Korean dramas may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you are looking for business inspiration. But did you know? Korean dramas on Netflix can give you inspiration for your business, much like TED Talks or business books. You can learn the most powerful lessons in entrepreneurship through compelling storylines that brilliantly capture the dynamic and often unpredictable world of entrepreneurship, just as in the real world.
From daunting start-up challenges to bold stories of innovation, these shows mirror the real-world grind. These Korean dramas will not only serve as your sanctuary from the real world but also provide you with valuable business knowledge, inspire you to become an entrepreneur or offer practical wisdom for those already in business.
We’ve curated five Korean dramas with compelling and entertaining storylines on Netflix. They offer scenarios that are genuinely relevant to anyone in the business world. Get ready to be inspired by these captivating stories of ambition and effort.
5 Best Business Korean Dramas for Entrepreneurs on Netflix
These five Korean business dramas on Netflix will fire you up – pick one and get motivated today.
1. “Coffee Prince” (“커피프린스 1호점” – 2007)
- Director: Lee Yoon-jung
- Screenwriter: Lee Jung-ah, Jang Hyun-joo
- Genre: Food, Romance, Comedy, Drama
- Main Cast:
- Gong Yoo as Choi Han-kyul
- Yoon Eun-hye as Go Eun-chan
- Lee Sun-kyun as Choi Han-sung
- Chae Jung-an as Han Yoo-joo
- Business: A themed coffee shop named “Coffee Prince.”
- Where to Watch: Netflix
- Episodes: 17
Synopsis
Korean drama “Coffee Prince” is a live-action adaptation of Lee Sun-mi’s novel “The 1st Shop of Coffee Prince.”
Choi Han-gyeol, a chaebol heir, is tasked with reviving a rundown coffee shop to prove his business prowess. He then hires Go Eun-chan, a tomboy whom he mistakes for a boy, along with other “princes” to attract female customers. The drama follows their journey of transforming the cafe from scratch to success. The drama shows Han-gyeol learning about the value of hard work and Eun-chan navigating her identity and feelings.
Lessons and Tips
- Risk-Taking: Investing in a failing business and turning it around through creativity.
- Niche Marketing & Branding. The “all-male staff” cafe concept is a clever branding move! When competition is fierce, zeroing in on a specific audience (in this case, female customers who crave caffeine and eye contact) can make you unforgettable.
- Hands-On Management: Get your hands dirty, literally! Han-gyeol may play the arrogant CEO, but the real growth comes when he starts working behind the counter. There’s no substitute for understanding the business from the ground up—your employees will respect you more, and you’ll uncover issues that no spreadsheet can.
- Finding Your Passion: Passion sneaks up on Han-gyeol, who initially treats this job as a chore but ends up being so passionate about the origins of coffee beans. Sometimes, the efforts we make by accident—not the ones we plan—spark the most powerful urges. Stay open to the unexpected call.
- Team Building: Han-gyeol’s team is his secret mix. The cafe didn’t thrive on one-star employee—it took a grumpy barista, an awkward but kind newcomer, and even a girl in disguise to make the magic happen. Therefore, the success of Coffee Prince relies on the chemistry and hard work of its diverse staff.
- Customer Experience: Atmosphere is the first sip! Customers don’t just come to enjoy coffee; they come to enjoy conversation and jokes until they forget the time. In the world of transactional interactions, the thing that can change the beginning and forever is the experience that turns a first-time visitor into a repeat customer.
2. “Strongest Deliveryman” (“최강 배달꾼”-2017)
- Director: Jeon Woo-sung
- Screenwriter: Lee Jung-woo
- Genre: Business, Romance, Comedy, Life
- Main Cast:
- Go Kyung-pyo as Choi Kang-soo
- Chae Soo-bin as Lee Dan-ah
- Kim Seon-ho as Oh Jin-gyu
- Go Won-hee as Lee Ji-yoon
- Business: A delivery app start-up.
- Where to Watch: Netflix
- Episodes: 16
Synopsis
“Strongest Deliveryman” follows Choi Kang-soo, a legendary delivery professional who avoids traffic jams and cranky customers by day and dreams big by night. He and his partner, Lee Da-ah—a dedicated delivery worker—are fed up with companies raking in profits while drivers struggle on the road. They have an idea: “What if drivers ran the show?”
Their answer? A start-up built on real delivery experiences—fair pay, no shady tricks, and a better way. Proof that the best CEOs don’t always wear suits—sometimes, they’re the ones who’ve been through the struggle.
Lessons and Tips
- Spotting What Others Miss (Identifying Market Gaps): They didn’t just accept the broken delivery system—they saw its cracks and decided to build something better. Fair pay. Real respect. No more getting squeezed by the system.
- Teamwork and Collaboration: You don’t win alone. Success often stems from a powerhouse team, where individuals with diverse strengths come together to form a cohesive unit.
- Business with a Heart/Social Entrepreneurship: Business isn’t all about profits. Kang-soo and Dan-ah aim to provide better conditions for delivery workers, like decent wages, transparent rules, and a seat at the table.
- Perseverance Against Giants: This series depicts the courage of David against Goliath, as well as small businesses against monopolies, giant companies, and gig economies. Therefore, facing established companies requires strong determination and innovative strategies.
- Leveraging Technology: Use tech as a weapon. In the story, with real-time tracking and fair algorithms, power shifts back to the people who develop applications to compete with establishment players.
- Customer Loyalty: Personalized service wins over corporate efficiency.
3. “Itaewon Class” (“이태원 클라쓰” – 2020)
- Director: Kim Sung-yoon
- Screenwriter: Gwang Jin (Jo Gwang-jin)
- Genre: Business, Romance, Comedy, Life
- Main Cast:
- Park Seo-joon as Park Sae-ro-yi
- Kim Da-mi as Jo Yi-seo
- Yoo Jae-myung as Jang Dae-hee
- Kwon Nara as Oh Soo-ah
- Business: A pub (DanBam) that grows into a food and restaurant franchise (IC Inc.).
- Where to Watch: Netflix
- Episodes: 16
Synopsis
The Netflix Korean drama “Itaewon Class” is the live adaptation of Jo Gwang Jin’s hit webtoon of the same name. This series is one of most popular Korean dramas globally with a business theme.
After being wrongfully imprisoned and losing his father due to the actions of a powerful food conglomerate CEO, Park Sae-ro-yi opens a small pub called “DanBam” in Itaewon. With a group of loyal misfits and a genius manager, Jo Yi-seo, he aims to grow his business into a franchise and take down the corporation that wronged him.
Lessons and Tips
- Resilience: Never Give Up. Sae-ro-yi gets knocked flat-over and over again, but his unwavering determination makes him even stronger.
- Strategic Planning: Sae-ro-yi sticks to his long-term plan. That way, he’s already five moves ahead while his enemies spend money to fix the problem.
- Importance of People/Team: Sae-ro-yi’s crew? An unlikely family, an unstoppable team. A chaotic mix of misfits and geniuses. Yet he trusts them all the same. It turns out that loyalty beats a great resume every time. So, always value and trust your employees, even if they are unconventional.
- Strong Brand Identity: DanBam isn’t just a pub; it’s a defiant stand that builds strong as a recognizable brand against the corporate machine.
- Adaptability & Innovation: Thanks to Jo Yi-seo’s modern marketing and business strategies (viral marketing), DanBam stays fresh and grows.
- Ethical Business Practices (in contrast to the antagonist): Do the right thing. No cheating or lies. Sae-ro-yi builds his business based on principles, proving that success doesn’t have to be dirty.
4. “Start-Up” (“스타트업” – 2020)
- Director: Oh Choong-hwan
- Screenwriter: Park Hye-ryun
- Genre: Business, Romance, Comedy, Youth
- Main Cast:
- Bae Suzy as Seo Dal-mi
- Nam Joo-hyuk as Nam Do-san
- Kim Seon-ho as Han Ji-pyeong
- Kang Han-na as Won In-jae
- Business: A tech start-up (Samsan Tech, later evolving) focused on AI and image recognition technology.
- Where to Watch: Netflix
- Episodes: 16
Synopsis
“Start-Up” takes you into Sandbox, South Korea’s fictional tech hub buzzing with hungry dreamers. Seo Dal-mi, a scrappy visionary, wants to be Korea’s Steve Jobs. She has the drive but lacks technical expertise. Nam Do-san is a struggle brilliant developer. Han Ji-pyeong is a sharp-eyed investor who acts as a mentor, pushing them through the gauntlet of start-up life. From idea to funding to market competition, they face the challenges of building a tech start-up.
Lessons and Tips
- Dream Big and Work Hard: The core message highlights that success doesn’t come from luck. It’s the result of relentless effort and sweat. So, dream boldly, roll up your sleeves, and make it happen.
- Solid Team: A start-up’s only as strong as its crew, which means your team is everything. With different skills but one vision—that’s how breakthroughs happen. It’s essential for complementary skills and shared vision.
- Pitching and Securing Funding: The drama also focuses on how preparing for and delivering pitches.
- Mentorship: The value of experienced guidance (Han Ji-pyeong’s role).
- Dealing with Failure and Pivoting: Start-ups often face setbacks and need to adapt their ideas.
- Understanding the Market: Identifying real-world problems that their technology can solve.
- Competition and Intellectual Property: Navigating the competitive landscape and protecting ideas.
5. “A Virtuous Business” (“정숙한 세일즈” – 2024)
- Director: Jo Woong
- Screenwriter: Choi Bo-rim
- Main Cast:
- Kim So-yeon as Han Jeong-suk
- Yeon Woo-jin as Kim Do-hyun
- Kim Sung-ryung as Oh Geum-hee
- Kim Sun-young as Seo Young-bok
- Lee Se-hee as Lee Joo-ri
- Business: Door-to-door sales of adult products.
- Where to Watch: Netflix
- Episodes: 12
Synopsis
The Netflix Korean drama “A Virtuous Business” is based on the 2016 British television series “Brief Encounters” by Oriane Messina and Fay Rusling.
The show takes place in South Korea’s countryside in 1992. During this period, talking about sex was still taboo. The story follows the journey of independence, growth, and friendship of four women known as the “Bangpan Sisters.” They boldly jump into the unconventional business of door-to-door sales of adult products. Han Jeong-suk, a virtuous housewife, discovers her hidden talent for marketing as she tries to earn money for her family.
Lessons and Tips
- Identifying Niche Markets: The drama is about finding gold in uncharted territory. Han Jeong Suk is selling products considered taboo or underserved, which highlights the potential in unconventional markets. The drama reveals a truth savvy entrepreneurs know: the most significant opportunities often hide in society’s blind spots. Selling the “unsellable”? That’s where fortunes get made.
- Challenging Social Norms: Entrepreneurship often involves pushing boundaries and challenging societal conventions. Real disruption doesn’t just make products—it challenges perceptions. These women are rewriting the rules when running their business; they’re quietly revolutionizing what society deems acceptable.
- Empowerment through Entrepreneurship: It’s more than money. The drama shows how women achieve independence, personal growth, and financial autonomy through their business ventures. They discover something priceless—the confidence that comes when you control your own destiny. Financial independence becomes their quiet rebellion.
- Direct Sales & Persuasion: The core of their business relies on direct interaction. They build trust through hushed conversations, reading unspoken needs, and selling without overexposing themselves.
- Surviving the Side-Eyes: Running this business in the conservative 1990s demanded both resilience and adaptability—society wasn’t ready for them. Every sale required nerves of steel, turning their resilience into armor against social judgment. Each setback demanded creative workarounds, testing their adaptability to the limit.
- Power of Female Camaraderie/Teamwork: Sisterhood as the secret weapon for Han Jeong Suk, O Geum Hui, Seo Yeong Bok, and Lee Ju Ri. The “Bangpan Sisters” support each other and unite against the odds. Their shared struggles forge an unbreakable alliance stronger than any lone wolf could manage.
So, from the listed Korean dramas, which one is your favorite? Please share with us in the comments below.
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