Sunny K Production is bringing the hit Korean drama “Itaewon Class” to Southeast Asia with remakes in the Philippines and Vietnam. Instead of simply exporting Korean content, they will be co-creating fully localized versions according to each country’s culture.
“Itaewon Class,” based on a popular webtoon, became a sensation in 2020. It’s a story of young people rebelling against an unfair world and pursuing their entrepreneurial dreams. The show started with a 5% viewership rating in Korea and ended with a finale rating of 16.5%, and was later released on Netflix. It was already successfully adapted in Japan, titled “Roppongi Class” in 2022.
Ryan Bang, known as the “Yoo Jae Suk of the Philippines,” said, “There’s almost no one in the Philippines who hasn’t seen it.”
Sunny K Production is taking a full localization approach rather than just dubbing or translating the show. The Philippine remake will be set in Manila’s bustling business districts, Makati and Bonifacio Global City.
The Vietnamese version will focus on Ho Chi Minh City’s growing startup scene and the ambitions of the city’s young generation.
Fans are excited to see who will be cast in the lead role of Park Sae-ro-yi, originally played by Park Seo Joon. Philippine insiders say taking on this role would be a major milestone for any actor.
The Philippines, with a population of 110 million, is one of Asia’s most active social media users and has a high rate of streaming service usage. Vietnam, with a population close to 100 million and a young average age of 32, has a streaming market growing by more than 20% a year.
Korean dramas are extremely popular there, especially coming-of-age stories focused on youth. The creator of the original webtoon, Kwangjin, even visited the Philippines International Comics Festival this July to meet fans.
Sunny K Production plans to preserve the heart of the original while collaborating with local teams to make the story feel authentic to each audience.
A company representative said, “‘The Itaewon Class’ remake is a pioneering project that demonstrates the global expansion potential of Korean drama IP.”
Starting with “Itaewon Class,” Sunny K Production plans to continue expanding co-productions and localized projects.
