In January 2026, South Korea's popular culture faced a strange paradox. At a time when the total fertility rate plummeted to an unprecedented level in human history, normalizing the discourse of 'national extinction', ironically, a romantic comedy centered on 'unplanned pregnancy' took over both the home theater and global OTT platforms. Channel A's weekend drama 《Positively Yours》 recorded the number one viewership in 116 countries worldwide, including the Americas, Europe, Oceania, and Southeast Asia, setting a new milestone for 'K-Rom-Com'.
This is not just a victory in ratings. It suggests that through the process of two individuals who declared 'single' and 'DINK' becoming parents through a one-night escapade, modern people are restoring the value of 'family', which they have suppressed, back into the realm of fantasy. This article is an in-depth piece that encompasses the statistical achievements of the drama 《Positively Yours》, variations from the webtoon original, the aesthetics of the actors' performances, and the sociological questions this work poses to global viewers in 2026. Why are we so excited about the stories of these 'unprepared parents' right now?
If the past success formula of Hallyu dramas started in Asia and spread to the West in a 'sequential wave', 《Positively Yours》 has taken the form of a 'big bang' that explodes simultaneously across continents. Data provided by global OTT platforms Rakuten Viki and Japan's U-NEXT proves that this drama possesses a 'universal appeal' that is not limited to specific cultural spheres.
One notable point from this data is the disappearance of 'Cultural Discount'. Generally, the subject of 'premarital pregnancy' is a sensitive topic that varies greatly in acceptance depending on cultural spheres. However, in the West (the United States, France, Brazil), it is interpreted through the grammar of 'light rom-com', while in Asia and the Middle East, it is consumed as a 'narrative of a responsible male protagonist' with different cultural codes. This suggests that Korean dramas have established a genre archetype that aligns with global standards, no longer being merely 'Korean stories'.
One of the factors contributing to the success of this drama is the community-oriented nature of the global OTT platform 'Rakuten Viki'. While Netflix induces passive viewing through algorithms, Viki has built a strong viral ecosystem centered around enthusiastic fandoms (QC) that participate in subtitle creation.
Immediate reactions in comments: Right after the drama aired, hundreds of comments flooded Reddit and Viki's review section, and the logline "The twist of two individuals who said they would never marry" spread like a meme.
Convergence of genre fandom: In recent years, viewers who felt fatigue from 'K-genre works (thrillers, creatures)' were craving a "proper traditional rom-com", and the combination of Choi Jin-hyuk and Oh Yeon-seo, known as 'rom-com masters', precisely hit this need.
Director Kim Jin-sung defined the identity of this drama as a "reverse romantic comedy". While a typical romance narrative follows the sequential steps of 'meeting → liking → misunderstanding → dating → marriage/pregnancy', 《Positively Yours》 flips this order.
Placing the conclusion at the starting point: The drama presents the most intimate result of the male and female protagonists, 'the child', within the first 1-2 episodes. This leads viewers to immerse themselves in a problem-solving narrative centered on "Will they fall in love?" (Will they?) rather than "How will they handle this situation?" (How will they?)
Clash of anti-marriage ideals: Kang Doo-joon (played by Choi Jin-hyuk) and Jang Hee-won (played by Oh Yeon-seo) are characters who decided on 'anti-marriage' for different reasons. Doo-joon swore not to start a family due to the trauma of his brother's death, while Hee-won distrusts the institution of marriage due to her parents' divorce and her mother's coldness. By giving the strongest justification for marriage (the child) to characters who are the furthest from marriage, this irony becomes the core driving force of the drama.
The key trend of dramas in 2026 is 'speed'. Viewers accustomed to short-form content cannot endure sluggish misunderstandings or conflicts (commonly referred to as 'sweet potato' segments). This work thoroughly reflects these viewing patterns.
Rapid development: Compressing the long narrative of the original webtoon, the process from confirming the pregnancy to opening up to both sets of parents, and the male protagonist's straightforward confession unfolds without a breather within the first 4-5 episodes.
Early resolution of conflicts: At the end of episode 5, Doo-joon's public confession to Hee-won in front of his rival Min-wook (played by Hong Jong-hyun) resolves unnecessary tension in the love triangle early, stimulating dopamine by providing the 'straightforward romance' that viewers desire.
The character relationships in the drama are designed to go beyond a simple love triangle, creating a structure where each character complements the deficiencies of the others.
Kang Doo-joon (Choi Jin-hyuk) - The Savior of Deficiency: On the surface, he appears to be a perfect second-generation chaebol, but he has a trauma that prevents him from holding others' hands due to guilt over his brother's death. Hee-won and the child become 'objects to protect' for him, giving him a renewed purpose in life.
Jang Hee-won (Oh Yeon-seo) - The Crack of Perfectionism: A character who scores 100 in work but 0 in romance. An uncontrollable variable of 'pregnancy' occurs in her life, which she had planned meticulously, and through this, she paradoxically learns how to rely on others (Doo-joon).
Lee Min-wook (Hong Jong-hyun) - The Ideal Supporting Male: Hee-won's 20-year-old male friend. He creates tension by conflicting between friendship and love, but he practices 'watching love' rather than being an excessive antagonist, enhancing the quality of the narrative.
Hwang Mi-ran (Kim Da-som) - The Refreshing Helper: Hee-won's best friend who has a crush on Min-wook, she plays a role in breaking through frustrating situations with her refreshing way of speaking.
The drama, based on the web novel and webtoon 《Positively Yours》, has performed a fierce balancing act between the expectations of the original fandom and the popularity of the drama's viewing audience. The differences that arose in this process of adaptation become important clues to understanding the 'nature of media'.
The biggest controversy and change is the alteration of the female protagonist Hee-won's profession. In the original work, Hee-won was a 'teacher', but in the drama, her setting was changed to an employee of 'TaeHan Brewery', where the male protagonist Doo-joon is the CEO.
In overseas communities like Reddit, there is a heated debate about this setting change. While there are criticisms that "the growth narrative of 'Hee-won who wanted to be a teacher', which is the core of the original work, has disappeared" (the "poopshow" critique), there are also defenses stating that "the change to an office setting maximized the visuals of Choi Jin-hyuk and Oh Yeon-seo in suits/office looks". This seems to be an inevitable pain that arises in the process of transitioning the 'personal narrative' of the webtoon to the 'visual/relationship-centered narrative' of the drama.
Choi Jin-hyuk: Disarming the 'Strong Man'
Choi Jin-hyuk has represented strong masculinity through works like 《Tunnel》 and 《Zombie Detective》. However, in 《Positively Yours》, he parodies his own strong image.
Utilization of Gap Moe: Scenes where the cold chaebol CEO awkwardly takes care of the pregnant female lead or searches the internet for 'foods good for pregnant women' create a stark contrast with his stoic appearance, eliciting great laughter.
Embodiment of Trauma: Particularly in episode 5, the trembling hand acting and depiction of panic in the elevator scene showcase the actor's depth in not losing character depth even within the light genre of romantic comedy. His moment of helplessness as he collapses in front of Hee-won became a decisive moment (Killing Part) that stimulated strong protective instincts in viewers.
Oh Yeon-seo: Maternal Love Hidden in 'Office Look'
Oh Yeon-seo is a master of comic acting, proven through works like 《Come! Jang Bo-ri》 and 《The Crazy X in This Area》. In this work, she expresses both her aspect as a 'style icon' and her anxiety as a 'prospective mother'.
The Language of Styling: The flashy blouses and jackets she wears serve as armor for her as a 'successful career woman'. However, her comfortable appearance at home and the expression of breaking down while checking the pregnancy test sharply capture the anxiety in the gaps of that armor.
The Coordinator of Chemistry: As she assessed her acting chemistry with Choi Jin-hyuk as "100 out of 100", Oh Yeon-seo balances the heavy acting tone of Jin-hyuk with her lively responses. Some viewers criticize her character for regressing into a somewhat 'clumsy' setting, but her unique charm convincingly defends against this.
Director Kim Jin-sung focuses on transforming 'the comic allowances of the webtoon' into 'the realistic excitement of the drama'.
The drama boldly shifts the tone of lighting according to the characters' psychological states.
Aesthetics of Isolation: In scenes where Doo-joon and Hee-won are left alone in an elevator or an empty conference room, background noise is removed and the brightness is lowered to visually implement 'their own world'. Particularly, the 'breath-stopping tension in the empty conference room' depicted in the episode 6 preview used a pin light effect to eliminate the surroundings and focus solely on each other's gazes.
Contrast of Warmth and Coldness: Doo-joon's spaces (office, home) are depicted in cold blue tones, while Hee-won's space is described in warm yellow tones, and as the two grow closer, the change of warm color lighting seeping into Doo-joon's space visualizes psychological thawing.
The music serves as a catalyst that amplifies the emotions of the romantic comedy.
Tomorrow X Together's Yeonjun - 'Boyfriend' (OST Part 4): By employing an idol singer, it adds trendiness and induces the influx of global K-pop fandom.
Ha Hyun-sang - 'Sailing' (OST Part 3): A calm acoustic ballad, inserted into emotional scenes where the two protagonists embrace each other's wounds, adding depth to the narrative.
《Positively Yours》 is not a perfect drama. There are criticisms that it clumsily adapted the delicate emotional lines of the original work, errors in medical verification, and a somewhat typical repetition of clichés are clear limitations.
However, the reason this drama dominated the global charts in January 2026 is clear. It provides 'certain comfort in an era of uncertainty'. In a time when love, marriage, and childbirth are daunting, the fantasy of Kang Doo-joon saying, "It was a mistake, but it's okay, we'll take responsibility together" and Hee-won's courage to trust her choices offers viewers a strong psychological safe space.
This drama is like a warm yuzu tea offered to global viewers tired of complex mind games or brutal revenge dramas. Sweet, comforting, and above all, an invitation to a world where a 'happy ending' is guaranteed. This is the essence and power of 《Positively Yours》 that proves the unchanging nature of 'K-Rom-Com'.
