As K-Drama land pushed on with his positive shift towards the production of BL dramas, there is a new format we would very well love to see production companies adopt in the nearest future, "Remakes".
While we must admit that Korea is playing catch up with global (other Asian countries) in terms of BL production, we can also give credit where it is due as in terms of quality; great script and story development, amazing acting, beautiful chemistry, impressive dialogue, and cinematography, Korean BL has made a mark for themselves and surely becoming one of the leading countries in these categories.
Remakes have been a constant trend in drama land as there have been various Korean remakes of many hit dramas over the last couple of years, which have also recorded domestic and global successes, and vice versa.
With BL dramas, we have been seeing a lot of interaction between stars and production companies of international BL dramas and Korean actors, drumming up assumptions over possible collaborations or even remakes of dramas from both countries.
It is already been confirmed that there would be a Korean remake of the hit Thai BL drama "Why R U", a laudable decision that has flamed the desire of many, who expressively call for more Korean remakes of international BL dramas.
Joining the host of BL fans calling for this to be actioned, here are different International BL dramas we would love to have a Korean remake soon and in different categories.
High teen / Coming of age
The high teen genre is one of the most popular genres in BLs. Capturing the budding love story of teenagers or young adults, this genre has become a favorite amongst fans for its beautiful storyline, cute scenes, and heart-fluttering moments.
Here are 3 High teen BLs we recommend for a Korean remake.
1. "The Eclipse"
"The Eclipse" was probably one of the best Thai BL dramas released in 2022 and in the last couple of years in general as it didn't just rely or play on the cute and cheery bright theme that many BL fans are used to in this category but gave us more emotional depth, had a meaningful and impactful storyline, and perhaps one of the best delivery we have seen from Thai actors in a while. The story follows the lives of students in a strictly governed school, "Suppalo". Rules are created to keep students in line and prefects, led by Akk, are made to enforce them. However, things get worse as the administration tries to trample on the rights and freedom of the students.
Things begin to take a turn, when a new student named Ayan, enrolls in the school. Akk immediately judges him as one of the troublemakers in the school because of his odd behaviors. Yet, his curiosity and interest in Ayan go beyond that as soon, a romantic connection is formed between them amidst their seemingly divided interests and beliefs.
With its central plot around bullying and mistreatment in a school certain, these topics have been a familiar trope in K-Drama, which makes it all the more an interesting option for a remake. Shedding more light on the real-life situations of bullying in schools, while also giving viewers sweet and lovely moments as these two fated lovers discover themselves and the meaning of love, as they strive to uproot the evils that instigate the oppression of students in the school.
2. "Addicted"
This is perhaps one of the most interesting Chinese BL dramas and perhaps the most popular so far. From its gripping storyline, and the impressive dialogue that is really carried through by the intense and powerful chemistry of the main lead, this series was a sheer masterpiece and no doubt holds a place in the hearts of many BL fans. Its central plot follows the lives of two young students where Gu Hai is immediately drawn to the other Bai Lou Yin who tries to push him away.
Eventually, he falls for Gu Hai, however, their fated love story is faced with the ultimate test when they realize that they are stepbrothers, as Gu Hai's father has married Bai Lou Yin's mother. While we didn't get a conclusion of this story, due to what we can assume was because of the censorship ban on it, with this proposed Korean remake, we hope they keep every scene and of course, give viewers a befitting ending to the story.
3. "Love By Chance"
"Love By Chance" is one of the Thai high teen BL series that tackles on various topics affiliated with the LGBTQ+ communities. Focusing on the main leads of this series though, their storyline was simply beautiful and their chemistry was amazing and gave viewers many heartwarming moments as well. The series tells the story of Pete, a rich high school kid who is often used by others for his wealth, and Ae, a kindhearted student who he met after a bicycle accident, and who tries to help stare Pete away from his frenemies and show him what real friendship looks like.
Their constant interaction strikes a strong feeling of affection between them and soon, they have to discover the true difference between love and friendship, while also discovering their identities and what that means in society today. Tackling some of the key topics in the community like Coming out, first love, and self-acceptance, this series is one with great value and perhaps one that needs a Korean remake as well.
College Theme
College-themed BL dramas are also a favorite by many. Serving a more adult content in comparison to High Teen, and often incorporating more real-life topics and scenarios into the series, this themed BL series is always entertaining to watch.
In this segment, we have.
4. "Mr. Unlucky Has No Choice But To Kiss!"
Funny, cute, and fluffy, this series is such a feel-good source of entertainment. It centers around a college student, Fukuhara Kota, who has been unlucky since birth and always has a string of terrible situations happening to him each day. One day, he meets Shinomiya Naoya, a student who is treated like an idol and is much loved by everyone and considered to be very lucky as well. Fukuhara Kota soon realizes that whenever he gets close to his Shinomiya NaoYa, his luck seems to change for the better.
Seemingly seeking an opportunity to always be with him, so he can have a bit of his luck. However, his request was misconstrued as a dating confession and Shinomiya NaoYa responds by kissing him in agreement. Trying not to let go of his newfound source of luck, Fukuhara Kota decides to play along by faking an interest in Shinomiya NaoYa. However, as he gets to spend more time with him, he sees Shinomiya NaoYa is much more than his luck and eventually falls in love with him as well.
A remake of this series would be very interesting as well. Korean dramas are known to have the right recipe for fluffy and romantic moments that would make viewers feel the butterflies, so, this story would also be well within their wheelhouse as well.
5. "Bad Buddy"
"Bad Buddy" is an interesting series that tells the story of two young men who right since their childhood have been enemies thanks to the unending conflict between their families, who are also neighbors. A modern twist on the classic Capulet and Montague tale, this story takes us on a thrilling adventure of two men who were born to hate each other but ended up falling in love.
Pran and Pat are somewhat forced to become rivals thanks to the blooming conflict between their families. In the eyes of many, right from a young age, they have always been competing with each other and regarded as sworn enemies and this assumption has followed through to their college days. However, in reality, they have a secret friendship that over time, has blossomed into an attraction for each other. Now in college and being away from the prying eyes of their parents, as they spend more time together, they begin to discover more about their feelings for each other, while trying to hide their budding relationship from their parents and friends.
Its classic play on the "enemies to lovers" trope readily grips the attention of many viewers, however, what makes it further more interesting is the amazing chemistry between the leads that spurred not just many heart-fluttering moments but also chaotic and hilarious ones as well.
A remake of this hit drama series would no doubt interest a lot of global fans, as many would look to see how Korea would interpret some of the key moments, by perhaps infusing more dramatic moments that would add to the appeal of the story.
Adult theme
While we are used to seeing an influx of coming-of-age or college-themed BLs, adult-themed BL dramas are relatively scarce but definitely not lacking in terms of quality in storyline and delivery.
6. "Old Fashion Cupcake"
"Old Fashion Cupcake" is a drama we would describe as a romantic gem as it gave viewers a wholesome dose of amazing storyline and development, beautiful chemistry, impressive delivery, and heartwarming romantic scenes that made viewers fluster and root hard for the budding love story of two office workers. This charming and sweet story follows the lives of two officers workers, a superior, who is in his mid-thirties and lacks ambition or desires to enjoy anything beyond his job and his monotonous routine, and a younger colleague who has always admired his superior and seeks to reflame his passion for life by getting him to try new things and experiences, which would also include falling in love.
Their love story is both sweet and sexy as right from their very first interaction, a vivid tension could be felt between them, one that we would see continue to build up as the storyline progresses.
A remake of this drama would see Korean BL continuing on its current trend of releasing more adult-centered dramas like "The Director Who Buys Me Dinner", "To My Star", and "The New Employee".
7. "HiStory3: Trapped"
We need a Korean BL drama with the trope of "the smart detective falling in love with the mob boss with a somewhat kind heart" and perhaps the remake of this hit drama series will satiate our hunger. A drama we would describe as a thrilling adventure filled with action sequences, dramatic twists, intense chemistry, and romantic moments that would make your heart race with excitement, in our opinion, "HiStory3: Trapped" ranks as one of the best mature-themed BL today.
Its storyline follows 2 individuals, a detective and a mob boss who find themselves forming a sudden attraction for each other after a near-death experience. Meng Shao is convinced that new mob boss Tang Yi has a hand in the death of his mentor and would stop at nothing to bring him to justice. However, with consistent interactions, he soon realizes that Tang Yi is much more than the mob boss as he also has a charismatic and kind side that he found attractive. Soon hate and curiosity turns to love and a fiery love story begins between two unlikely characters from different worlds.
A remake of this drama would be very interesting to many BL fans. Given its expressive romantic scenes as well as its interesting fight sequences, it would be interesting to see the way Korea would interpret a BL of such high quality and perhaps serve as a foundation for more similar types of BL from the country.
Which of these BL dramas would you love to see have a Korean remake Let us know in the comments section below.