Did you know some of your favourite K-dramas are actually adaptations of Western movies and shows? From the Song Joong-ki starrer crime drama Vincenzo (2021) to the Lee Do-hyun starrer love story 18 Again (2020), here are some of the best Korean remakes of popular Western releases.
The West has long been an inspiration for adaptations in the global entertainment industry. Be it the 2023 Russo brothers’ spy series Citadel or 1994’s classic Oscar-winning movie Forrest Gump, Western shows and movies have always proved to be blueprints for Korean dramas.
The rise in popularity of streaming services like Netflix and Prime Video, too, have contributed to the enormous growth in K-drama adaptations from the West. According to Forbes, the popular crime thriller Vincenzo, which is inspired by Francis Ford Coppola’s iconic The Godfather trilogy, was one of the top ten most-viewed Netflix shows of 2021.
Check our complete list of K-dramas to watch!
Binge-watch these popular Korean drama adaptations of Western TV shows and movies
Money Heist: Korea – Joint Economic Area
Director: Kim Hong-sun
Cast: Yoo Ji-tae, Kim Yun-jin, Park Hae-soo, Jun Jong-seo, Lee Won-jong
Year of release: 2022
Episodes: 12
Synopsis: Masked thieves led by a genius Professor (Yoo) overtakes the national mint in Korea. With multiple hostages trapped inside, the police department must stop them and unmask the mysterious mastermind behind it all.
Adapted from: Money Heist: Korea is a remake of the popular Spanish-Western series La Casa de Papel aka Money Heist (2017).
Watch here
Vincenzo
Directed by: Kim Hee-won
Cast: Song Joong-ki, Jeon Yeo-bin, Ok Taec-yeon, Jo Han-chul
Year of release: 2021
Episodes: 20
Synopsis: Vincenzo Cassano (Song) is a consigliere who leaves Italy and returns to his hometown in South Korea to avoid the Mafia wars. In a turn of events, Vincenzo meets an eccentric lawyer Hong Cha-young (Jeon) and falls in love with her while also serving justice to the needy.
Adapted from: This Korean crime drama is inspired by Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather (1972-1990) trilogy.
Watch here
18 Again
Directed by: Ha Byung-hoon
Cast: Kim Ha-neul, Yoon Sang-hyun, Lee Do-hyun
Year of release: 2020
Episodes: 16
Synopsis: A 37-year-old Hong Dae-young (Yoon) finds himself on the verge of getting a divorce from his wife Jung Da-jung (Kim). In a turn of events, he suddenly finds himself inside his 18-year-old body and starts rectifying his past mistakes.
Adapted from: The family K-drama is based on the 2009 US film 17 Again directed by Burr Steers.
Watch here
The World Of The Married
Directed by: Mo Wan-il
Cast: Kim Hee-ae, Park Hae-joon, Jeon Jin-seo
Year of release: 2020
Episodes: 16
Synopsis: Doctor Ji Sun-woo’s (Kim) perfect life with her son and husband Lee Tae-oh (Park) turns upside down after she receives some unpleasant news. Her husband Tae-Oh gets involved in an affair and ends up putting his married life at stake. Will Sun-woo move past her husband’s betrayal or plan revenge?
Adapted from: The show is based on BBC’s popular psychological thriller Doctor Foster (2015-2017).
Watch here
Romance Is A Bonus Book
Directed by: Lee Jung-hyo
Cast: Lee Na-young, Lee Jong-suk, Jung Eugene
Year of release: 2019
Episodes: 16
Synopsis: The story follows the love story of Cha Eun-ho (Lee Jomg-suk), an editor-in-chief of a publishing company and his childhood friend and single mother Kang Dan-yi (Lee Na-young). When fate brings the duo together after years, Eun-ho offers the helpless Dan-yi a copywriting job at his company. Soon, they grow closer and romance begins to brew.
Adapted from: The K-drama is inspired by the 2015 TV Land hit Younger starring Sutton Foster, Nico Tortorella and Hilary Duff.
Designated Survivor: 60 Days
Directed by: Yoo Jong-sun
Cast: Ji Jin-hee, Heo Jun-ho, Kang Han-na
Year of release: 2019
Episodes: 16
Synopsis: When a fatal explosion in the National Assembly kills multiple cabinet members, Minister of Environment Park Mu-jin (Ji) must bring his country out of the chaos by taking up the role of the President of Korea for sixty days. Will Mu-jin uncover the truth behind the catastrophic attack before the end of his term?
Adapted from: The political drama is based on the popular 2016 ABC series Designated Survivor, starring British-Canadian actor Kiefer Sutherland.
Suits
Directed by: Kim Jin-woo and Kwon Young-il
Cast: Jang Dong-gun, Park Hyung-sik, Jin Hee-kyung
Year of release: 2018
Episodes: 16
Synopsis: A chance encounter with veteran lawyer Choi Kang-seok (Jang) of the prolific Kang & Ham Law Firm gets the unprivileged but skilled Go Yeon-woo (Park) a rookie lawyer job here. Eventually, Kang-seok discovers that Yeon-woo is not the applicant his firm called in for the interview, but chooses to keep him for his intelligence and photographic memory.
Adapted from: This Korean drama is a remake of the 2011 USA Network television series of the same name.
Life On Mars
Directed by: Lee Jung-hyo
Cast: Jung Kyoung-ho, Park Sung-woong, Ko Ah-sung
Year of release: 2018
Episodes: 16
Synopsis: Crime investigator Han Tae-joo (Ho) wakes up in 1988 after meeting with an accident. He is now a detective working at a city police station. Tae-joo eventually discovers that in order to travel back to his present, he must solve a serial murder case.
Adapted from: The popular K-drama is a remake of a 2006 BBC One series of the same name.
Criminal Minds
Directed by: Yang Yun-ho and Lee Jung-hyo
Cast: Lee Joon-gi, Son Hyun-joo, Moon Chae-won
Year of release: 2017
Episodes: 20
Synopsis: When an unfortunate bombing incident kills several SWAT officers and leaves the National Criminal Investigation (NCI) team leader Kang Ki-hyung devastated, he takes a break from work. Upon his return, Ki-hyung gets entangled in a murder case which requires him to work with the non-cooperative police officer Kim Hyun-joon.
Adapted from: This political K-drama is adapted from the US series of the same name and has been broadcast on CBS since 2005.
The Good Wife
Directed by: Lee Jung-hyo
Cast: Jeon Do-yeon, Yoo Ji-tae, Yoon Kye-sang
Year of release: 2016
Episodes: 16
Synopsis: A famous prosecutor (Yoo) becomes the prime suspect in a political scandal and is arrested. This, however, leads his wife (Jeon) and former attorney to resume her career after a fifteen-year break. Will she be able to save her husband?
Adapted from: The Good Wife is a Korean remake of the 2009 US TV series of the same name, starring American actor Julianna Margulies.
(Hero and featured image: Netflix France/Twitter)
This story was first published in Lifestyle Asia India
Most Popular
A PhD research scholar, Sushmita is a full-time writer and a part time poet. Notepads are Sushmita's one true love -- the unbothered victims drowned in the ink of her pen. An avid fan of K-pop and K-dramas, she mostly writes about Korean culture and entertainment. When not writing, Sushmita is dancing, reading, collecting books, learning about fashion, art, motion pictures, and appreciating BTS.
You might also like
Singapore gets its own Northern Lights: Witness borealis at Gardens by the Bay
8 Anya Taylor-Joy movies and TV shows that confirm her status as Hollywood’s rising star
