ABC Options You From Another Star for US Remake
I really love Jeon Ji Hyun and have loved her since My Sassy Girl and long before her recent resurgence through You From Another Star. She made that drama watchable for me despite my equal love for Kim Soo Hyun going in. I found him just so underwhelming and out of his element in the role, in the exact opposite way he overacted his pants off in The Moon Embraces the Sun. The screenplay for YFAS was also inconsistent with bursts of delightful genius wrapped mostly in derivative tripe masquerading as brilliance. That rocks my pet peeve, really dull stuff claiming to be smart and creative. But it’s undeniable the massive hit YFAS turned out to be and its ongoing influence on audiences across Asia in starting trends like chicken and beer and making Kim Soo Hyun into a godlike heartthrob. Being a successful Hallyu drama in Asia is a worthy accomplishment and now YFAS is about to be tossed in a much bigger pond with breaking news that ABC has optioned the drama for a US remake.
It’s the story of a centuries old alien named James who is disillusioned with human existence and just biding his time to return to his own planet but ends up falling for the bratty actress next door named Lark and ends up being her protector. James and Lark? LOLOLOL I just can’t. Original screenwriter Park Ji Eun is onboard the US remake as an executive producer along with a Korean co-producer from the production company HB Entertainment which owns the rights to the K-drama. A total of three production companies will have its hands in the US remake, along with HB Entertainment will be Sony Pictures and EnterMedia Contents. This news make YFAS the most high profile Korean show to get a US remake, earlier this year KBS‘s Good Doctor got picked up for a US version, last year ABC indicated it was remaking the cable cult hit Nine: Nine Times Travels, and Grandpas Over Flowers is being used as the format basis for a US variety show.
Writing the US adapted screenplay for You From Another Star will be the creative writing duo Elizabeth Croft and Sara Fain, the ladies behind a slew of CW slows including Dollhouse, The 100, 666 Park Avenue, and the popular The Vampire Diaries. No word yet on when the US version of YFAS will air but the Fall season has already started so the earliest would be a Spring 2015 mid-season replacement.
I’ve always thought that YFAS was successful not because of its script or humor. It was successful because of Jeon Ji Hyun. I don’t know if anyone can actually claim that the story was in any way original or that it was so intelligently funny that made it heap ratings and success. It being the comeback drama of Jeon Ji Hyun coupled with her show stopping performance is what propelled the show to star high popularity. She brought the charisma and humor to the show, without her, it would have been otherwise a generic rom-com. And that is what it might end up being to its import on ABC.
I agree. Jeon Ji Hyun was the show’s success. Without her, I wouldn’t even bother to watch it. I cringed when I see Kim Soo Hyun’s acting. He felt like a dead fish. In honesty, I actually dropped this drama because I couldn’t stand KSH.
Yeah! I agree too! The storyline really isn’t original if you look beyond the alien aspect… It’s just about a guy who is deeply in love with a girl & would do anything to help her from her troubles…
Which is basically every drama but with the male having actual powers to save her! Of course it’s not a bad drama, I enjoyed it but I didn’t expect this to be such a Hallyu hit..
agreed.
I couldnt agree more. JJH is the one who made the drama. KSH is just overated actor who simply cant act, that same boring facial expression always irks me…dont know how he get so many fans.
So true! Jeon Ji Hyun is just flawless as Cheon Song Yi.
Haha. I love that there are unbiased, objective people out there when it comes to this drama. All the fangirls love it and think it’s the next best thing since sliced bread but it was mediocre at best. Jeon was amazing and everyone else was forgettable, maybe with the exception of Shin Sung Rol just because his villainy is laughable but he gave it his creepy best. Kim is just overrated.
My thought exactly. KSH & this drama were both overrated. It wasn’t ‘bad’ but I really don’t get all the hype, not a single scene sticked with me once it was over.
Lol. Agreed. Apparently it was memorable for everyone else because every time time stops (in drama parodies) it’s an automatic cue to play the most overplayed song: you are my destinyyyy *rolls eyes*. And I don’t know what’s worse, the hype around this drama or the disrespect of fans who ship them (because she’s happily married). Ok, the latter because it’s not just delulu but plain rude.
I started watching it and pretty much underwhelmed. I’m half way thorugh, but I just don’t feel the romance. At all. He has less emotions than Spock and is pretty stiff most of the time. She is lovley, but I’m not sure if I should continue.
I just ended “Faiterd to love you” before starting this drama. I exptected to see something “been there, done that”. But it was my first time seeing Jang Hyuk, and damn was he hot. And I loved the romance. So watching FTLY and than this drama, was rather a cold splash.
eeeee! i have one more episode left with FTLY and i am really loving jang hyuk + jang nara. they’ve grown so much (chemistry included) from the Successful Story of a Bright Girl days. definitely my favorite reunited couple of the year ^^
Fated to Love You was watchable because of the leads with secondary characters like the mom and the secretary making it enjoyable. BOTH of them can act well and they had sizzling chemistry. Both are very good looking too. I do not think I would have stuck with the drama, especially through the 6 or so episodes of melo and angst if it was not for the 2 Jangs. At the end of the day, I didn’t love it as much as many do but the romance was much more believable than in YFAS.
I’m so glad there are other people out there who were underwhelmed by this drama!
Oh, but you forgot one of the potential US remakes – FOX and Reply 199_/Answer Me 199_ (cause I don’t remember what year they were planning to do).
I did really like YFAS when it was airing. It was good but I really had zero desire to watch it again. When I did rewatch it, it fell flat for me. JJH was great and it was a good comeback drama for her. KSH – I like him enough too but I liked moon sun better than his role in YFAS. A lot better and that isn’t saying too much. But to each his own… What I saw maybe isn’t what others felt. But yea… Underwhelmed is the word.
It can take a few years for pilots to air on TV (if ever) but I’m really looking forward to all these possible remakes. I just hope they make the casts diverse. I’m glad American TV is becoming more culturally and racially diverse these days.
I liked the show but didn’t love it the way a lot of others did…if you look past the alien, it was a very stereotypical romance and quite cheesy sometimes…I did love both JJH and KSH though and there were some really funny instances and meta moments but everything else was quite forgettable…I mostly watched it because it was JJH’s first drama as a leading lady…I wonder what they could possibly do to make this more interesting for an American version… Also I’ve heard talks about US remakes for other shows like A man’s story in the past but nothing has yet to materialize…so I’m really curious to see if this or any of the other shows mentioned will actually make it…and how could they could possibly adapt it to the seasons format and make it decent for once
HAHAHA….to each their own I guess. I’ve watched over 55 dramas and have to say no dramas have grasp me the way MLFAS did. I’ve reach a new level of obsessiveness over this drama that I never thought was possible…and proud of it 🙂 why? because it never happen before, this is my one and only one exception. None of the dramas made me want to watch raw without subtitle, none make me buy $200 DVD, and none made me spazz with similar minded people for over 8 months after the show had ended. I’ve seen a lot of great shows but this is the first that I’m engage with both actor and actress, nary a single dull moment, wowed on full casts, directing, OST, and the chemistry was really out of this world for me….that makes you laugh, cringe, cry all within minutes? hasn’t happen till MLFAS. I sure hope one show to loose my head over is enough for one life time, lol, I don’t think I could handle another obsession….and yes, I even made a website and Season 2 for it 😀 hehehe. Sorry I have to spazz here since I’m seeing all one sided negative views on it so have to put in my own opinion.
ps. also finished FTLY, it was good…in my opinion just not that good. The first half was disappointing compare to the original FTLY. They totally cop out on the emotional aspect when she lost the “you know what”…the Taiwan version…that part was heart-wrenchingly unforgettable unlike the Korean version which kept it very light hearted…I didn’t even shed one single tear when I should be bawling, just my two cents.
What is MLFAS?
My Love From Another Star…another name of the drama
@Faye, I liked MLFAS too (but not obsessive about it though). I enjoyed the romance between the leads. Do Min Joo was suppose to be cold,unfriendly, detached from this world persona. Until he fell in love again (with the same looking girl he saved 400 yrs before). I liked the obsessive crazy villain. Time stopping moments were the best, all that happened during those moments made me squeal in appreciation of those sweet delicate kissed moments. had to laugh everytime he kissed her and fell ill. I liked the OST. Can’t understand why all the negative comments about this show. But each to their own, taste can not be forced upon anyone. So I have to agreed to disagree with with all the above commentors who didn’t appreciate this show or thought aspect of it was over the top, overacted or underwhelming in the actors delivery of the character they portrayed!
They already made a romance show centered around the alien theme. It was called Star-Crossed and immediately got cancelled after the first season. Rather than do remakes of successful Korean shows, these channels should air the originals subbed. Not sure about the rest of the American population, but I’d tune in.
I love the acting of KSH since Will it Snow for Christmas (I only liked the childreen part) or Giant. I was really happy he had a lead role in Dream High. In You from Another Star, I love the both actors. They had a great chemistry.
Both KSH and JJH were really great,had a good sense of humour and style.