yoo Ah-in, Kim Myung-min, and Shin Se-kyung.

10. Vagabond

This action-genre drama cost 25 billion won, or approximately 307.5 billion rupiah. Part of this budget was used for filming in Morocco and Portugal. The drama features numerous action sequences and stars renowned actors such as Lee Seung-gi, Suzy, and Shin Sung-rok.