(SBS)

The first half of 2014 in Korea was all about SBS drama “My Love From the Star,” as the show’s extraterrestrial hero wove his magic across the nation--and beyond.

China received the mega hit drama with open-arms, and approximately two years later, all 21 episodes of the show are to be aired through Anhui Television, China’s nationwide satellite network.

The broadcasting rights to the drama were sold to Chinese distributors around the time the drama aired its finale, but there was no more news of an airing there for some time. Chinese authorities are known to be extremely fastidious with their decision-making on broadcasting and the drama spent a long while on their dissection table.

The lead male, Do Min-joon’s extraterrestrial status, while a main factor that lead to the show’s critical success, became a double-edged sword, as the theme directly went against certain censorship rules.

It seemed like the show had gone into a cultural cul-de-sac, but time eventually solved the problem. The newfound popularity of cable channel, tvN’s “Cheese in the Trap,” starring actor Park Hae-jin--who happened to play the rival character to Do Min-joon-- played a noteworthy part in finalizing the broadcast decision. Recently, “Cheese in the Trap” was sold to air in China for a record-breaking price of $2 million, proving the frenzy over the tvN drama.

The official broadcasting of “My Love from the Star” is expected to create a second wave of K-culture and set new paradigms within China. The show’s pilot episode is to be aired 10 p.m. on Jan. 29 through Anhui Television, marking its official debut in China.

By Jung Min-kyung (mkj1105@heraldcorp.com)