Park Gyu-young is the latest Celebrity on the Netflix South Korean drama block. Starring in the titular role, the actress was supported by Lee Chung-ah, Kang Min-hyuk, Jun Hyoseong and others in this 12 episode-long journey that premiered on the streaming giant on June 30, 2023. The thriller K-drama’s ensemble cast put on a show that depicts a cryptic lifestyle led by social media influencers, as the growing envy around them consumes them.

Written by Kim Yi-young and directed by Kim Cheol-kyu, the novel story puts Gyu-young at the centre of the discussion as she essays the role of Seo Ah-ri, a renowned celebrity and influencer on the internet, whose overnight success soon comes crumbling down as the glitzy world of fame reveals its ugly face.

The new age has produced a plethora of such stories, usually portraying the dark and harsh reality of social networking, internet and all things associated with it. As the new Netflix Korean drama gains more traction, we decided to look back at all those movies and shows about social media that brought on similar narratives to our attention.

Shows About Social Media Like the Celebrity Kdrama

Black Mirror

Too much of everything is a curse, and no other series comes close to showcasing the dystopian horrors of the never-ending advancements in cutting-edge technology. Built up using themes from various genres like psychological horror, crime fiction, sci-fi, and more, the anthology series is all about probing into how modern technologies could lead to a horrifying downfall of the contemporary world.

Adding on to its social commentary, the American Netflix series dishes on heavy subjects related to the tech world like data privacy, virtual reality, surveillance and more. It often addresses the consumerism associated with social networking sites and how it in turn pushes for superficiality and a drive for all things to be perfect in a race to possess the unattainable. The show is non linear, and its episodes need not be watched be chronologically, yet all of them interweave mind bending plot twists that are bound to make you question your existence.

Battle for Happiness (K-drama)

Based on screenwriter Joo Young-ha’s own novel, Battle for Happiness is a K-drama streaming on Amazon Prime Video in selected regions and Viki. Starring Lee El, Jin Seo-yeon, Woo Jung-won, Cha Ye-ryun and Park Hyo-joo, this 2023 series shares quite a few similarities with Celebrity on Netflix. Yet again charting out a cut-throat competition between women with social media as their battlefield, the only significant difference between the two shows is that the Netflix K-drama is concerned with influencers, while this suspense thriller deals with several mothers who’re out to bring down each other’s reputation on SNS.

Following these circumstances, a major death unfolds in this series as well, which only further raises the tension. Portraying the fickle and superficial glossy relationships shared between the women in question, the horrifying tragedy sheds light on the dark realities residing underneath the cover of Instagram photos and profiles.

Selfie

As opposed to the serious tone undertaken by most of the titles in this list, Selfie starring Karen Gillan and John Cho in pivotal roles is a 2014 sitcom. Inspired by the Greek myth of Pygmalion, the series drives a case for narcissism and how, ultimately, social media further feeds into that obsession with the self. The light-hearted series, though eventually transformed into a romantic comedy, chronicled the life of Eliza Dooley, a sales representative, whose mind has been taken over by the idea that she must gain success through social media, by posting her selfies everyday.

Once she’s hit by the reality check that befriending people on SNS isn’t nearly equivalent to making friends in real life, she turns to the marketing guru, her colleague, Henry Higgins to undergo a detox and spiritual makeover.

Love Alarm (K-drama)

So we all know about dating apps, but the Love Alarm app is a bit different. It rather intimates you when someone likes you. Social media and networking sites often masquerade the truth and present a false front, this particular app gives you no out and exposes your true feelings for the other person whether you like it or not.

However, the app doesn’t necessarily guarantee you any safety or happiness which further opposes the general idea most of us carry with us that love is all we need to heal ourselves. Despite these supposed revelations, the application rather ends up jeopardising many friendships and life-long bonds. The 2019 Korean series is streaming on Netflix, and it stars Song Kang, Kim So-hyun and Jung Ga-ram in lead roles.

Also read: The Zone Survival Mission Season 2 Episode 5 Review: Kwang-soo’s Soul Wanders for His Shoes!

Live On (K-drama)

Streaming on Viki, with Jung Da-bin, Hwang Min-hyun and others leading this 2020 K-drama series (featuring a cameo by TXT’s Yeonjun), it is set in a high school where Baek Ho-Rang, an attractive young student who’s caught everyone’s eye is quite famous on social media. However, as countless stories have guided us never to judge a book by its cover, her personality isn’t as attractive as her physical appearance, leading to a lack of friendships in her life.

An anonymous individual grudgingly obsesses over her condescending attitude, and starts blackmailing her. As a means to uncover her bully’s identity, she joins the school’s broadcasting club. With themes of school violence at its focus, the show presents a rather profound coming-of-age storyline.

Somebody (K-drama)

Speaking of dating apps, Netflix’s Somebody introduces us to Kang Hae-lim’s Kim Sum, a developer for the eponymously titled social media application that helps strangers connect with each other. While the introverted developer mostly keeps to herself, her name is dragged into conversation when her app gets involved in a murder case. As the incident unfolds further, Kim Young-Kwang’s Sung Yun-oh, aka an architectural designer steps into her life. Although suave, he is a bit too mysterious (and not the nice kind) and seems to be hiding his own share of secrets, but eventually becomes an anchor in Kim Sum’s life.

Diving headfirst into the fears associated with getting acquainted with strangers through such apps that also often become grounds for deceptive activities like catfishing, the series develops a crime thriller plot that chills your blood.

Followers (J-drama)

Much like Park Gyu-young’s recent K-drama premiere, Followers, a Japanese series on Netflix, leads with the theme of rising fame on social media as well. Mika Ninagawa’s first drama TV show is set in the heart of the bustling city Tokyo where a prominent fashion photographer Limi Nara has also made out the modern landscape of the city itself as her artistic muse. She has both fronts of her life – personal and professional – well balanced out. However, in sharp contrast to her life, Natsume Hyakuta is a young actress who still hasn’t quite found stability.

Everything takes a drastic change when Limi shares a photo of Natsume on her Instagram, and she encounters a boom in her followers on the app. While the new turnaround barely leaves her with any chance to catch a breath, what she doesn’t quite fathom yet is that as fast as she rose to the top, she can be pulled down to the ground just as quickly by the same lot of people on the internet. Investigating themes of self-esteem and confidence interlinked to the idea of getting likes on social media, the series deals with the same narrative as the new K-drama as similar insecurities haunt the main characters in Followers too.

Movies About Social Media

The Social Network

No other movie about social media can surpass the one that openly chronicles the story of the social networking platform, Facebook’s founders. But as the lore goes, you can’t just befriend millions of people on the internet without some of them counting on you to fall on your back. During his young days at Harvard, Mark Zuckerberg created the networking site with his friend Eduardo’s help and changed so many lives. Ironically, much like how such platforms don’t always reel in true friendships or have people pretending to be something they’re not, The Social Network marks a similar real life trajectory that went into coding the very platform into existence in the virtual world.

Also read: 6 Stylish Kdramas to Watch If You Want to Better Your Fashion Game: The Fabulous, Hotel Del Luna and More

Mujhse Fraandship Karoge (Hindi)

Catfishing will never be cool, nor should it ever be. However, this particular movie makes room for a ‘Tit for Tat’ scenario that brews up chaos on a whole different level. The 2011 Hindi romantic comedy film, available for streaming on YouTube and Prime Video, posits the millennials’ favourite SNS platform – Facebook – as its main character. As Preity and Vishal don their best friends’ profiles on the social media website to speak to their respective crushes, the two nemesis don’t realise that they’ve accidentally ended up talking to each other instead, without the knowledge thereof. Although a simple-hearted film, it goes to great length to visualise how easy it is to hide behind a screen, be someone you’re not and sell that image to the whole world.

Searching

Nerve

Emma Roberts and Dave Franco’s 2016 movie pushes the limits not only mentally but also those related to one’s physical safety, leading to life or death scenarios, all while youngsters participate in an online game of truth or dare unlike any other. The American flick gravely looks into how many high schoolers are basically coerced into following through with their fickle commitments, all primarily due to peer pressure, and with the whole world’s eyes watching them taking a leap towards their own possible deaths.

Unlocked (Korean)

Do these movies, shows and Kdramas about social media intrigue you? Is there any other title that is a deserving fit here according to you? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.

The new Celebrity Netflix original K-drama is now streaming on the OTT giant with English subtitles.

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