With more and more countries jumping into the TV entertainment competition, it is understandable why one country would want to remake another country’s hit tv series. But, just because it is the same story doesn’t mean that they are equal in quality and tone. This trend leads to this new segment we will be doing where we compare the original drama with the remake. This time we will be comparing the Korean drama Kill Me Heal Me and it’s Chinese remake A Seven Faced Man.

This post was written after watching all of Heal Me Kill Me and only a few episodes of the remake.  So all comparisons will be from a 1st impression viewpoint.  I will also explain why I didn’t finish all of the Chinese drama before writing this post.

How this works:

I decided that I would compare specific categories so that we can discuss the positives and negatives of both.  In the end, the one with the more wins will be the drama I recommend people watch if choosing only one out of the two.

Story

From what I have seen, the Chinese version is following the Kdrama exactly. Maybe things change up in the future, but so far it is word by word, exactly the same. So for the storyline, I have to declare this a tie. I love the story and find it very interesting from beginning to end.

Cinematography

Not only is the script word for word (at least in the episodes I watched) but the directing of A Seven Faced Man is almost an exact copy of its Korean counterpart. The only difference is that the Korean drama seems to use slightly more vibrant filters. I know they really tried to make the Chinese remake pop with the use of that red coat, but that is the only thing that really stood out. Which means that Kill Me Heal Me wins this round.

Leading Lady

I don’t think I have to explain to anyone how Hwang Jung Eum can be just a tad bit, shall we say, screechy. I don’t completely dislike her but I do dislike whenever her inner screeching banshee is released. And Kill Me Heal Me (especially the first half of the drama) had a ton of screaming. It is with this in mind that I give this category over to China’s A Seven Faced Man. Cai Wen Jing is less annoying and provides a cuter vibe to the character.

Leading Man

And this is where China’s chances at a win go swirling down the proverbial drain. It is also why I was not able to make it past the first couple of episodes. Zhang Yi Shan is no Ji Sung. Think more of a you-tuber making a parody of a famous movie and you will be more in the ballpark. There is not enough guyliner that can make Zhang Yi Shan’s lackluster performance worthy of the story. He just doesn’t carry the charisma or the acting chops. Keep in mind, this is just my opinion, but when it is the exact same story and directing, it is impossible to not compare the two performances side by side. Ji Sung wins this category by a landslide.

Overall Feel

I can’t get past the lack of Ji Sung to care about A Seven Faced Man, so it is Kill Me Heal Me all the way in this category as well.  If you are going to remake a modern classic be sure that you have the talent to give your show a fighting chance.

And the winner is…….

It should be no surprise that Kill Me Heal Me is the winner of this showdown. If you are currently loving A Seven Faced Man, I am happy for you. Obviously, you found something that I didn’t see in the drama.  But, on the off chance, you love it because you haven’t watched the original version….. then dump the Chinese show ASAP and go watch the better of the two dramas.

See you at our next drama fight,

Kmuse

Dramas With a Side of Kimchi