Netflix is to create a Korean version of its own Spanish-language action thriller series “Money Heist” (“La Casa de Papel”). The production is to be a collaboration between BH Entertainment and Contents Zium.
The Korean adaptation of “Money Heist” will be directed by Kim Hong-sun, who has helmed TV dramas like “The Guest,” “Voice” and “Black.” Ryu Yong-jae and his team, whose credits include the Netflix original series “My Holo Love” and tvN series “Psychopath Diary,” are set as screenwriters for the 12-part show. Few other details such as production dates or casting were disclosed.
“Korean creators have been developing their own language and audiovisual culture for years. They have managed, like our series, to go beyond cultural borders and become a point of reference for thousands of viewers around the world, especially among young people,” said Alex Pina, creator and executive producer of “La Casa de Papel.” “That is why I find it fascinating that the world of ‘La Casa de Papel’ is so attractive to Korean creators as to do an adaptation. The fact that the action is set on the Korean Peninsula also seems to me to be a milestone which I am really delighted about.”
The Spanish-language original show premiered in 2017. A fifth and final part is now in production. Netflix says that more than 65 million households watched part of fourth season (i.e. the second part of the second season) in the four weeks after its release in April 2020.
“The international popularity of the Spanish series ‘La Casa de Papel’ is proof that significant works based in different cultures and languages can be widely distributed by Netflix and loved by audiences worldwide,” the company said in a statement.