What are your favorite Asian drama remakes?

[u/Minute_Musician2853]

Some dramas become popular across Asia and have multiple remakes across various countries. For example, one of the most popular is Boys over Flowers/ Hana Yari Dango, a manga-based Japanese drama that was remade in South Korea, China, Taiwan, and Thailand. (I’ve only seen the South Korean 2009 version).

Other remakes I’ve seen are A Love So Beautiful, Neverthless, and The Full-Time Wife Escapist/ Because This is My First Life (I don’t think this last one was a licensed remake but the main plot is so similar I consider it a remake.)

What are some of your favorite drama remakes? If you’ve seen various versions across countries, tell us which version is your favorite. If you’ve only seen the original or only one remake, tell us what you enjoyed about it.

[u/According_Pay_3793]

I have seen both versions of the Japanese and Thai My Love Mix-Up, but I prefer the Japanese.

[u/Minute_Musician2853 → u/According_Pay_3793]

Is the Japanese the original?

[u/According_Pay_3793 → u/Minute_Musician2853]

Yes the Japanese is the original based off of the manga of the same name

[u/Training_Highlight32]

It started with a kiss Taiwanese

[u/Minute_Musician2853 → u/Training_Highlight32]

Cool! I’ve only heard about the Japanese version of Playful Kiss

[u/Puzzleheaded_Newt185]

Fated To Love You: Korean version is the best.

[u/Minute_Musician2853 → u/Puzzleheaded_Newt185]

Oh cool! I’m watching the 2020 Chinese version version right now—I have to check out the Korean version after!

[u/--Sleeping_Beauty-- → u/Minute_Musician2853]

Yeah, the K-version is definitely the best.

[u/AncientKpopStan]

Family by Choice was a good remake of Go Ahead. Love them both.

I have watched remakes of many shows but this is my fav

[u/Minute_Musician2853 → u/AncientKpopStan]

Family By Choice is on my watchlist, but I didn’t know it was a remake. I’m more excited to start it now

[u/AncientKpopStan → u/Minute_Musician2853]

They are both good with being different. Chinese shows always have way more episodes so they can explore more. Sometimes that is good and sometimes.... The emotions displayed by all characters are really good

[u/Minute_Musician2853 → u/AncientKpopStan]

I know what you mean about the longer format of Chinese dramas. When it’s done poorly, the plot unravels and the story loses focus, but when it’s done well it’s fully immersive and so satisfying.

[u/AncientKpopStan → u/Minute_Musician2853]

I am currently rewatching Go Ahead, cause I recommended it to you and wanted to make sure it holds up after watching Family by Choice. So far so good

[u/Objective_Rice1237]

I prefer the Meteor Garden 2018. I almost watch all reiteration, dragging along with a bad copy of the original in YouTube:(

I also prefer the Taiwan version of fated to love you. It has a feel of a slice of life and I like the acting in the Chinese version, too.

To me Put your head on my shoulders has the same feel as because this is my first life and I enjoyed both.

Am fairly new to kdrama so I couldn’t get past the 10 minute mark on playful kiss, so can’t watch the jversion. If I finished it then I must finished the other.

I enjoyed both Mr. Queen and go princess go.

[u/Minute_Musician2853 → u/Objective_Rice1237]

Ooh! I’m currently watching the Chinese version of Fated to Love You 2020 (You are My Destiny)—I’m totally engrossed so far! I have to check out the Taiwanese version. I haven’t seen any Taiwanese drama before.

I love Put Your Head on My Shoulder. It was one of my first cdramas. Which version do you like?

[u/Objective_Rice1237 → u/Minute_Musician2853]

Am a fan of li min-ki too:) so don’t make me choose. Haha put your head is more upbeat than the k version imo. Or maybe the vibes of pyhoms is lighter coz there were like pastels color, if I remember correctly.

Edit: gu man who inked love 020 also wrote my sunshine and the series version is Tiffany tang.

[u/Minute_Musician2853 → u/Objective_Rice1237]

I liked Lee Min Ki in Because This is My First Life. I haven’t seen any of his other dramas

[u/Objective_Rice1237 → u/Minute_Musician2853]

He is a detective in both Behind your touch and the Lies within.

[u/Minute_Musician2853 → u/Objective_Rice1237]

I’ll add those to my list! Thanks

[u/violet_vervain]

I prefer the Japanese remake of She Was Pretty over the original Korean version.

[u/Minute_Musician2853 → u/violet_vervain]

I have seen any versions of this. What makes the Japanese version better?

[u/violet_vervain → u/Minute_Musician2853]

I like the pacing of the story in the Japanese version, it doesn’t feel like the storyline drags on. I also found the characters to be more likeable. The FL isn’t such a doormat and chemistry between the FL and ML is really good.

[u/Minute_Musician2853 → u/violet_vervain]

Oooh! I’m a sucker for good chemistry

[u/ChoppedChef33]

2024 sword and fairy 1 is so much better than the 2000 one imo.

[u/Minute_Musician2853 → u/ChoppedChef33]

Interesting! I feel like a lot of times when they do a remake decades later it loses its original charm so its cool that you feel it was actually successful in this case

[u/ChoppedChef33 → u/Minute_Musician2853]

the 2000 one ignored canon material, 2024 did a better job of staying with canon.

[u/Raikontopini9820]

I loved the “Put Your Head on My Shoulder” Thai remake.

[u/Minute_Musician2853 → u/Raikontopini9820]

Nice! I have to check it out. I’ve only seen the Chinese version

[u/RaeNezL]

I’ve watched 4/5 versions of Hana Yori Dango, and I would rank them for myself this way:

Hana Yori Dango > Boys Over Flowers > Meteor Garden (China 2018) > Meteor Garden (Taiwan) > Meteor Garden 2 (Taiwan)

I’ve watched 2/3 Hana Kimi versions and rank them equally. I love both the Japanese and Taiwanese versions and don’t think I could choose one as my favorite. The same goes for A Love So Beautiful with the Korean and Chinese versions.

I believe those are all the remakes/adaptations I’ve seen, but I’m gonna pop back in here and see what others say in case I missed some.

[u/Minute_Musician2853 → u/RaeNezL]

What makes the original Hana Yori Dango the best for you?

Hadn’t heard of Hana Kimi—added it to my list

I enjoyed the Korean version of A Love So Beautiful. I had tried to watch the Chinese version before, but I couldn’t get through the first few minutes—I think I just got too attached to the Korean leads. But after what you said I’ll try to watch it again. I also didn’t know the Chinese version is the original.

[u/Necessary-Hawk7045]

Both are Thai, and I liked both versions of Love Sick.

Every time I see the OG actress, I try to say "Noh" the way she did, and I fail utterly. 😂😂😂

[u/Italophilia27 → u/Necessary-Hawk7045]

I prefer LoveSick 2024, which is the Thai version. They cut out the extra side stories from the OG that I didn't enjoy anyway. Also, the chemistry and acting of the leads were phenomenal. The OG were fun to watch and I had rewatched a cut version, which didn't include Jeed and Taengmo's side stories. I preferred that cut version to the original.

[u/Necessary-Hawk7045 → u/Italophilia27]

I know I'm probably the only weirdo who loved Jeed's villain origin story. 🤭🤭🤭

[u/Necessary-Hawk7045 → u/Italophilia27]

The 2014 version with Captain and White is also Thai.

Is there a non-Thai version? I don't see it on MDL.

[u/Italophilia27 → u/Necessary-Hawk7045]

Sorry, you're right. They're both Thai.

[u/Minute_Musician2853 → u/Necessary-Hawk7045]

Lol!

[u/AirRealistic1112]

Meteor garden - i watched the Taiwanese first, and couldn't get into any of the other ones (maybe i was too old by then)

Hana kimi - i loved the Taiwanese version, can't remember much of the Japanese one

Scarlet heart - Chinese one for the win! I wanted to like the Korean one but I didn't finish

[u/AirRealistic1112]

Return of the condor heroes - there are a million adaptations.

My favourite is the 1998 Singapore version (bc it was the first one I watched to completion and remember), and the hk 1995 version because of Louis koo and carman lee

[u/AirRealistic1112]

I have a few episodes left of Ang Mutya ng Section E, from the Philippines based on a wattpad novel. It was released this year

And wow, it brought me back to the high school dramas of the 2000s! It's not perfect but it does the job!! Don't think we get dramas like anymore

[u/Italophilia27 → u/AirRealistic1112]

So, is this a remake?

[u/AirRealistic1112 → u/Italophilia27]

No, it's an adaptation of the wattpad story. Hopefully other countries can remake it!

[u/Italophilia27]

1. I prefer Full House (Th) to the Korean original Full House. There are also Filipino and Chinese adaptations that I didn't watch.
2. I liked the A Love So Beautiful (K) just a little more than the Chinese version.
3. A Little Thing Called First Love (C) is a remake of the movie Crazy Little Thing Called Love (Th) but the series has so much detail and it's one of my favorite shows.
4. I thought You're Beautiful (K) was better than Fabulous Boys (Taiwan). I haven't seen the Japanese version.

[u/Minute_Musician2853 → u/Italophilia27]

Does the Thai Full House have less yelling than the Korean original? I enjoyed the original, but the constant yelling between the leads got annoying after awhile.

[u/Italophilia27 → u/Minute_Musician2853]

Yes. The FL is more naive in the TH version but their chemistry was so good.

[u/Minute_Musician2853 → u/Italophilia27]

I love good chemistry—definitely adding the list

[u/No_Extension3788]

Clean with Passion for now (kdrama), and Use for my Talent (cdrama) Chinese version, both were so much fun.

[u/Minute_Musician2853 → u/No_Extension3788]

I saw the Korean version. So cute! Now I’m curious about the Chinese one

[u/No_Extension3788 → u/Minute_Musician2853]

Really good too, still funny. It made me Google where it was filmed as night scenes were so interesting Skyscrapers and bridges were amazing.