"Boring Military Stories?"... 'Military Stories' as Content Work

Drama Shinbyeong Ranks 2nd in Content Influence Index
Realistically Portrays Military Life
Ministry of National Defense Issues Official Response Following 'D.P.' Controversy

The drama Shinbyeong ranked 2nd in the Content Influence Index for the first week of August announced by CJ ENM. / Photo by Studio Genie SNS capture

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Kim Gun-chan] 'Military content' based on stories about the military is gaining popularity. Following YouTube's 'Fake Men', Netflix drama 'D.P.', and the YouTube animation adapted into the drama 'Sinbyeong', military content is establishing itself as a genre in the content market.

A representative work is the ENA drama 'Sinbyeong', which began airing in July. The drama depicts the story of 'Gunsujeo' Sinbyeong, whose father is a two-star general and division commander in the army, as he enlists. Sinbyeong was directed by PD Min Jin-ki, who produced the tvN drama series 'Blue Tower', regarded as a masterpiece among military content.

Since its premiere, it has received praise such as "the best military drama since Blue Tower" and "please make a season 2." It also ranked second in the content influence index for the first week of August (August 1?7), announced by CJ ENM, following 'Extraordinary Attorney Woo'. The original YouTube creator 'Jangbbijju's 'Sinbyeong Season 1 Binge-Watching' video has recorded 17 million views as of the 13th. Riding on this popularity, production of Sinbyeong Season 2 is confirmed, aiming for broadcast in the second half of next year.

Earlier this year, the tvN drama 'Military Prosecutor Doberman', which portrays military prosecutors resolving corruption within the military, gained popularity with a peak viewership rating of 10.1%. Last summer, tvN variety show 'Military S League', featuring soccer matches between national team players and soldiers, aired. Military content is also popular on YouTube. Not only soldiers-turned-YouTubers who share military stories in a narrative format but also former division commanders have appeared since last year.

The YouTube channel 'Goseonggyun's General! Meonggun! (58,000 subscribers)' is operated by a former division commander YouTuber. Photo by YouTube capture

Recently popular military content is characterized by realistically and candidly revealing life inside the military.

The YouTube content 'Fake Men', considered the starting point of military content popularity, sparked social interest in special forces. After the first episode was released in July 2020, it accumulated 40 million views within a month. Participants underwent intense training similar to actual special forces under instructors who were former special forces members. The content highlighted harsh treatment amid frequent profanity, which sparked controversy.

Following this, last year Channel A's variety show 'Steel Troops' appeared. 'Steel Troops' aired successfully with a peak rating of 6.8%, leading to the production of season 2. It featured actual special forces veterans from units such as the Special Warfare Command and Marine Reconnaissance Battalions competing in combat skills, receiving positive responses from viewers.

The Netflix drama 'D.P.', released in August last year, depicted violence within the military realistically and brutally.
Photo by Netflix Korea

The Netflix drama 'D.P.', released in August last year, realistically exposed the brutal realities of military units, causing a significant impact. Viewers reacted with comments like "I think I developed PTSD after watching the drama" and "It’s similar to my military service," as the drama depicted military violence realistically and brutally. As the drama became a hot topic, the Ministry of National Defense officially responded to the depiction of abuse and corruption within the military shown in 'D.P.'

Experts say that presenting military stories in a lighthearted way, as in Sinbyeong, is also necessary to secure the popularity of military content. Popular culture critic Kim Heon-sik said, "Sinbyeong is a case where a YouTube video was transformed into web content, showing a well-executed change in concept," adding, "Conversely, in the process of being adapted into a drama, it showed a different aspect from previous military content, gaining popularity." He emphasized, "Unlike serious investigative works, content that is enjoyed entertainingly like Sinbyeong can be more popular and expand its audience."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.