A passport stamp is being given to the whale-loving, palindrome-obsessed lawyer who enthralled audiences all around the world. As part of a larger effort to create the popular legal drama a full-fledged international franchise, AStory, the Korean production company behind the critically acclaimed 2022 hit Extraordinary Attorney Woo, has confirmed that a Japanese adaptation of the show is formally under development.
Extraordinary Attorney Woo began modestly, premiering on the smaller Korean network ENA with underwhelming opening ratings. But word of mouth turned it into a phenomenon: the story of Woo Young-woo, a brilliant rookie attorney on the autism spectrum navigating a demanding law firm and a world not built for her, struck a chord far beyond Korea. On Netflix, the series became one of the most-watched non-English shows in the platform's history, propelling star Park Eun-bin to international recognition.
Remake interest reportedly poured in almost immediately after the show's breakout run, with production companies in the United States, Japan, Germany and Turkey all making inquiries.
According to the studio, the Japanese version — along with parallel remakes being developed for the U.S. and European markets — won't simply be licensed out and left to local producers. AStory says it plans to stay directly involved at every stage, from pre-production and script adaptation through to scheduling and distribution, rather than handing off the IP entirely.
That hands-on approach echoes what AStory said back when remake talks first surfaced. The studio has been firm that any adaptation, regardless of country, needs to preserve the heart of the original — namely Woo Young-woo's compassion for people society tends to overlook, and the recurring symbolism of the whale that threads through the series.
Makers are simultaneously developing U.S. and European versions, and — perhaps most notably for longtime fans — the original Korean series itself is moving forward with a second season. Writer Moon Ji-won, who penned Season 1, is reportedly back at work on the script, with pre-production said to be underway.ly back at work on the script, with pre-production said to be underway.
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