It’s not unusual for Netflix to remake a beloved show or movie. What is unusual is for that remake to premiere roughly six months after its source material has ended. That’s exactly the position Money Heist: Korea — Joint Economic Area is in, a nearly beat-for-beat take on La Casa de Papel. And underneath this show’s elaborate scheming and code names may be a glimpse at the future of this fictional universe, as well as Netflix’s evolving international strategy.
For anyone hoping that this new series would tell a new story, prepare to be disappointed. Money Heist: Korea is unapologetically a remake of the original Money Heist. In a world that values the rich over the poor, The Professor (Yoo Ji-tae) recruits a crew to steal from the mint of a unified Korea. The code names still come from major international cities, and even the most iconic shots have been copied. For example, Part 1 features a new version of Rio and Denver celebrating as they lounge on a comically huge pile of money. But aside from some slightly changed characters and a heaping dose of Korean flair, the general stories are essentially the same.
Despite these similarities, Money Heist: Korea still seems to be performing well for the streaming giant. At the time this article was published, the series was ranked eighth out of Netflix’s Top 10 TV shows in the U.S. today. Once Netflix updates its Global Top 10 list, its rank will likely only increase.
Despite a fair amount of fans getting frustrated that this new series isn’t a continuation, the existence of Money Heist: Korea draws on the world of possibility this series has always inspired. Though it revolved around Spain, Money Heist has always had an international focus. Beyond its character names, Part 3 showed the team scattered across the globe from Panama to Indonesia. But beyond that, its themes of economic frustration and standing up against the upper class have always been universal.
The original Money Heist long ago proved that it was a show that could be appealing to everyone. Money Heist: Korea proves that we could live in a world where every major area has their own version of this story. Assuming this new series is widely watched, why not open the door for a Money Heist: France or a Money Heist: India? Because the story’s already been written, it would be a relatively easy lift for Netflix to further diversify this franchise.
This is also a strategy we’ve seen Netflix utilize before when it comes to its reality programming. There are currently German, French, Spanish, and Mexican versions of Nailed It! Japan has its own version of Love Is Blind. The Circle has spread to both France and Brazil. It’s not insane to think that remaking a scripted series with a different international focus would see similarly positive results.
But more than anything else, Money Heist: Korea is indicative of Netflix’s evolving international strategy. The past few years have seen the streaming service greatly increase its production of original Korean shows. At the moment, there are 12 Korean shows that have ended, nine that are currently ongoing, and one that’s upcoming. Those numbers are competitive with two of Netflix’s biggest non-American language subsets: Portuguese and Spanish. In comparison, there have been nine Portuguese Netflix originals that have ended, and nine that are ongoing. Netflix’s collection of Spanish-language originals has always been the most robust with 39 cancelled shows, 17 current shows, and four upcoming projects. But considering that most of Netflix’s Korean shows have premiered in the past three years, Netflix’s Spanish-language originals may one day lose their crown.
Before Squid Game took the world by storm, Netflix was seriously investing in Korean projects. Out of the 21 Korean language shows that have premiered on Netflix, 13 of them dropped before Squid Game. The remaining seven were in production before Hwang Dong-hyuk taught us all to fear childhood games. If we know anything about how Netflix operates, once something works, the streamer doubles down. That means we can likely expect a lot more Korean television in the next few years.
Money Heist: Korea may not be the wholly original series fans were expecting. But as an exercise in corporate synergy, it’s surprisingly informative about Netflix’s potential priorities. Besides, who doesn’t want to watch a new take on a great show?
By Kayla Cobb
