‘Spring of Crush’ Becomes K-Drama’s Global Heartbeat with 187-Country Pre-Sale

SBS’s latest youth drama, Spring of Crush (written by Kim Min-chul, directed by Kim Sung-yong), co-produced by Studio S Co., Ltd., FNC Entertainment Co., Ltd., FNC Story Co., Ltd., and Monster Union Co., Ltd., is making waves far beyond South Korea. The music-romance series has successfully been pre-sold to 187 countries, signaling its position as the next big K-Drama phenomenon worldwide.

Following ex-K-pop superstar ‘Sakye’s fall from fame and his serendipitous campus meeting with ‘Kim Bom,’ Spring of Crush delivers a gripping narrative of redemption and self-discovery. The series combines youth romance, music, and mystery with the heartfelt chemistry of rising stars such as Ha Yujun, Park Ji-hoo, and Lee Seung-hyub.

The K-Drama has already premiered across key global platforms: Rakuten Viki in North America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Oceania, and India (173 countries), and Netflix in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, and 11 Southeast Asian countries. And starting June 3, it will stream exclusively on NTT Docomo’s Lemino in Japan, with future linear broadcast planned on Tokyo Broadcasting System (TBS).

Thanks to its wide-ranging distribution through powerhouse streaming services, Spring of Crush is breaking language and cultural barriers, helping to position youth-centric K-pop content in mainstream global playlists.

Since releasing episodes 1 and 2 on May 6 and 7, the drama instantly climbed the domestic charts. It landed in the Netflix Korea “Top 10 Series Today” and claimed the #2 overall ranking on the OTT content aggregator platform Kinolight. For Korean female viewers across all age groups, it even snagged the #1 spot, solidifying its status as the season’s breakout series.

Fans were quick to flood social media and online forums with praise, calling the show “a bucket list must-watch,” “addicting from episode one,” and “the kind of story you want to rewatch.” The show’s relevance among Gen Z is particularly amplified, with a noticeable spike in Naver, Google, YouTube, and hashtag searches that mirror the drama’s pulse-pounding emotional core.

The creative team behind the show stated, “We strongly believe Spring of Crush’s fresh charm and emotional depth will resonate worldwide.” Episode 3 is scheduled to air on May 14 at 10:40 PM KST via SBS.

Spring of Crush broadcasts weekly on Wednesdays at 10:40 PM KST.