New Korean Drama ‘To The Moon’ Follows Three Women Chasing Big Wins in South Korea’s Explosive 2017–2018 Crypto Market

To The Moon Brings South Korea’s Retail Crypto Craze to Prime-Time Drama

A new South Korean drama, To The Moon, is set to spotlight the high-stakes world of retail cryptocurrency investment, blending ambition, risk, and everyday struggles.

The series, airing on MBC at the coveted 10 pm Friday–Saturday slot, follows three women navigating the 2017–2018 Bitcoin bull market while balancing low-paying office jobs.

Three Women Chasing Wealth Through Crypto Sparks Mixed Outcomes

The story centres on Lee Sun-bin, Jo A-ram, and Ra Mi-ran, who play employees at a large confectionery company, frustrated by stagnant wages.

When one of them begins seeing gains from cryptocurrency, the others follow suit, setting off a series of events that highlight both opportunities and pitfalls in unregulated markets.

A trailer suggests their investments bring a mix of excitement, disappointment, and unforeseen consequences.

Ra, known for her role in The Good Bad Mother, revealed at a press event:

“I actually have 500,000 won [$362] worth of Ethereum. Sometimes its value goes up to 600,000 won, and sometimes it goes down to 400,000 won. But I don’t know how to withdraw my money, so I just leave it alone. I’ll hold on to it until the day it reaches 500 million won [$361,721]!”

Producers Stress Entertainment Without Promoting Speculation

Oh Da-young, the drama’s chief producer, clarified:

“We are not trying to tell viewers that they can make a lot of money from [crypto investment]. We aren’t trying to stoke speculation.”

The production aims to show realistic experiences rather than glamorise fast wealth, blending light romance, comedy, and hyperrealistic storytelling targeted at working women.

Set Against South Korea’s Crypto Boom of 2017–2018

The series revisits the first major surge in South Korea’s retail crypto scene, a time when students, retirees, and ordinary office workers poured into digital assets amid minimal regulation.

News reports from that era highlighted a wave of new retail investors chasing life-changing returns, a backdrop that To The Moon captures through its characters’ trials and triumphs.

South Korea’s Current Crypto Market Remains Vibrant and Retail-Driven

Today, South Korea continues to rank among the world’s largest crypto markets, with daily trading volumes reaching approximately $3.15 billion.

Bitcoin and Ethereum remain dominant, especially among younger investors.

Institutional interest is emerging slowly, exemplified by Parataxis Korea’s recent purchase of 50 BTC for its treasury.

Regulators are also preparing to introduce a won-based stablecoin market to manage growth with greater oversight.

Korean Entertainment Continues Mining Crypto for Storytelling

To The Moon follows a trend in Korean media where cryptocurrencies have become a compelling narrative focus.

Earlier successes include Crypto Man, inspired by the Terra-LUNA collapse, and Twenty Hacker, a 2021 film about a major crypto exchange breach featuring several K-pop stars.

These productions mirror the country’s persistent retail enthusiasm despite institutional restrictions on corporate crypto holdings.

How Fiction Mirrors Reality in South Korea’s Crypto Market

Coinlive observes that the drama reflects more than entertainment; it highlights the real-life stakes of a vibrant retail-driven crypto ecosystem.

With daily trading volumes around $3.15 billion and a generation of investors eager to chase high returns, To The Moon shows that ambition and risk often walk hand in hand.

As regulators plan stablecoin initiatives and institutions cautiously enter the market, the drama provokes a question: will the dreams of everyday investors in South Korea ever fully align with market realities?