31

CBS developing American remake of Neighborhood Lawyer Jo Deul-ho

The Park Shin-yang-starring KBS hit series Neighborhood Lawyer Jo Deul-ho is getting the Hollywood treatment over at CBS, one of the Big Three television networks in the U.S.

Based on a webtoon, Neighborhood Lawyer Jo Deul-ho is the story of a disgraced superstar prosecutor who begins a new career as a defense lawyer after losing everything and living on the streets for three years. His prosecution career was deliberately sabotaged by his superior after he reported instances of corruption within his own department, but Deul-ho redeems himself as a defender of the defenseless and the little people.

CBS has partnered up with 3AD, the production company of Korean-American actor Daniel Dae Kim (Lost, Hawaii Five-0) to develop the remake, which will be called Exhibit A and will feature a Korean-American lead against the backdrop of Los Angeles. With the help of an idealistic attorney (played by Kang Sora in the original), he will serve as the voice of the underdogs.

3AD is on a roll these days, with KBS’s Good Doctor remake/put pilot commitment at ABC, which has House creator David Shore attached as writer and executive producer. They’re also developing a half-hour adaptation of the novel Re Jane, written by Patricia Park, with cable network TV Land.

Legal dramas and procedurals perform well in the States so I can see the appeal of Neighborhood Lawyer, a heartwarming underdog tale that garnered an impressive 17.3% viewership rating in Korea. However, it may be difficult to make a splash following the success of so many legal shows (i.e. The Good Wife, Law & Order: SVU, Suits, and How to Get Away with Murder).

I am heartened by the news of a Korean-American lead, however, and I hope no changes are made on that front because the lack of minority in Hollywood is extreme. The best aspect of Neighborhood Lawyer was Park Shin-yang, a charisma machine, so if there’s a Korean-American actor who can channel his energy, Exhibit A should be off to a promising start. Will this be the first remake of a Korean scripted series to air in the States? We shall see!

Via Yonhap News

RELATED POSTS

Tags: , ,

31

Required fields are marked *

I'll be surprised if there isn't already a campaign for John Cho to front this.

0
8
reply

Required fields are marked *

lol. He's the first one that came to mind.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

John Cho was the first name that popped into my mind. Daniel Dae Kim would also be great, but he's on Hawaii 5-0. What's sad is that I'm having trouble thinking of other potential leads because of the lack of diversity in Hollywood.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

John Cho's already got a USA show coming up.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Tim Kang also comes to my mind - he was in The Mentalist and pops up here and there in other shows.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

He is unfortunately always busy, which is wonderful of course.

Can we turn that campaign to, let's say, Kim Tang?

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

John Cho was one of my first crushes. Flintstone Las Vegas, Big Fat Liar, and Kim Possible. You know you've seen a movie too many times when you start noticing the parking valet. And you are lost when you can recognize voice actors.

I know he's not Korean American, but Harry Shum Jr., anyone?
Or Justin Jitae Chon. Just rewatched Dramaworld and he's amazing imo.

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

I retract my nomination of HS Jr. A Korean-American should be played by a Korean American. No mixing up here.

So full support for Justin now. Idek if he'd be interested. But I want!

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Wouldn't get your hopes up in Hollywood casting a Korean/Canadian-American or Asian-Am for the lead role.

Of course, JC would be great and he is probably one of the few Korean-Am actors who has the name recognition for Hollywood to take the chance in not making the lead a white male.

Like the Justin Chon recommendation as well (geeze, he's 35!!!).

Some other possibilities - Ki Hong Lee and Sung Kang (underappreciated as an actor).

As for the Yune brothers (Rick and Karl) - both have pretty much fallen off the map when it comes to Hollywood - only having done bit parts here or there or starring in very, very indie films. But then again, don't know if either ever had the acting chops.

Kinda interesting to note that Korean-Americans/Canadians make up a disproportionate % of Asian actors from the US and Canada.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Wasn't there supposed to be a remake of "Resurrection"? What happened to that?

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

I kept hearing about the Hollywood remake of this drama and that drama but we haven't seen any yet lol. I'll believe it when it's actually on the air.
Variety shows has a better chance than dramas.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

There's also Will Yun Lee to add to the list of Korean-American actors. Though, like the first poster wrote, I'd also campaign for John Cho.

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Hopefully not too much to ask for Jamie Chung or any other Korean American actress for Kang Sora's part.

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

or they could just hire Kang Sora!

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

i feel like i've heard this sort of news a few times already. you know, an american network picking up a korean drama to remake. but have any of them actually gone through? i'm trying to rack my brains—wasn't man from another star supposed to get an american remake?

i agree, i can see this sort of show doing really well. too bad there are no really good english-speaking korean actors or korean-american actors that come to mind... i ADORE sandra oh, and i quit the mess that is grey's anatomy now after she left, but what role could she have?

i loved park shin-yang in this btw. the show itself wasn't that great in my opinion and it got silly at times, but i loved watching for park shin-yang. he's really an amazing actor who always ends up making me feel for him. and even when he's being silly for his role, he never fails to bring quality to the table.

and out of all of kim eun-sook's leading men, park shin-yang was the best. he wrung my heart in lovers in paris and probably brought me the closest to genuine swooning i'll ever get over an actor. the show itself wasn't perfect, but it had an addictive quality and park shin-yang was the anchor of it. too bad he doesn't speak english!!

0
2
reply

Required fields are marked *

Didn't Park Shin Yang live in Hawaii for a couple years?

If it ain't broke...

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

i can even go back further than my love from another star as talk of k-drama remakes. my lovely sam soon was supposedly in the works, which i was really excited about & that came to naught.

movies seem to do better in the American market remakes then tv drama. i wonder why that it is?

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Lol there are supposed to be so many remakes in the works for the US, I've yet to see any of them:
My Love From Another Star
Nine: Nine Time Travels
and
Resurrection (apparently, from the comments. I haven't heard of the drama or the remake, myself.)

Does anyone know what's happened to any of these?? Now Neighborhood Lawyer Jo Deul-ho has joined their midst. The real question is, if they remake it, will Subway sponsor?

0
2
reply

Required fields are marked *

Mickey D's will get there first. This is Ameereca total sarcasm.

No but seriously can the bread wars continue please?! Subway, Quiznos (which I've never been too), McD's, Burger King. What's next, Jack in the Box?

Oh, no I just pictured Jack (the mascot/CEO) in a kdrama. I mean, he already has the chaebol thing going for him.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I feel like a lot of the time, this kind of news is reported at a very early stage of a potential remake's development. Creating a TV show and getting it to air in the US is frequently over a year long process, from conception to getting the go ahead to film more than just a pilot episode. It's really competitive. There's a huge number of shows that are pitched, a much smaller number of shows that will have pilot episodes written or filmed, and an even smaller number of shows that actually make it to air. All these remakes probably end up being dropped somewhere along the process, and are just part of the huge number of shows that don't get picked up by a network

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

As an American who doesn't watch American TV much, I hate that I had to Google almost everyone mentioned in the comments. Other than John Cho & Daniel Dae Kim, I didn't recognize the names.

Also, we've never gotten any of the remakes previous discussed. I doubt this one will pan out *tear*. If it does, can it please be a mini-series instead of full time drama?

Ok, so CBS, ABC. Is NBC the last of the U.S. Big 3?

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

We've been hearing talk about Kdramas being remade for American television for several years now. While the idea of that happening excites me, I'll believe it when I see it.

As for the lead, John Cho, Justin Chon, or Tim Kang. I like all three, and would love to see them headline a show.

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Lol at the american remake. How many does that make now. I haven't heard a thing about a single one of them. I'd like to see at least one of the see daylight so we can see how they fare. It's nice that they're looking for a korean-american though. They certainly don't get many opportunities here.

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I think the Big Three networks are the worst choices to promote remakes of Korean dramas.
I think the best network to do Korean dramas would be FX.
They did American Horror Story and Scream Queens that are more like Korean dramas with a whole story told in one season with a beginning and an ending to them.

I think ones the FX audience would like as remakes would be Gap Dong and Ghost, but the one that they would like the best would be I Hear Your Voice possibly.

Netflix did UK remakes and they might also do some Korean remakes if offered to them. Asian action is big on Netflix so they would probably like Mask and Signal as remakes.

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I know it was supposed to be korean mixed but chinese mixed are far fetched right? Name on my mind ; Russel Wong(romeo must die). I mean Park Shin Yang is suppose to be a middle age guy and his character is charismatic and wild. Somehow I just see him in russel wong.

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I am kinda having a Martin Kim aka Ma Dong Suk in my head. And Kang Sora has to reprise her role. Her English is excellent.

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

Glad someone thought of MDS. :D I think he can do this role well. Plus, maybe they can capitalize on the slight international buzz of Train To Busan?

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

"Is NBC the last of the U.S. Big 3?"

With dramas, yes.
With reality TV, no. They have a show called "Better Late than Never" with is a spinoff of "Grandpa over Flowers".

"Asian action is big on Netflix so they would probably like Mask and Signal as remakes."

Signal already has a remake on CW. It's called "Frequency" and it's based off the US movie(2000) with the same name starring Dennis Quaid.

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Another vote for "Believe It When I see It" over here. But, there have been a couple of variety shows (Grandpas over flowers and Return of Superman) that have recently remade in the US so it's totally possible. The catch though is in the US, the networks don't nearly green-light as many projects as the networks in South Korea. So, if a network selects a pilot it has to be pretty close to perfection and chances are the producer, writer has a following all their own. This explains why Shonda Rhimes rules ABC (Grey's Anatomy, Scandal, How to Get Away with Murder, etc.).

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

l nominate Daniel Henney!

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

Sadly he is on the Criminal Minds spinoff and it got picked up for a second season.

If John Cho is not available then Tim Kang would be a good fit. I can totally imagine him in a courtroom.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *