Netflix released Money Heist Korea on June 24, 2022, and viewers wonder if the series is a remake of the original La Casa de Papel. Well, the Korean version does share the same plot but consists of a different storyline and conflicts. Furthermore, the characters are the same as in the Spanish version with Korean cast members. Follow the article to know the similarities and differences between the original and Korean versions of Money Heist.
'Money Heist: Korea - Joint Economic Area', a South Korean heist crime drama series created by Kim Hong-sun, Ryu Yong-jae, Kim Hwan-chae, and Choe Sung-jun for Netflix, is based on the popular Spanish series Money Heist/La Casa de Papel created by Alex Pina.
The storyline, which is set in the same make-believe world as its original version, centers on The Professor, a brilliant strategist, and his capable crew of infamous thieves as they attempt an almost impossibly difficult robbery. The Korean adaptation, like the original series, features numerous twists and turns as the squad overcomes difficulties while committing the robbery.
There are very few people who haven't watched the original Spanish version. As the Korean version has already been released, many viewers wonder if the show is a remake of the original version or follows a whole new plot. Well, let's find it out.
Previously, we touched on BTS, the show's ending, Denver, and Rio.
Money Heist Korea Is a Remake of the Original Money Heist With a Korean Twist: Similarities and Differences!
It is basically a Korean version of the original La Casa de Papel. Even though the setting and title are different, the fundamental plot remains the same. A bunch of thieves decides to loot one of their nation's largest financial institutions because they are fed up with the wealth gap in their country. Even the names of this gang's predecessors are the same.
However, Money Heist: Korea is not an exact representation of the original. This new series has a few touches that are uniquely Korean in style. For instance, it was discovered that Berlin, the mastermind behind the original Money Heist, was actually The Professor's brother and was critically ill. Meanwhile, Berlin, a former laborer who escaped from a North Korean labor camp, appears in Money Heist: Korea.
Director Kim Hong-sun stated in an interview with the Indian Express that while the plot may be the same, it's the characters that will make this new series intriguing. He explained,
"What’s amazing is that all the characters have their own personalities, and it was fun to watch them all. I thought if we translate the background and characters into Korean, we could give birth to something novel. And that’s how we started."
The Korean remake has maintained several regionally specific aspects. In addition to focusing on the unification of North and South Korea, it replaces a Hahoe mask with the famous Dali masks from La Casa de Papel. While the Dali mask represents freedom in Spain, the Hahoe mask represents criticism of the powerful in Korea. When each cast member wore the mask, Park Hae-soo (Berlin) said that he had a sensation of overwhelming power.
Money Heist Korea wasn't much surprising. There is not a single hurray moment; all the twists and turns are predictable. Scene by scene, the crucial story turns that made Money Heist a worldwide sensation are lifted.
For instance, the build-up is unchanged from Professor almost escaping the police to the internal disagreements within the group of criminals. Nevertheless, despite the similarities, seeing a thriller in a different cultural context is enlightening.
For the show, the creators created a unique currency that represented the union. In addition, a fictitious Unified Korea Mint facility was created. However, the main plotline of the original show is still the same: a group of outlaws and criminals get together to rob the nation's mint, forge its currency, and escape the facility as the police and investigative agencies, under the leadership of their main man, The Professor.
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