Jun 10, 2026 10:00pm IST
‘Shayad Yahi Hai Pyaar,’ ‘Juhi Mui’: A Product Of Indian Love for K-Dramas?
Multi-genre Korean dramas continue to capture the attention of Indian viewers with its immersive and expansive storytelling . Both Korean and Indian cultures share similar societal values that are mirrored in the stories they mount.
The promos of two upcoming Hindi shows, “Shayad Yahi Hai Pyaar” and “Juhi Mui” highlight the fact that most Korean content is ripe for remakes. SYHP is an official remake of 2018’s “Something In The Rain” and stars Aditi Dev Sharma and Daksh Puri. “Juhi Mui,” starring Eisha Singh and Sanjay Suri, while not an official adaptation, is being perceived as a desi-fied “Extraordinary Attorney Woo” (2022).
Variety India spoke to a few writers to understand what entails in reimagining Korean blockbuster dramas for Indian audiences.
Blast From The Past
In 2022, ZEE5 released, “Duranga,” an official remake of blockbuster web-series, “Flower Of Evil.” Drashti Dhami and Gulshan Devaiah were seen in the lead roles. “Duranga” was adapted in India at a time when it was relatively uncharted territory, mentions Gaurav Desai, Talent and Strategic Partnership Lead - Rose Audio Visuals, the studio behind the Indian remake.
He adds, “Korean storytelling has emotional depth and narrative intensity, which we wanted to interpret through an Indianized lens while retaining its original essence. The original show was loved by billions across the globe, including Indians, so we felt it had to be retold in a manner that feels authentic for local viewers. It just could not be a direct copy.” A much-loved thriller, “Flower Of Evil” blended family, morality and emotional conflicts wonderfully. “For ‘Duranga,’ we needed to retain the suspense and unpredictability of the original,” Desai adds.
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Korean Remakes: A Dicey Prospect?
While the two cultures share a lot of similarities, narrative devices differ. While Indian daily soaps focus mainly on family politics, Korean dramas are not bound by the strictures of genre. Seeing the recent promos for SYHP, Indian Korean drama fans wonder if Indian writers and actors will be able to do justice to the remakes. Indian TV shows are packed with melodrama backed up by tropes like endless conspiring, a bit of romance and music unlike Korean dramas, which are way more realistic, subtle and nuanced.
Bhavna Vyas, who is the writer of shows like “Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai,” “Anupamaa,” “Tera Mera Saath Rahe” believes success of such shows depends on multiple factors. She feels that “this is a very subjective topic. It completely depends on the adaptation. I saw the promo of “Shayad Yahi Hai Pyaar” and it looks good. We have to retell the stories to suit our palette.”
She also addresses the kind of pressures Indian actors face in such situations, saying, “Comparisons are bound to happen. Indian TV actors have a huge fandom. Fans are always partial towards actors no matter what the situation is (laughs). I would say merging all Indian elements in a K-drama is not an easy task.”
Human Connection Goes Beyond Language
Writer Dilip Bachchan Jha who has written shows like “Bade Acche Lagte Hain,” “Kuch Toh Log Kahenge,” and “Radha Krishna,” is doing the Indian adaptation of “Something In The Rain.” He shares with Variety India that he had not watched the original even though everyone in his family has. He says, “In the Korean show, the woman is a decade older than the man, but they fall in love. In India, if a couple has such an age-gap, society reacts in a cynical manner. However, Indian youth today is quite progressive in terms of content consumption. I feel “Shayad Yahi Hai Pyaar,” can stir a healthy debate about love and mutual understanding.” He also informs us that it is a finite show, which is why he agreed to take it up.
Jha, who specializes in romantic shows, reveals he has not tampered with the core of the Korean drama in terms of writing the main characters. “I have not changed the personalities of the main characters because their emotional reactions form the core of the story. Honestly, I have not felt any sense of pressure so far. Maybe, I will be nervous as the show’s on air date draws closer. Given the global popularity of the show, I have proceeded with caution but not pressure,” he says.
Desai also believes that Korean storytelling deeply resonates with Indian audiences as the conflicts are rooted in family, relationships, betrayals, injustice and so on. He expresses, “Indian writers can take cues from them on how to blend genres. Our audience also loves stories rich in emotions. The core is quite similar if you look deeply.”
Indian TV is facing an acute crisis when it comes to love stories. There are hardly any stories where the couple take centrestage. Jha believes Korean dramas are fulfilling this void in the entertainment space, stating, “There is an earnestness in their romantic stories, which is sorely missing in Indian content. Our love stories are either too sexualized or come across as superficial. The eye contact, innocence, yearning, longing and melancholy which add layers to a love story has just gone missing. Our viewers want to see love stories that are written and executed well. The response to Korean romances is proof of this. We need love stories told with honesty and tenderness."
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