Great Korean Dramas Based on English-Language Shows and Movies

There are many Korean versions of popular western movies and TV shows that some K-drama fans may have missed.

Korean dramas have taken the world by storm in recent years. Many of them have generated worldwide popularity, and some shows have been adapted for a global audience like The Good Doctor. Korean networks have also found inspiration overseas as well, adapting a number of K-dramas from popular western films and television programs. Here are eight K-drama adaptations of English-language shows and movies.

The critically acclaimed CBS police procedural series Criminal Minds follows a team of FBI Behavioral Analysts as they seek to solve crimes using criminology and psychological profiling, giving viewers an inside look behind the psychology of crime. The show had high levels of popularity worldwide. In 2017, the franchise was expanded with a remake from the South Korean network tvN.

18 Again has a similar premise to the Zac Efron-helmed 2009 comedy film 17 Again. The original film sees Mike transforming into his 17-year-old self shortly after his wife files for divorce. He takes advantage of this opportunity to reconnect and fix the broken relationships he has with his wife and teenage children. The plot already sounded like something ripped straight from a Korean drama, so it was no surprise when Korean studio JTBC greenlit a Korean adaptation that was released in mid-2020.

In 18 Again, viewers follow Hong Dae Young, a 37-year-old father of two who, similar to the original film, finds himself unknowingly transported into the body of his younger self after his wife files divorce papers. The show was decently paced at 16 episodes, offering plenty of time to explore the characters in a deeper way than the original film never could due to its running time.