10 K-Dramas That Need An American Remake ASAP

K-dramas constitute some of South Korea’s biggest cultural exports, and some Korean shows are ripe to be adapted as American remakes. From sappy romances to endearing human stories, these Korean dramas have managed to cater to a universal fanbase, even more after many such K-dramas began streaming on Netflix. Some successful series like Love Alarm and Vincenzo aired as Netflix originals. With the viral success of other Korean productions like Squid Game, it’s apparent that K-dramas are here to stay. It’s only a matter of time before American streaming platforms will want to reimagine them for a new audience.

While a large chunk of popular K-dramas incorporate original storylines or are adapted from webtoons and popular fiction, some of them have also borrowed inspiration from American media. For instance, 18 Again was a melodramatic spin on 17 Again while both Suits and Entourage have entertained K-drama adaptations of the same name. The inverse is true for the American market, with The Good Doctor being a significant case in point. The long-running medical drama initially started as a remake of the 2013 K-drama of the same name. Considering how more and more Americans are riding on the “Korean wave” (or Hallyu as it’s known), many K-dramas deserve American remakes.

10 SKY Castle (2018-2019)

SKY Castle is an unconventional K-drama in the sense that it is devoid of any romantic angles and rather plays out as an intense family drama. The series revolves around a society of elite families who put immense pressure on their children to secure their admission to the country’s most prestigious universities. The show’s real-world commentary on parenting and class politics can be used to satirize the clout and influence behind Ivy League college admissions in America. A Western remake of SKY Castle can preserve the original’s premise while also offering a nuanced take on the otherwise crowded American high-school drama genre.

9 Hotel Del Luna (2019)

Painting a vibrantly rich world in a “Hotel of the Dead”, Hotel Del Luna deals with the trials and tribulations of lost souls checked in at the titular establishment. With the hotel being managed by the ghost of a mass murderer and her naive human assistant, the show is equally emotional and humorous. Considering how Wednesday’s success brought back Tim Burton in fashion, a Gothic makeover of Hotel Del Luna might appeal to audiences seeking another fresh entry to Netflix’s pantheon of supernatural dramas. With genre actors like Jena Ortega or Anya Taylor-Joy standing in for K-Pop idol IU’s compelling performances as the manager, there can be potential.

8 Love Alarm (2019-2021)

It might seem like a usual love triangle-driven drama, but Love Alarm does a lot more. Taking Netflix viewers by storm when it premiered in 2019, the K-drama dealt with an app that allows its users to detect potential matches within their 10-meter radius. But unlike modern dating apps, Love Alarm strips all individual will and compels its users to be devoted to the soulmate that the app came up with. The subsequent theatrics serve as an amusing satire on modern-day technology and data privacy, universal themes that would appease even younger American audiences. A Westernized take on Love Alarm can easily find its place among American coming-of-age dramas.

7 What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim (2018)

What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim first started as a novel that was later serialized into a webtoon and then adapted into the highly popular K-drama of the same name. Charmingly witty and emotionally poignant, this workplace romance deals with a self-obsessed corporate hotshot who starts falling for his contrastingly cheerful secretary after she plans on resigning. Office romances and comedies have often worked in the West and considering the immense fandom this particular K-drama has generated, an American remake is highly likely to be well-received. While the show has its fair share of familiar rom-com tropes, the American remake can subvert or parody them for better results.

6 Vincenzo (2021)

While gangsters have been featured in previous K-dramas, the titular antihero of Vincenzo is unique in the sense that he is of mixed Italian-Korean heritage. While mafia movies in the West have often been obsessed with standalone gangsters or mafia dons, Vincenzo puts the spotlight on a strong-willed and morally just consiglieri (adviser) instead. The ideological clashes that ensue between him and his superiors can offer a breath of fresh air to American gangster dramas. With the Netflix original also offering loads of deadpan humor and identity politics in the mix, Vincenzo is what the K-drama world needed but it can also lead to an equally sleek and stylish remake.

5 The World Of The Married (2020)

Technically a remake of the British drama Doctor Foster, The World of the Married still stood out on its own with its dramatic intensity and record-breaking viewership in the Korean market. The show essentially debunks the perfect Korean family routine by mixing formulaic marital drama with a heavy dose of infidelity. The constant twists and turns that adorn the storyline make it a perfect match for the American market that already seems to have an avid tolerance for marriage dramas. If executed in the right hands, an American remake of the K-drama might join the leagues of The Affair, Scandal, A Teacher, and the like.

4 Sweet Home (2020-)

Adequately soaked in blood and high on paranoia, Sweet Home is a compelling apocalyptic zombie monster drama. Love Alarm star Song Kang stars as an emotionally depressed high-schooler who not only deals with a family tragedy but an impending monster invasion. Trapped in a high-rise residential building, he and a band of survivors must do everything they can to survive. The premise isn’t the most original considering how the American market has been plagued with numerous zombie dramas after The Walking Dead, but the creative violence, terrifying creature designs, and an emotionally captivating protagonist open up the possibilities of a promising American remake.

3 W (2016)

With its action taking place across the real world and a digital realm of webtoons, W effortlessly blends sci-fi and the usual K-drama romance. Based on the webtoon of the same name, the show’s stakes also rise when the protagonist must choose between resurrecting her dead father or choosing to help a charming man whom she encounters in an alternate universe. After the success of Everything Everywhere All At Once, multiple possibilities have opened up to explore the possibilities of a multiverse and an American remake of a K-drama like W might just offer yet another interesting take to the sci-fi subgenre.

2 Itaewon Class (2020)

Itaewon Class offers one of the most root-worthy K-drama protagonists while also featuring one of the best K-drama villains. The narrative is built around ex-convict Park Sae-ro-yi who tries to restart his life by opening a bar with his friends. Enter ruthless CEO Jang Dae Hee who wronged him in his past life and continues making matters difficult for him. While the David vs. Goliath story at its core is compelling enough to call for an American remake, the scenes involving the bar’s opening and functioning offer a more optimistic change in tone. Throw in a dash of The Bear-inspired fast-paced editing and these scenes can be adequately reimagined.

1 Goblin/Guardian: The Lonely And Great God (2016-2017)

Guardian: The Lonely and Great God or Goblin as it’s also known, is an all-time K-drama favorite. One of the first Korean dramas to go global, Goblin found Train to Busan and Squid Game’s Gong Yoo taking on the title role of an immortal military general who seeks a bride to break the Grim Reaper’s curse. An unforgettable romance blooms between the protagonist and a student with a tragic past. Even though Goblin is rooted in Korean mythology and history, it can very well be adapted to incorporate other global lore for a timeless love story that is bound to make audiences teary-eyed even if it belongs to a remake.