Netflix phenomenon Money Heist came to an end in 2021, but this doesn’t mean that the story is completely over. Following the successful reception of the show, the streaming service announced that there will be a spin-off series centered on Berlin (Pedro Alonso), as well as a Korean version of the Spanish hit coming out in 2022. The escalating interest for Korean dramas intensified with the release of Squid Game, a series that broke Money Heist’s record for most-viewed non-English show on Netflix. The remake is an opportunity to warm the hearts that are longing for more of the elaborate bank heist narrative and draw more people to original Korean productions.
From the stellar cast to the enigmatic sneak peek, here is everything that we already know about this highly expected upcoming release.
When Is Money Heist: Korea Coming Out?
The announcement of the Korean remake came out in November 2020. However, more details were only uncovered on December 1, 2021, during TUDUM (a Netflix event sharing exclusive clips, interviews, and release dates to forthcoming productions from the streaming service). Squid Game actor Park Hae-soo appeared in a video stating that he will play Berlin in the Korean adaptation. He continued with the following message:
“As an actor and as a fan of the series, I want to thank the cast and crew of Money Heist for the great series they have created. We are looking forward to sharing the Korean version of Money Heist with you in 2022.”
The first half of Money Heist: Korea Season 1 is currently scheduled to arrive on Netflix on June 24, 2022.
Watch the Money Heist: Korea Trailer
Alongside the news that filming wrapped in early 2022, a teaser trailer came out with a first look at the cast and the official title of the Korean adaptation: Money Heist: Korea – Joint Economic Area. In it, we see the Professor (Yoo Ji-Tae) in a secluded office starring at a wall filled with traditional Korean masks that are commonly used in dance drama performances that are a part of Korean shamanist rites. These masks sit alongside the traditional Salvador Dalí one, which leads us to question if maybe the series will adopt a new mask as its signature look. We also see the task force operating the heist investigation before the teaser trailer cuts to the different actors who will play the well-known roles from the Spanish show.
A second teaser trailer was released on May 20, 2022, with more details about the plot. It appears that the story kicks off with North Korea and South Korea being unified and creating a new currency. While that might appear to be a huge improvement for the peninsula, the trailer reveals that this just leads to the rich on both sides getting richer while the poor continue to suffer. It looks like the Korean remake will also tackle serious social issues like the original series, even though it's set in a slightly more fictionalized world.
Who Is in the Cast of Money Heist: Korea?
As revealed in the trailers, there is a full lineup of popular actors who are involved in this production. Here is the breakdown of the gang members:
- The Professor (Yoo Ji-Tae)
- Berlin (Park Hae-Soo)
- Tokyo (Jun Jong-Seo)
- Moscow (Lee Won Jong)
- Denver (Kim Ji-Hun)
- Nairobi (Jang Yoon-Ju)
- Rio (Park Jung-Woo)
- Helsinki (Kim Ji-Hun)
- Oslo (Lee Kyu-Ho)
Although the robbers involved in the heist have the same names as the Spanish version, actress Jun Jong-Seo made sure to note in an interview with Dazed Korea that characters will have distinct personalities.
“It has the same name and completely different personality and character adaptation. The thieves robbing the bank are the main characters, but there are inevitable humanities in it.”
According to the official posters, the two task force operators are called Seon Woojin (Kim Yunjin) and Cha Moohyuk (Kim Sung-O). Two of the hostage identities have also been revealed, and their names are Cho Youngmin (Park Myung-Hoon) and Yoon Misun (Lee Joobeen).
What Do We Know About Money Heist: Korea – Joint Economic Area's Plot?
Since the Korean version will serve as a new interpretation of the already cherished Netflix original, it will still maintain the same structure of its predecessor. This means that there will be a group of robbers led by the Professor who will try to pull off an elaborate heist without getting caught. However, as the official title indicates, the show will address Korea’s socio-economic conflict between both sides of the border. The “Joint Economic Area” is a reference to a newly-created (and fictional) region where the border between North and South is situated in the real world.
The second teaser reveals that the newly unified government of Korea will be using this Joint Economic Area as a base from which to create a new economy, complete with new currency. Based on what we've seen so far, it looks like our heroic band of robbers are going to attempt a similar heist to the one in the Spanish original, only this time, they'll be after the newly-minted currency of unified Korea. It's certainly an interesting take on the original story and the fact that the series is set in a more fictionalized world brings in the possibility of some fresh angles being explored int he show.
How Many Episodes Will Money Heist: Korea – Joint Economic Area Have?
The first season will have 12 episodes in total, with a duration of about 1 hour each. This is similar to the number of episodes in the first two seasons of the Spanish series before Netflix renewed it for the three remaining seasons. The season will be divided into two halves of six episodes each.
While you wait for Money Heist: Korea – Joint Economic Area to arrive, all five seasons of Money Heist are available on Netflix. There are also two documentaries detailing the behind-the-scenes process behind the show’s success that are also available on the streaming platform.
Is Álex Piña Involved in the Korean Remake?
The showrunner behind the Spanish series, Álex Piña, is responsible for many of the unprecedented events in Money Heist. Although he was part of the creative team in the original series, Piña will be stepping into an executive producer role in the Korean adaptation. Here is what Piña told Deadline about the adaptation:
“Korean creators have been developing their own language and audiovisual culture for years. They have managed, like our series, to go beyond cultural borders and become a point of reference for thousands of viewers around the world, especially among young people. That is why I find it fascinating that the world of La Casa de Papel is so attractive to Korean creators as to do an adaptation. The fact that the action is set on the Korean Peninsula also seems to me to be a milestone which I am really delighted about.”
Instead of a collaboration with Vancouver Media, this project is produced by BH Entertainment and Content Zium. Heading the new cast and crew is director Kim Hong-sun, popularly known for K-dramas The Guest and L.U.C.A.: The Beginning. Screenplay writer Ryu Yong-Jae will be responsible for developing the script and coming up with the elaborate heist that will drive the show.