Given the success of "The Heirs," viewers around the world can expect to see versions made in other countries. Shortly after the final episode aired, it was announced that China was the first foreign country to obtain the rights. And it may be possible that a member of the Korean cast does a cameo in the Chinese version.
An original cast member cameo is what happened when a Taiwanese version of the 2009 comedy "You're Beautiful" was remade into "Fabulous Boys" earlier this year. The Korean version of "You're Beautiful" opened with Park Shin Hye's character, Go Mi Nyu, rushing into a church service. Go Mi Nyu tries to stop a girl from listening to music in church but the attempt backfires and the band Anjell's music blares through the church.
In the opening sequence of the Taiwanese version, Park Shin Hye had a funny cameo. This time, she was the one watching the band on her phone. Novice nun Gao Mei Nu, played by Taiwanese model and actress Cheng Yu Xi, tried to stop Park Shin Hye from watching the concert. But Park Shin Hye's phone skidded across the church aisle and disrupted the service.
A Japanese version of "You're Beautiful," "Ikemen Desu Ne," was filmed in 2011, but the original stars made no cameos in the Japanese version.
The Chinese version of "The Heirs" is known as "Kye Seung Ja Mun" and it is scheduled to start filming in a few weeks." Oh Sang Won will direct the drama but the main roles have not yet been cast.
Will Park Shin Hye do another cameo? Or maybe her "The Heirs" co-stars Lee Min Ho and Kim Woo Bin will make an appearance. That would certainly be a selling point.
Hwa & Dam Pictures, which produced "The Heirs," said that the contract they signed for the foreign production rights netted the highest price in the history of Korean drama. So far, publication rights have been negotiated with 12 countries in Asia, Europe and the Americas.
The high price for publication rights is based on the show's excellent ratings, international following and loyal fan base. Ratings for "The Heirs" started out slow but reached 25.6 percent at their peak, with an overall average of 16.7 percent.
Remaking a drama in another country can be a good thing, as was the case in the classic kdrama "Boys Over Flowers." Before the Korean version, there was the Taiwanese version, "Meteor Garden." Both versions had something to offer although the Korean version did have Lee Min Ho. Will "Key Seung Ja Mun" work without Lee Min Ho?
What do you think?
