10 Korean Dramas So Good They Are Perfect Reboot Material
Maybe it's time to give these cult classics a new spin.
The South Korean TV industry is something really unique. It seems like they have shows of every genre for all the different fans. There are romances, zombie shows, twister time parallel shows, and so much more.
But some of the stories in these shows are so good that it would be a real disaster not to adapt them for a wider audience. And here are just a few examples of the shows that need an American reboot as soon as possible.
1. Goblin/Guardian: The Lonely And Great God
This drama is considered one of the best series ever created in South Korea. Its fan base is larger than that of any other Korean drama. In fact, it was one of the first shows to achieve global success. The story revolves around Gong Yoo's title character, an immortal general who is desperate to find a bride to break a curse.
The love story between the Guardian and the young woman he finds is something everyone needs to see, so a well-produced remake will serve it perfectly.
2. Itaewon Class
This one revolves around ex-convict Park Sae-ro-yi who tries to start a new life by opening a bar with his friends. But everything goes wrong when the ruthless CEO Jang Dae Hee shows up... again to make things worse for our main star.
Itaewon Class is the show that gave us the best protagonist and the best villain in the industry. So maybe if, say, Netflix tries to do a remake of the show, we will have another perfect show to binge watch.
3. W
The show holds a perfect balance between the sci-fi genre and a usual K-romance, mixing two worlds in one. The multiverse of the show opens many possibilities to explore it even further as a new series, saving the main protagonist who faces the difficulty of a moral dilemma.
4. Sweet Home
Well, before we found this show, we never thought that South Korea would make a K-drama about zombie monsters. Famous actor Song Kang stars as an emotionally depressed high school student who has to deal with not only a family tragedy, but also an upcoming monster invasion. Well, not exactly a Stranger Things vibe, but it will be great to have another show that focuses on a kid saving the world.
5. The World Of The Married
Technically, the show is already a remake of another British drama, Doctor Foster. However, the South Korean version of the show still stands on its own as an independent series. The World of the Married is still extremely popular among fans at home and has also gained worldwide success. The plot focuses mainly on married couples, and it will be great to have such a show adapted for American audiences.
6. Vincenzo
The unlikely show features the main antihero of the series, Vincenzo, who has Italian-Korean heritage, and that alone makes him an interesting character. The gangster show focuses more on the consiglieri than the titular gangsters. And that can be a great point of view for a future adaptation.
7. What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim
Charmingly funny and emotional, this workplace romance is about a self-obsessed corporate hotshot who falls for his contrastingly cheerful secretary after she decides to quit. While there are many shows out there with this premise, this one has a cozy vibe to it, so the reboot is likely to be well-received.
8. Love Alarm
While the drama may seem like a standard love triangle, the show is actually much more than that. The series explores an app that allows users to find potential matches within their 10-meter radius. When it premiered in 2019, the show caused quite a stir online, proving that a westernized version of Love Alarm could easily find its place among American teen dramas.
9. Hotel Del Luna
Hotel Del Luna is a dark series in which the hotel is run by the ghost of a serial killer and her rather naive human assistant. While the overall atmosphere is quite creepy, the show is still emotional and humorous. We are sure that after the success of Wednesday, another dark series with a female lead is just what the industry needs.
10. SKY Castle
This is the rare example of a South Korean show that doesn’t feature any romantic storyline but is rather concentrated on exploring the family drama. The series centers on a society of elite families who put tremendous pressure on their children to get into the country's most prestigious universities.
A western remake of SKY Castle can maintain the premise of the original while offering a subtle take on the otherwise crowded American high school drama genre.