![K-content being exported overseas [Newsis]](https://wimg.heraldcorp.com/news/cms/2026/10/04/news-p.v1.20261004.de21b253180c4be0bf855738c2521276_P1.jpg)
Korean dramas, variety shows and films that scored big at home are increasingly being remade in local versions abroad.
The trend marks a shift beyond simply exporting finished content: selling the framework and production grammar of a work — known as format exports — has emerged as a new winning formula for K-content.
The Mexican and Italian local editions of the Netflix variety show "Physical: 100," released recently, debuted at No. 4 and No. 5 respectively on Netflix's global non-English show chart in their first week and held spots in the top 10 for two consecutive weeks, according to Yonhap.
"Physical: 100" is a survival program in which 100 contestants compete to determine who has the ultimate physique. When its first season launched in 2023, it became the first Korean variety show to reach No. 1 on Netflix's global non-English show chart.
Beyond Mexico and Italy, local editions for the United States, Sweden and France have also been confirmed, expanding the show's global footprint. The French version drew particular attention after former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou signed on.
Director Jang Ho-gi, who helmed the original, said the show's world is growing as the culture, sports and aesthetics of each country are woven in, rather than simply transplanting the Korean program as-is. "Having Korea's ideas and production methods reimagined by local creators is a dream come true as a creator," he said.
Romantic reality formats are also finding new life through locally tailored adaptations. "Love Transit," the Japanese remake of Tving's flagship variety show "Exchange," has been a hit for three consecutive seasons. A new spinoff, "Love Transit 35+," featuring participants aged 35 and older, including divorced men and women, is set to premiere on Amazon Prime Video on Oct. 22. A Brazilian edition has also been confirmed, extending the format's reach into South America.
Kim Do-hyun, head of CJ ENM's content distribution business unit, said "Love Transit" has established itself as a global hit format by grafting the strong emotional resonance of the original onto the culture and sensibility of each region. "The launch of a new Japanese season and the confirmation of a Brazilian remake are prime examples of K-variety shows expanding their influence across languages and borders," he said.
The localization wave is just as strong in dramas and film.
ENA's "Extraordinary Attorney Woo," which drew a peak viewership rating of 17.5 percent domestically and topped Netflix's non-English show chart for seven consecutive weeks, is being reborn as a Japanese adaptation set to air Oct. 19.
tvN's "One Dollar Lawyer" aired in Thailand in May in a version that replaced the Daechi-dong private tutoring frenzy with a local education backdrop, while MBC's "She Was Pretty" — previously remade in China, Japan and Turkey — has been reimagined as "Cuando Fui Bonita," set in Mexico, and has been airing since last month.
"Descendants of the Sun" is being produced as a theatrical film in Indonesia, while "Miracle in Cell No. 7" has seen its Indonesian sequel remade again in the Philippines, extending the life of the original work.
The surge in format exports and remakes is underpinned by a system in which global OTT platforms effectively pre-validate commercial potential.
With simultaneous worldwide releases generating immediate audience data from every market, overseas producers can cherry-pick proven intellectual properties to reduce production risk. The ability to remake content with local actors and in local languages — narrowing the cultural distance that subtitles and dubbing create — has also been a key factor.
Domestic production companies, for their part, are diversifying their revenue streams by moving beyond one-off content licensing deals to secure format fees, per-season royalties and sequel production rights.
An official at a global OTT platform said the business scope of the Korean content industry is widening — from finished-content exports to format sales, remakes, overseas expansion by Korean production teams and international co-productions. "This shows that Korea is evolving from a country that makes popular content into one that also exports its planning and production know-how," the official said.
husn7@heraldcorp.com
