Netflix to develop Korean adaptation of Spanish crime series Money Heist

Netflix is developing a South Korean adaptation of its Spanish-language fantasy crime series Money Heist (La Casa De Papel).

The streamer, which is churning out a lot of original content in collaboration with Korean creators, will back the new project hailing from the country's BH Entertainment and Contents Zium.

According to Variety, the Korean adaptation will be directed by Kim Hong-sun, who has helmed TV dramas like The Guest and Voice.

Ryu Yong-jae and his team, whose credits include the Netflix original series My Holo Love and tvN series Psychopath Diary, will pen the 12-episode show.

Alex Pina, creator and executive producer of Money Heist, said he is looking forward to seeing the show from the Korean point of view.

"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," Pina said.

The streamer said the international popularity of the Spanish series is proof that significant works "based in different cultures and languages can be widely distributed by Netflix and loved by audiences worldwide".

Production on the fifth and final season of Money Heist, which premiered in 2017, is now in production. The fourth season premiered in April 2020.