The First and True Home of Asianovelas is programming block of Kapamilya Channel primarily composed of Filipino-dubbed "Asianovelas", a local term for dramas produced in Asian countries. The first Asian drama aired on ABS-CBN was the Taiwanese Meteor Garden, which premiered on May 5, 2003.
Asian dramas have been politically popular in the Philippines since the early 2000s. Huge demands from Filipino viewers prompted Philippine TV stations to import Chinese and South Korean programs.
In 2003, ABS-CBN started airing Taiwanese dramas with the successful Meteor Garden and its sequel. In 2004, ABS-CBN introduced the Korean dramas to the Filipino viewers beginning with The Truth, Four Sisters, and Lovers in Paris.
In the past decade, ABS-CBN has aired a numerous score of Korean dramas including Lovers in Paris, Only You, Green Rose, My Girl, Princess Hours, Spring Waltz, Boys Over Flowers, He's Beautiful, Cinderella's Sister, My Girlfriend is a Gumiho, Pure Love, City Hunter, Dream High, Two Wives, To the Beautiful You, Missing You, The Love Story of Kang Chi, Crazy Love, and The Heirs
In 2015, ABS-CBN aired Fated to Love You, Unforgettable Love, Let's Get Married, and My Lovely Girl. The Asian drama block was discontinued in June 2015.
In 2016, ABS-CBN only aired one Korean drama, My Love Donna, which premiered on March 14, 2016, but was cancelled on April 8, 2016, making it the first Asian drama abruptly announced its "last two days" of airing. In the same year, ABS-CBN TVplus' digital channel CineMo! began airing Korean dramas with Blood, You're All Surrounded, Blade Man, and Orange Marmalade
In 2017, Korean dramas had a successful return to ABS-CBN with Love in the Moonlight, Goblin, Legend of the Blue Sea, Weightlifting Fairy, and Hwarang. In the same year, CineMo! aired more Korean dramas like Doctor Stranger, Hyde, Jekyll, Me, Sensory Couple, Signal, and The K2.
In 2018, ABS-CBN boosts permanent Korean programming with Black, The King is in Love, I am Not a Robot, W, Doctor Crush, Go Back Couple, Hwayugi, My Time with You, and What's Wrong with Secretary Kim, together with the 2018 Chinese remake of Meteor Garden. Meanwhile, ABS-CBN TVplus launched its digital channel Asianovela Channel on July 30, 2018, which aired more Korean dramas with Bubble Gum, High Society, On the Way to the Airport, Uncontrollably Fond, and Woman with a Suitcase.
In 2019, Asianovela Channel obtained more Korean dramas with Because This Is My First Life, Cheongdam-dong Scandal, Goodbye Mr. Black, Live Up to Your Name, Mama Fairy and the Woodcutter, Mother, Something in the Rain, That Man Oh Soo, The Good Wife, Tomorrow, With You, and Two Cops. In August 2019, Korean dramas returned again to ABS-CBN with Encounter and Gangnam Beauty, followed by Code Name: Terrius, 100 Days My Prince, I Have a Lover, Hotel del Luna, and Touch Your Heart.
On June 15, 2020, Korean cable dramas Familiar Wife and The World of a Married Couple were aired on pay cable and satellite via Kapamilya Channel. The Thai boys' love drama 2gether: The Series was released online via iWantTFC on June 28, 2020, making it the first BL series aired in the Philippines. Its sequel, Still 2gether, was also aired in August 2020. Meanwhile, the previously cancelled Asian dramas Love in Sadness and Story of Yanxi Palace resumed airing on Kapamilya Channel, completing all the remaining episodes. Through a partnership agreement between ABS-CBN and GMMTV, more Thai dramas were introduced on iWantTFC such as Come to Me, I'm Tee, Me Too, Dark Blue Kiss, Theory of Love, The Shipper and A Tale of Thousand Stars.[9]
In 2021, the final remaining Asian dramas were aired on television and online platforms: Count Your Lucky Stars, Suits, Meow: The Secret Boy, Criminal Minds, Melting Me Softly, and Come and Hug Me. Meanwhile, a Thai remake of Boys Over Flowers is slated to air on all ABS-CBN platforms
