Amazon Prime’s superhero series “The Boys” has achieved significant awards and viewership since its debut in 2019. Its dark satirical take on the superhero genre with strong cultural commentary has helped it retain its hold on the audience and critics alike.
The showrunner, Eric Kripke, recently sat down with The Hollywood Reporter to discuss the main themes of the series and their overlapping with cultural and political trends.
“It’s odd to call it good luck, but sometimes we feel like we’re Satan’s writers’ room,” Kripke says. Furthermore, the creators, including Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, always intended to create a realistic version of superhero shows where the power-holders behave badly.
The eight-time Emmy-nominated series has become a franchise calling out authoritarian rule, celebrity influence, corruption, and the questionable direction of morals and ethics in the new generation. Overall, this has made it more universally relatable.
What would a K-drama adaptation of “The Boys” look like?
Given the universal themes of “The Boys,” it is interesting to imagine its K-drama adaptation. Several core elements of the series relate to South Korea, such as issues regarding business monopolies and celebrity worship. They have also witnessed cases of authoritarian rule and other political issues.
Additionally, the country houses one of the fastest-growing entertainment industries, and current trends show that K-drama fans are eager to discuss these issues.
Recently, we also saw the magic that K-drama creators could bring to the superhero genre with the Disney Hotstar series “Moving”. Adapting “The Boys” is right up their alley despite it requiring certain creative changes.
Cinematic changes:
“The Boys” is notorious for depicting violence and adult content. For the uninitiated, it is based on a hard R-rated comic of the same name by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson. If you are familiar with K-dramas, then you would know that their creatives tend to avoid graphic content, even in the PG 19 series.
Therefore, a K-drama adaptation of “The Boys” would need certain adjustments to fit its typical conventions. A plausible change would be in its tone, with greater emphasis on storytelling and character development. The action sequences would likely include a dose of drama and comedy to balance the violence.
The themes of betrayal and revenge would be set against high-tech corporate settings. One can almost visualize the power struggles, boardroom politics, and corporate espionage playing significant roles at Vought Korea. Adding ties with military and national intelligence can further enhance the tension.
Of course, these all wouldn’t be complete without romantic subplots and detailed backstories that add moral dilemmas while exploring themes of justice and redemption.
Due to this, “The Boys” K-drama would be a very different cinematic treat, but it would still hold the same core elements. Let’s take a further look at character adaptations.
How would “The Boys” characters look in a K-drama?
Characters are the heart and soul of “The Boys,” and adapting them for a K-drama would be a creative challenge. However, as demonstrated by the success of the Korean version of “Money Heist,” anything is possible. Here are some potential adaptations:
- Homelander could be reimagined as a charismatic yet sinister national hero. He shall represent the cross-section of the military and Vought Korea. His biggest challenge will be his psychopathic tendencies.
- Starlight might be portrayed as a rising K-pop soloist who joins Vought Korea, struggling with the pressures of fame and the clash between her public image and the dark realities of her industry.
- Butcher could take on the role of a former military officer seeking revenge against Vought Korea. He also has a personal vendetta against Homelander due to the incident of his wife.
- Huey might be depicted as a tech-savvy person whose personal tragedy pulls him into the dangerous world of Vought. His transformation from a timid individual to a determined fighter could be a highlight of his arc.
- Queen Maeve could be reinterpreted as a veteran actress dealing with former moral compromises. Her biggest challenge would be to balance maintaining her status and fighting against the corruption she has witnessed.
- A-Train might be shown as a former Olympic sprinter facing the pressures of maintaining his speed. His character can help explore the dark side of performance-enhancement drugs.
- The Deep could be adapted as a famous environmental advocate with skeletons in his closet.
- Black Noir could be reimagined as a mysterious NIS agent with complex ties to confidential government projects.
Conclusion
“The Boys” is a well-written and well-performed series that deals with universal issues. Reimagining it in a different environment and conventions makes it a fascinating cinematic experience. It will be interesting if we someday get a K-drama version of it, including some unique changes. After all, stories are meant to expand with each retelling. Until then, you can enjoy “The Boys” season 4, which is now available for streaming on Amazon Prime.
