Remakes of Japanese dramas have seen mixed results. Last year’s Japanese remake boom set off by “That Winter, The Wind Blows,” “The Queen of Office,” “The Queen’s Classroom,” and “The Suspicious Housekeeper” is hitting the evening drama slot this year. “Nodame Cantabile” and “Liar Game” are the driving force. Adapted from comic books, both dramas enjoyed extreme popularity in Japan. Their Korean adaptations were released at a similar time, but were met with a very different response. KBS2 “Cantabile Tomorrow,” the Korean remake of “Nodame Cantabile” (2006), had a rocky start from the preproduction stage and is still a little shaky. The viewers gave their full support when Shim Eun-gyung was cast in the lead role, but opinions on her performance have turned harsh. Many are also criticizing the director for not bringing out the color typical of the drama.

In contrast, tvN’s “Liar Game” that began on the 20th is off to a good start. Most of the viewers are saying that the drama is faithful to the original and the genre while offering the freshness of a remake. The title “Extreme Psychological Detective Drama” is a catchy call for all the viewers who have fallen for genre dramas. For those who do not know the original work and those who can compare the original and the remake, tvN’s “Liar Game” is a drama worth watching.

Both dramas enjoyed immense popularity in Japan, but they are receiving a completely different reaction in Korea. As with all remakes of overseas contents, success depends on how well the remake has been localized.

Eventually, the success and failure of remakes will depend on whether the Korean viewers can empathize with the content or not. While “The Queen of Office” is regarded as a successful remake that reflected the trials of Korean office workers, “The Queen of Classroom” failed to see the same kind of popularity as the original despite its powerful theme because the characters came straight from the original. “Cantabile Tomorrow” is also at the crossroads of success and failure. While “Liar Game” is already well ahead in the race, “Cantabile Tomorrow” has yet to show if it can put itself alongside the successful remakes.