'Extraordinary Attorney Woo' may be getting an American adaptation

There have been reports that the hit 2022 Korean drama 'Extraordinary Attorney Woo' might be getting a remake in the U.S.

On July 23, U.S. Entertainment outlet Deadline reported that Netflix is planning an English-language version of the popular Korean drama 'Extraordinary Attorney Woo.' 

According to the reports, Leila Gerstein, the showrunner of 'Hart of Dixie' and a writer for 'The Handmaid’s Tale' and 'CSI,' will serve as the screenwriter and executive producer. Christine Reed is also said to be involved in production. However, Netflix has declined to comment on the matter.

Originally aired on ENA in June 2022, 'Extraordinary Attorney Woo' tells the story of Woo Young Woo (played by Park Eun Bin), a rookie lawyer with a genius mind and autism spectrum disorder, as she navigates life at a major law firm. The series was directed by Yoo In Sik, known for the 'Dr. Romantic' series, and written by Moon Ji Won, who also wrote the film 'Innocent Witness,' which inspired the creation of the drama.

According to a 2022 report by The Korea Times, screenwriter Moon Ji Won spent two years crafting the script. A representative from production company AStory shared, “The drama was planned after the film 'Innocent Witness'.”

The drama began with a modest 0.9% viewership rating for its first episode but soared to 17.5% for its finale, becoming a massive hit. The cast, including Park Eun Bin, Kang Tae Oh, Kang Ki Young, Joo Hyun Young, Ha Yoon Kyung, and Joo Jong Hyuk, all drew widespread attention. Park Eun Bin won the Grand Prize (Daesang) in the TV category at the 59th Baeksang Arts Awards for her performance.

Extraordinary Attorney Woo also made headlines by topping Netflix’s Global Top 10 (Non-English TV category) for seven consecutive weeks, beating out Netflix original series.

In August 2022, the drama topped Netflix's global viewing charts for a full week, garnering 77.43 million viewing hours, which is the highest combined total across English and non-English series at the time.

The show’s impact extended far beyond Korea. CNN covered the drama in detail, highlighting the global popularity of Korean content on Netflix. The outlet even suggested that 'Extraordinary Attorney Woo' had the potential to become the next 'Squid Game,' further elevating the global standing of Korean dramas.