Remake version ‘Misaeng’ airs in China

Will Korean TV drama “Misaeng (Incomplete Life)” be able to dismantle China’s restrictions on Korean pop culture? A remake version of the popular Korean TV drama has aired for the first time in four years in China, where Korean entertainers’ performance and Korean contents’ distribution have been under restriction, since the Terminal High-Altitude Aerial Defense (THAAD) missile defense system was deployed in South Korea.

The online video contents platform v.youku.com in China disclosed a drama entitled “Ordinary Glory” on Friday. The show also aired on Zhejiang Satellite TV and Dragon TV on the same day. “Misaeng” is a 20-episode series of 80-minute shows, but the Chinese series consists of 42 episodes of 40-minute shows. The Chinese series was filmed mostly in Shanghai. The production team introduced the series as a “hardcore workplace drama” for working-class people during a commemorative show for the series, which is starring Bai Jing Ting and Mark Zhao.

Misaeng, which was adapted from a web cartoon by cartoonist Yoon Tae-ho, aired on tvN in 2014 in Korea, and enjoyed immense popularity thanks to its realistic presentation of life and hardships faced by office workers.


Taek Kyoon Sohn sohn@donga.com