Forget Game Of Thrones — this new drama is all about Bitcoin

The crypto markets have been full of drama in recent years. In the space of a decade, Bitcoin came from nowhere to achieve a price of $20,000 in 2017 — only to suffer a painful year of sell-offs and uncertainty. But like every compelling blockbuster, the world’s biggest digital asset bounced back… and proved naysayers wrong by smashing new records and winning high-profile admirers as 2020 drew to a close.

It’s a stunning story that was made for television. Now, a respected Korean writer is set to bring the world of cryptocurrencies to life in a gripping drama that will powerfully highlight the ups and downs of digital assets — and introduce the public to Bitcoin in a whole new way.

Choi Wan-kyu’s big-budget series, known as Pumping Time, will feature characters who have lost money through ICO scams, Ponzi schemes and fraudulent trading. The drama will follow their journey as they team up to take revenge on the swindlers — and as you’d expect, romance will blossom along the way.

A total of 10 seasons — each featuring 20 episodes of 30 minutes — are set to be produced, with the first series scheduled to begin in May. The drama is also set to be edited in different ways to ensure that it reaches as broad an audience as possible, and a specially adapted version is expected to be released in movie theaters.

A thriving market

Pumping Time comes as the crypto industry begins 2021 with a renewed sense of optimism. China is in the final stages of rolling out a fully fledged digital yuan, while Coinbase — one of the world’s biggest exchanges — is gearing up for an initial public offering. Facebook is also pushing ahead with its plans to launch the Diem stablecoin.

But one of the most interesting developments in digital assets comes from Korea itself, where the drama is going to be produced. By March 2021, a framework that regulates and legalizes cryptocurrencies and exchanges will have fully come into force — and as previously reported by Cointelegraph, these measures have contributed to a progressive attitude surrounding digital assets.

The drama — which will feature first-class stars and a production team that has experience in cryptocurrencies — aims to be fun and educational. Choi Wan-kyu himself has studied digital assets and blockchain technology since 2017, and this will help ensure that the series avoids some of the amateurish cliches that other TV shows and films about crypto have propagated.

Global ambitions

As evidenced by the runaway success of the K-pop sensation BTS, Korean productions have attracted a global audience in recent years. It’s hoped that Pumping Time will draw in a diverse viewership from around the world, too.

The production has been fully funded by Kplay Content, meaning no token sale is required for this ambitious project to commence. Influencers are going to be invited to help the project gain an even bigger profile — and the drama is set to highlight major coins and leading exchanges in its storylines. There’s even a possibility that high-profile crypto personalities could make cameo appearances as the drama unfolds.

Some of Korea’s biggest stars are said to be competing for the chance to secure the leading role in Pumping Time, and the show’s leading actor is set to be unveiled in February 2021. Major cryptocurrency companies will also be invited to serve as sponsors — allowing them to gain greater visibility for the services they provide. To shut out unverified projects and scams, promotional opportunities will only be given to reputable companies.

As part of the drama, a platform called CoinBring will teach beginners about cryptocurrency — and it will be regularly used by the show’s main characters. Viewers who watch the drama will also receive BRING tokens so they can experience digital assets for themselves.