Korean movies have been inspired from other movie industries and in return has been the main cause of inspiration for other industries too. Its plot and storylines have been catching eyeballs from a long time but weren’t aware until recently it started winning Oscars. One of the main catching points are the realistic portrayal of the characters and scenarios across the world without trying to sugar coat the same, this has been incorporated by many of the others in the same industry and trying fresh approaches to film making which the viewers can appreciate.
1. Oldboy
The 2013 movie Oldboy is an American movie which is a remake of the Korean thriller movie made by Park Chan-Wook, both the stories are similar in the approach to the movie stating the story of drunken, and abusive main lead who gets imprisoned for a long duration by a mysterious jailer.
2. The Uninvited
The American psychological horror movie which was released in 2009 is actually a remake of the 2003 release Korean horror film which goes by the name A Tale of Two Sisters, which has actually had several adaptations and the American version has had mixed reviews for the same. It stars Emily Browning, Elizabeth Banks, to name a few.
3. The Lake House
The Lake House is an American fantasy romance drama released in 2016 which is the remake of the South Koreanfilm name II Mare which was released in 2000. The American version has huge names like Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock starring in it. The story is about the meeting of an architect and a doctor via letters.
4. Mirrors
The famous supernatural horror film which was released in American theatres in 2008 after shooting began in 2007 is a direct copy of the South Korean film named Into the Mirror, which was supposedly the name of the American adaptation as well, but they had to change it to mirrors. The American version has a second part too, given the dissatisfaction of the Director.
5. My Sassy Girl
It is a 2008 American remake of the 2001 movie of the romantic-comedy genre of the Korean film by the same name. Both the movies are based on a series of blog posts written by Kim Ho-SIk, and is based on the true story of the writer. Later it was also adapted into dramas, and the American version is set in New York.
6. The Good Doctor
Before we knew about Freddie Highmore playing the Good Doctor as the famous Shaun Murphy it was actually a Korean drama led by Park Shi-on played by Joo Won, which aired in 2013 who had to prove himself to be a worthy surgeon when he was deemed unfit by his colleagues and everybody around him.
7. Masked Singer
The singing reality show, the Masked Singer was actually an inspiration from the Korean version named the King od Mask Singer, which later got adopted by many countries, and the concept of the show is to conceal their identities and allow the judges to figure the voice of the celebrity.
8. Possession
The 2009 American movie is a psychological thriller with Sarah Michelle Gellar and Lee Pace as the leads and is the remake of the South Korean film named Addicted. Jess played Gellar is a sweet natured and driver lawyer. The movie release was cancelled for theatre releases multiple times until it finally released in the Philippines theatrically.
9. Somewhere Between
Somewhere Between is a 2017 drama aired on ABC which couldn’t garner many reviews and ratings. It was based on the Korean show God’s Gift: 14 Days, which is about the murder of the daughter and the journey of a mother. The American show was critiqued for not being enough emotionally good as the Korean drama version, and the depth wasn’t covered.
10. Better Late Than Never
This variety show was adapted from the show was Grandpas Over Flowers, that followed the story of celebrities that travel through countries to experience and discover new cultures and as normal tourists and no special treatment. The Korean adaptation was successful who had five seasons, while the American show couldn’t last too long.
