Can a high school drama become a global business empire of its own?

Entertainment · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: The Heirs, a 2013 South Korean series, captured global attention by dramatizing the lives of ultra-wealthy teenagers preparing to inherit business empires. Beyond its star-studded cast and high-stakes romantic tension, the show became a massive commercial success, setting records for international distribution and streaming views across Asia and beyond.

Aired from October 9 to December 12, 2013, on SBS, The Heirs follows students at Jeguk High School, an institution reserved for the privileged elite. The narrative centers on Kim Tan, the wealthy heir to the Jeguk Group, who is exiled to the United States by his half-brother, Kim Won. While abroad, Tan encounters Cha Eun-sang, a girl from a humble background whose mother works as a live-in housekeeper for Tan’s family. Upon returning to Korea, Tan faces a complex conflict between his duty to his family’s conglomerate and his growing affection for Eun-sang, further complicated by his former best friend turned rival, Choi Young-do.

The series was notable for being the first Korean drama co-produced by the American digital platform DramaFever and the Korean company Hwa&Dam Pictures. Its popularity was immense; international broadcasting rights were sold to 13 countries. In Japan, it achieved the highest selling price for a 2013 Korean drama at US$30,000 per episode. By January 26, 2014, the show had accumulated over one billion views on the Chinese streaming site Youku, cementing its status as a cultural phenomenon.

The show’s success sparked discussions regarding its influence and potential remakes. While a 2014 Chinese drama titled Billion Dollar Heir was initially rumored to be a remake, the production team and cast denied these claims, citing entirely different characters and plotlines. However, the legacy of the series continued, with announcements in 2016 regarding a planned Korean-Chinese film adaptation. The series remains a definitive example of how high-production-value K-dramas can transcend local markets to achieve significant international reach and commercial impact.

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