Rising trend of co-writing teams reshapes Korean drama industry

“Hunter with a Scalpel,” co-written by four rookie screenwriters, stars Park Yong-woo as a psychopathic killer in the drama. Courtesy of Studio X+U

Korean dramas are embracing a new model of storytelling, shifting away from individual veteran writers toward collaborative writing teams, with an increasing number of series now being penned by multiple writers, many of them newcomers.

One recent example is “Hunter with a Scalpel,” a crime thriller that aired on U+TV and topped Disney+ Korea’s overall content rankings. Based on a novel, the drama follows a forensic pathologist tracking her serial killer father.

The script was co-written by four rookie writers — Jo Han-young, Park Hyun-shin, Hong Yeon-yi and Jin Se-hyuk — and gained international attention even before its release, having been invited to the Rendez-vous section of the Cannes International Series Festival in June.

Another current drama, JTBC’s “The Nice Guy” starring Lee Dong-wook and Lee Sung-kyung, features a writing process split between two experienced screenwriters. Veteran writer Kim Woon-kyung, known for the 1994 classic “The Moon of Seoul,” drafted the initial script, while Kim Hyo-seok, who wrote this year’s Korean box office hit “Yadang: The Snitch,” completed the final version.

Lead actor Lee Dong-wook of “The Nice Guy,” which features an initial draft by Kim Woon-kyung and final script by Kim Hyo-seok. Courtesy of JTBC

Hollywood-style writers’ rooms emerge in Korea

The shift marks a departure from the long-standing tradition of a single writer conceiving and scripting an entire drama. Co-writing is common practice in Hollywood and is now gaining traction in the Korean industry.

“This is likely Korea’s first drama to be fully developed through a structured writers’ room,” said Jo Han-sook, vice president of Soul Creative, which produced “Hunter with a Scalpel.” “In the U.S., it’s common for a head writer or creator to lead a team of writers who each contribute to different parts of the script.”

Collaborative writing allows teams to combine strengths, from worldbuilding and plot structure to dialogue and visual design, enhancing the final product. It also opens doors for emerging writers with strong ideas but limited experience, and shortens production timelines.

Importantly, using a team of newer writers can significantly reduce production costs, especially in a market where established writers command high fees.

Dramas with two or more credited writers are now appearing more frequently. JTBC’s “Hide” (2024), starring Lee Bo-young, had three writers.

Other recent examples include MBC’s “Knight Flower” (2024, written by Jung Myung-in and Lee Saem), JTBC’s “Heavenly Ever After” (2025, Lee Nam-gyu and Kim Soo-jin) and SBS’s “Our Movie” (2025, Han Ga-eun and Kang Kyung-min).

“Knight Flower” was among the most watched series last year, peaking at an 18.4 percent viewership rating. Its success was driven in part by the collaborative efforts of writers Jung and Lee.

“Knight Flower,” which recorded a peak viewership rating of 18.4 percent last year, was co-written by Jung Myung-in and Lee Saem. Courtesy of MBC

More adaptations driving co-writing trend

The rise in co-writing is also linked to the growing number of adapted dramas based on existing intellectual property.

“It’s harder to co-write a fully original script, but adaptations are more conducive to collaboration,” said Bae Dae-sik, secretary general of the Korea Drama Production Association.

As global streaming platforms expand in Korea, the industry has seen a surge in adaptations of webtoons, web novels, print fiction and foreign dramas.

According to the association’s 2023 report, 47 out of 123 dramas produced that year, or 38 percent, were based on existing works. Bae said the current proportion is likely even higher.

“With the rise of adaptations, more screenwriters are working together to reimagine existing stories,” Bae said. “That’s accelerating the shift toward collaborative screenwriting in Korean drama.”

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, a sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.