Once Indefinitely Postponed, This Korean Drama Is Finally Airing After 4 Years

After years of uncertainty, the long-delayed K-drama ''Dear. M'' is finally making its way to South Korean television. KBS Joy announced on March 12 that the series will premiere as a Monday-Tuesday drama starting April 14, marking its first domestic broadcast since filming wrapped four years ago.

''Dear. M'' is a romantic mystery drama centered around an anonymous post on Seoyeon University’s online community that sparks a whirlwind of intrigue. The drama stars NCT’s Jaehyun and actress Park Hye-soo, alongside a supporting cast that includes Woo Da-bi, Roh Jeong-eui, Lee Jin-hyuk, and Bae Hyun-sung.

A Drama Plagued by Controversy

Originally slated to air on KBS2 in February 2021, ''Dear. M'' was indefinitely postponed after lead actress Park Hye-soo became embroiled in school bullying allegations. Despite Park's firm denial and threats of legal action, multiple individuals came forward with accusations, fueling ongoing public backlash. With no resolution in sight, KBS ultimately decided to halt the broadcast.

Over the years, various attempts were made to reschedule the drama, but continued public opposition kept pushing the release further back. While it never aired in Korea, ''Dear. M'' was released first in Japan via the OTT platform U-NEXT from June to July 2022. It also became available internationally through Viki, allowing global audiences to watch the series. However, with the controversy still unresolved in Korea, domestic broadcasters remained hesitant to proceed with a local airing.

Earlier this year, discussions about airing ''Dear. M'' on KBS2 resurfaced, raising hopes for a long-awaited domestic release. However, those plans ultimately fell through. Now, the drama is being reintroduced through KBS Joy, a cable affiliate of KBS, rather than the main public network. This strategic move is seen as an effort to minimize public backlash, as a cable release carries less scrutiny than a prime-time public broadcast.

Will Viewers Still Care?

Despite finally securing a Korean release, questions remain about audience reception. With Park Hye-soo’s controversy still unresolved, there's a strong possibility that the drama’s airing could reignite the debate. Additionally, with four years having passed, the K-drama landscape has evolved, introducing numerous youth romance dramas in the meantime. Whether ''Dear. M'' can recapture the interest of viewers in today’s entertainment climate remains to be seen.