It’s remake week in dramaland, with two new adaptations on the way based on well-established series abroad. Not that this is any guarantee of a remake’s success, mind you, since we’ve seen many adaptations crash and burn on just such expectations. But when has that ever stopped me before?
Suits
Time slot: Wednesday & Thursday
Broadcaster: KBS
Genre: Legal drama
Episode count: 16
Reasons to watch: I’m eager to check out the Korean adaptation of Suits, the slick USA Network show about a genius college dropout who makes a living illegally taking the bar exam for other people. He accidentally ends up going on a job interview for the city’s ace lawyer and becomes his newest protege at the firm, despite not having a license to practice law. The original is zippy and quippy, but I’m in this for the all-star pairing of Jang Dong-gun and Park Hyung-shik, since I expect them to have all sorts of bromantic chemistry. At the helm will be PD Kim Jin-woo, who directed the first (and by far superior) season of Mystery Queen and was the second PD on Healer, so I’m expecting something stylish. You can’t get my hopes up about a meaty role for Park Hyung-shik and disappoint, right? I rest my case.
Mistress
Time slot: Saturday & Sunday
Broadcaster: OCN
Genre: Mystery thriller
Episode count: 12
Reasons to watch: The 2008 BBC series Mistresses has already been remade into an American version once before in 2013, and is now getting a Korean adaptation on OCN. I haven’t seen either of the previous versions, but they’re definitely playing up the mystery thriller aspect in this one, about four women with dubious morals and conflicting motives, all bound together by one murder. It’s directed by PD Han Ji-seung of Valid Love and Alone in Love, which is definitely a reason to check it out. I wish I could say the same for the cast, led by Han Ga-in, but I just can’t, because even in the teasers her acting makes me cringe a little. She’s had six years off; maybe she’ll have improved…?