Itaewon Class (South Korean Television Series)

Itaewon Class is a South Korean television drama series that aired on JTBC from January 31 to March 21, 2020. Directed by Kim Sung-Yoon and written by Jo Gwang-Jin, the series is based on the original webcomic of the same name, which was published on the Daum Webtoon platform between 2016 and 2018. The production marked a significant milestone as the first drama series produced by the film production company Showbox.

Plot Overview

The narrative centers on Park Sae-Ro-Yi, a man who faces significant personal tragedy after standing up to a bully who is the son of a powerful food industry CEO, Jang Dae-Hee. Following his expulsion from school and the death of his father in a hit-and-run accident caused by the bully, Park Sae-Ro-Yi is imprisoned for violent assault. Upon his release, he resolves to dismantle the Jang Ga corporation and build his own successful restaurant business in the Itaewon district of Seoul. He is joined by Jo Yi-Seo, a social media influencer who becomes the manager of his pub, DanBam.

Production

The series was produced by Showbox, a company primarily known for its film projects. The first script reading for the cast took place in August 2019 at the JTBC building in Sangam, Seoul. The show occupied the Friday and Saturday 23:00 time slot on JTBC, succeeding the drama Chocolate and preceding The World of the Married.

Cast

The main cast includes Park Seo-Jun as Park Sae-Ro-Yi and Kim Da-Mi as Jo Yi-Seo. The supporting cast features Yoo Jae-Myung as the antagonist CEO Jang Dae-Hee, Kwon Na-Ra as Oh Soo-A, and Ahn Bo-Hyun as Jang Geun-Won. The DanBam pub team is rounded out by Kim Dong-Hee, Ryu Kyung-Soo, Lee Joo-Young, and Chris Lyon.

Adaptations

The success of the series led to international adaptations, most notably Roppongi Class, a Japanese television drama produced by TV Asahi in 2022.