‘W – Two Worlds’ to get American remake
MBC drama W – Two Worlds is all set to be remade for American TV! CBS, one of the leading terrestrial networks in the U.S., will adapt the drama. This is yet another development in the growing influence of Korean dramas around the world.
Starring Lee Jong-suk (Romance Is a Bonus Book) and Han Hyo-joo (Dong Yi), W – Two Worlds—also known as W – Two Worlds Apart or simply W—is a fantasy-romance drama that aired in 2016. Han Hyo-joo plays a cardiothoracic surgeon named Oh Yeon-joo. She is the daughter of the writer and illustrator of a famous webtoon called “W.”
After her father’s sudden disappearance, Yeon-joo visits his studio to find out the truth. Instead, she finds a wounded man called Kang Chul, played by Lee Jong-suk, who is the protagonist of her father’s webtoon. A portal between the two worlds allows Yeon-joo to travel back and forth as she falls in love with Kang Chul and races to save him from his fate, written by her own father.
W – Two Worlds was written by Song Jae-jung (Memories of the Alhambra) and directed by Jung Dae-yoon (I’m Not a Robot). The show achieved a peak nationwide TV rating of 13.8 percent and became popular among young people. It also won a Special Jury award at the 50th WorldFest Houston International Film Festival, leading to increased international interest.
As per Deadline, a U.S. entertainment news website, MBC signed a contract for the remake rights of W: Two Worlds with CBS Studios. Craig Plestis, founder of Smart Dog Media and the man credited for bringing the MBC variety show King of Mask Singer to America, will be serving as the series’ executive producer, while MBC America’s Kim Na-hee will also be involved with the project.
Remakes of Korean dramas have a history of doing well in America. The most recent example is The Good Doctor, a remake of the 2013 Korean drama of the same name, that is currently airing its fourth season. A TV adaptation of the Academy Award-winning movie Parasite is also in the works.