18 Bollywood Remakes of Korean Films Which Were Not As Good As The Original

The Korean Wave has achieved global popularity in the entertainment world. From mind-bending Thrillers & some over-the-top Dramas, OTT has been flooded with content from the region. After providing a massive fan-following for K-Pop & Korean Video Games, India has also witnessed a Boom in terms of viewership, especially after Money Heist & Squid Game hit the screens.

Bollywood has always been smitten by the Films from South Korea and has a (not so good) reputation for loving Remakes, Rip-Offs and Re-Mixes. Not only have the makers lifted the scenes from some of the Biggest Korean Blockbusters, they have literally Remade some of the Films as well (“Inspired by” as they love to call it). I have compiled a list of 18 Hindi films based on South Korean movies which received a mixed reaction from the Indian Audiences.

Well, after going through the list, it is highly recommended that you watch the original content to get a better understanding of the original flavour of the Film.

The Terror Live (2013) – Dhamaka (2021)

The Kartik Aaryan starrer is an official remake of the 2014 South Korean film “The Terror Live”. The film is about an ambitious news anchorman who runs the live broadcast of a terrorist attack following the explosion of a Bridge. He finds himself in deep waters, both professionally and personally but takes it as a career altering opportunity & begins to negotiate with the caller. The film is a one room set-up film that relies on moments of thrills right from the start. Although the re-make appeared promising, it failed to leave a mark with the Audience.

Scandal Makers (2008) – Jawani Janeman (2020)

A remake of the South Korean comedy “Scandal Makers”, Jawani Janeman is an entertaining film which was received well by the Audiences. It has a contemporary story that showcases complex human relationships with some eccentricities along with an excellent performance by Saif Ali Khan.

Ode to My Father (2014) – Bharat (2019)

Bharat is based on the South Korean drama movie “Ode to My Father” (the fourth highest-grossing film in the history of South Korean cinema) which depicts South Korean history from the 1950s to the present day through the life of an ordinary man. Bharat won the hearts of the audiences and became an instant Blockbuster.

Outlaws (2009) – Radhe (2021)

Radhe is a film about a daredevil encounter specialist of the Mumbai Police force, who vows to knock down the crime syndicate led by an evil drug lord. The core plot of the film is based on the 2017 South Korean film “The Outlaws” but sadly has been one of the biggest failures of Salman Khan.

Broken (2014) -Kaabil (2017)

Kaabil is presumed to be a copy of the Korean thriller Broken (and the show DAREDEVIL) where a simple man goes on a revenge spree to find and kill the men who raped and murdered his daughter. The movie was an average Hit and won Hrithik Roshan accolades for his act.

Montage (2013) – Teen (2016)

This mystery thriller film is a remake of the 2013 South Korean film “Montage”. It’s a story of a grandfather who visits the police station regularly, desperate to find the kidnapper and murderer of his granddaughter in an eight-year-old case. Not a hugely popular or successful film, yet Teen is a genuine Thriller which gathered decent viewership.

The Man From Nowhere (2010) – Rocky Handsome (2016)

John Abraham’s Rocky Handsome is an official remake of the action classic “The Man From Nowhere”. It was South Korea’s highest-grossing film in 2010. The film follows the story of a mysteriously shady man who embarks on a bloody rampage when the only person who seems to understand him is kidnapped. Termed as John Abraham’s comeback flick, it went down well with the audience due to its Full Fledged action sequences.

Seven Days (2007) – Jazbaa (2015)

Sanjay Gupta remade yet another film from South Korea. Jazbaa is a remake of the film “Seven Days” whose narrative revolves around an attorney forced to defend a criminal after her daughter is kidnapped. The film marked Aishwarya’s return on screen after a five-year break but failed at the Box Office.

Masquerade (2012) – Prem Ratan Dhan Payo (2015)

It’s hard to believe that the hit film ‘Prem Ratan Dhan Payo’ that marked the return of the Director-Actor duo– Sooraj Barjatya and Salman Khan, was actually inspired by the South Korean movie, “Masquerade”. Set in the Joseon era, the film has been regarded as the top three K-films of all time.

I Saw The Devil (2010) – Ek Villain (2014)

Ek Villain is a successful revenge film which scored big at the Box Office. Riteish Deshmukh won accolades for his portrayal of the serial killer and its soundtrack broke records. The concept (and a lot of other things) has been copied from the classical South Korean Film “I Saw The Devil” which is one of the Cult Revenge Films ever made Internationally.

The Chaser (2008) – Murder 2 (2011)

The film “Murder 2” is alleged to be based on the South Korean film “The Chaser”, though the producer denied this. Emraan Hashmi stars as an ex-police officer tasked with finding some missing sex workers. Another Musical Hit film by the team who were able to successfully adapt the original into a popular Hindi film.

Lover’s Concerto (2002) – Barfi! (2012)

One of the most appreciated films in Bollywood, Anurag Basu’s ‘Barfi!’ has been inspired by the South Korean Film “Lover’s Concerto”. Some scenes were copied directly from the original (the Barfi clock tower scene and the urinating in a crop field e.g) besides a dozen other scenes from various Popular International films.

A Bittersweet Life (2005) – Awarapan (2007)

Awarapan is an uncredited remake of the South Korean film “A Bittersweet Life”. A hitman is asked to keep an eye on his boss’ mistress. However, when he learns that she is being exploited, he decides to rescue her from the clutches of his boss. Popular for its Music Score even today, this film was a Super-Hit.

Oldboy (2003) – Zinda (2006)

Zinda is one of the worst films ever made in Bollywood & was a Huge Flop. It is a remake of the high-rated South Korean film “Oldboy”. Park Chan Wook’s South Korean Masterpiece is considered the greatest revenge movie ever & is ranked amongst Best Films in the World but the remake was a disaster. When the film was being released, it had garnered much controversy as the producers were threatened with a potential lawsuit by the producers of the original film. However, nothing came to pass, presumably because the original filmmakers didn’t want to be associated with this sham of a film, even in a lawsuit.

Always (2011) – Do Lafzon Ki Kahani (2016)

“Do Lafzon Ki Kahani” is about a budding relationship between a boxer with an awful past, and a girl with visual impairment who experiences challenges after they discover each other’s reality. It is a remake of the South Korean film Always (2011). The remake was not appreciated & received very less viewership.

My Wife is a Gangster 3 (2006) – Singh is BliIng (2015)

Singh Is Bling is a remake of the South Korean film named “My Wife Is a Gangster 3”. The film received a flack from the critics and did average business at the Box Office.

My Dear Desperado (2010) – Jayantibhai Ki Luv Story (2013)

The film Jayantibhai Ki Lovestory is a remake of the South Korean film “My Gangster Lover (My Dear Desperado)”. The film was a Flop inspite of some good piece of acting by the Lead Cast.

My Sassy Girl (2001) – Ugly Aur Pagli (2008)

The theme of the Mallika Sherawat-Ranvir Shorey starrer Ugly Aur Pagli bears an uncanny resemblance to a 2001 Korean romantic comedy “My Sassy Girl” in which a man accidentally meets a drunken bully of a girl who changes his life. Like the Korean film, Ugly Aur Pagli is told from the male protagonist’s viewpoint. The film sank without a trace.

With Laal Singh Chadhha coming soon to theatres, I am sure many of the cinephiles will be disappointed because certain Cult-Classical Films are definitely not meant to be remade & we want their legacy to be preserved. Bollywood’s fascination for producing Re-makes somehow doesn’t seem to fade away but with Jersey’s debacle, let’s hope some sense prevails & they concentrate more on creating Original Content.