In Photos: Filipino Actresses Who Starred In Adaptations Of K-Dramas And Films
See them side by side with their Korean counterparts
There's no doubting Filipinos' love for K-dramas and Korean films, and it's exciting when they're brought overseas for Philippine adaptations starring the biggest names in local showbiz.
Filipino actresses who starred in adaptations of K-dramas and films add a welcome layer of familiarity and audiences wait at the edge of their seats to see how their favorite storylines are reinterpreted with local touches. Family-centric dramas and bittersweet romances take the lead in the most popular adaptations brought to Pinoy viewers, but thrillers, rom-coms, and fantasy have all earned their rightful places, too.
We've seen Philippine adaptations of K-dramas since 2008 through networks like ABS-CBN, where remakes of several series were aired. This year, four famous and award-winning titles both on the small and big screens are making headlines for their upcoming local versions.
Toni Gonzaga is taking on the role originally played by Jun Ji-hyun in iconic rom-com film My Sassy Girl. Kylie Verzosa is set to ooze with sex appeal in the film The Housemaid as the Pinay counterpart of Jeon Do-yeon. Bea Alonzo is set to match Son Ye-jin's emotional big screen performance in melodrama A Moment to Remember. There's also Cristine Reyes in Encounter, a K-drama where she taps into Song Hye-kyo's original character of the scarred wife looking for a second shot at love.
We list down 14 Filipino actresses who have starred in adaptations of K-dramas (aired via ABS-CBN) and films in the gallery below!
Pinay Actresses In Remakes Of K-Dramas And Korean FIlms
Pinay Actresses In Remakes Of K-Dramas And Korean FIlms
Toni Gonzaga as The Girl in "My Sassy Girl" (2001), originally played by Jun Ji-hyun
Local version's release date: TBA | Toni Gonzaga has the honor of leading the remakes of one of the most beloved Korean rom-com movies of all time, a title that introduced many Filipino audiences to the Korean entertainment scene. The film needs little introduction, but for the uninitiated, it's basically a tale of love that was always meant to be. There are way too many plot twists to discuss (all of which are best experienced as a viewer anyway), so all we advise is this: it's a long process to get to the film's satisfying ending of happily ever after, but enjoy the missed opportunities, wrong moves, and frustrating mismatches along the way because they're just as heartwarming as the ending.
Photo Credit: @tincanfilmsph and Asian Movie Pulse
Bea Alonzo as Kim Su-jin in "A Moment to Remember" (2004), originally played by Son Ye-jin
Local version's release date: TBA | Bea Alonzo is officially bringing to life a character whose love was doomed from the start. She takes over Son Ye-jin as a wife with a perfect marriage who is eventually diagnosed with a life-altering condition; the disease mimics early onset Alzheimer's, and she is told that she will inevitably forget and no longer recognize the life she leads, including her committed husband and their happy marriage. It's going to be a real tear-jerker for audiences that love themselves a good drama.
Photo Credit: @beaalonzo and IMDb
Cristine Reyes as Cha Soo-hyun in "Encounter" (2018), originally played by Song Hye-kyo
Local version's release date: March 2021 | It's a question of "Will they or won't they?" Cristine Reyes is an unhappy, unsatisfied woman in this TV series, irreversibly hurt by her life's events. She's a young divorcee who can't seem to untether herself from familial duties despite no longer being married to an unfaithful husband. One day, she meets a new romantic prospect who presents her with the opportunity to live life anew as a happy woman, but their fate remains in the balance.
Photo Credit: @cristinereyes and tvN via Twitter
Kylie Verzosa as Eun-yi in "The Housemaid" (2010), originally played by Jeon Do-yeon
Local version's release date: TBA | "The Housemaid" isn't for the weak-hearted. It tackles themes of infidelity, abortion, revenge, and suicide, all the while not shying away from violence. Kylie Verzosa is the cherry on this bloody, aggressive cake; she is the housemaid herself, the woman who steals the husband away from his unsuspecting wife, carries a child out of wedlock, and performs unspeakable acts of vengeance against the people who tried to destroy her.
Photo Credit: Viva and Sidus FNH
Kim Chiu as Joo Yoo-rin in "My Girl" (2005), originally played by Lee Da-hae
Local version's release date: 2008 | Kim Chiu plays the role of a caring but cunning daughter who seeks out deceitful ways to save her father from debt. She ends up with an unlikely employer, the heir to a large fortune, who is able to make the most out of her skillset. A forbidden romance blooms between the two.
Photo Credit: ABS-CBN and SBS
Angel Locsin as Cha Eun-jae in "Only You" (2005), originally played by Han Chae-young
Local version's release date: 2009 | "Only You" is as much a family drama as it is a story of self-discovery and romance. It follows the adventure of a high school dropout who travels to Italy in search of her mother. Her best friend tags along, the two share a night, and their lives diverge, then converge once more, long after their adolescence ends. Angel Locsin plays the show's female lead, a single mom and professional chef-hopeful.
Photo Credit: ABS-CBN and SBS
KC Concepcion as Kang Tae-young in "Lovers in Paris" (2004), originally played by Kim Jung-eun
Local version's release date: 2009 | KC Concepcion portrays the role of a poor international student who's studying in Paris, to fulfill her father's dreams. She sidelines as a housekeeper for a divorced man working as a company chairman in Paris. For business purposes, he makes a deal with her to become his fake fiancée. Their deal ends, and they return to South Korea separately. They meet, she works for him again, and that's when they begin falling in love with each other. To complicate their relationship, however, his nephew is also in love with her, while his father forces him to marry the daughter of an influential politician.
Photo Credit: ABS-CBN and SBS
Anne Curtis as Oh Soo-ah in "Green Rose" (2005), originally played by Lee Da-hae
Local version's release date: 2011 | Action, romance, drama, and suspense series "Green Rose" is about an ordinary couple whose life turns extraordinary when it's discovered that she is the daughter of the chairman of the company he's working for. He gets framed for the murder of her father, causing them to part ways. When they reunite, they're torn between love and revenge.
Photo Credit: ABS-CBN and SBS
Alex Gonzaga as Shin Ji-hyun in "49 Days" (2011), originally played by Nam Gyu-ri
Local version's release date: 2014 (Philippine version's title: "Pure Love") | "Pure Love" explores the themes of death and fulfilling our missions on earth before our time comes. We see bride-to-be Alex Gonzaga meet an unkind fate in a near-fatal car accident who doesn't realize her soul had left her body. In her confusion, she meets an otherwordly being who explains that she has a chance to return to the land of the living, but only if she successfully collects the tears of three people who truly love her within 49 days.
Photo Credit: ABS-CBN and SBS
Yen Santos as Song Yi-kyung in "49 Days" (2011), originally played by Lee Yo-won
Local version's release date: 2014 (Philippine version's title: "Pure Love") | In this fantasy, romance, and body swap series, Yen Santos takes on the role of a woman who became depressed after her boyfriend's death. In one of her suicide attempts, she witnesses a car accident where the victim's soul enters her body in order to carry out a mission.
Photo Credit: ABS-CBN and SBS
Kaye Abad as Yoon Young-hee in "Two Wives" (2009), originally played by Kim Ji-young
Local version's release date: 2014 | Here we have a classic tale of a husband's unfaithfulness to his wife and the heartbreak that ensues when he leaves her for his mistress. Kaye Abad takes on the challenge of playing the unfortunate spouse who gets left behind.
Photo Credit: ABS-CBN and SBS
Erich Gonzales as Han Ji-sook in "Two Wives" (2009), originally played by Son Tae-young
Local version's release date: 2014 | "Two Wives" also stars Erich Gonzales. She plays the mistress of a married man, who eventually succeeds in breaking up his relationship with his wife. He, however, becomes the victim of a car accident and regains consciousness with inaccurate memories of his mistress; he believes his first marriage is still intact and relationship chaos soon follows.
Photo Credit: ABS-CBN and SBS
Sarah Geronimo as Oh Doo-ri in "Miss Granny" (2014), originally played by Shim Eun-kyung
Local version's release date: 2018 | The film plays to Sarah Geronimo's strength with its focus on music and happy family stories. The 30-year-old singer/actress portrays the titular character who, in a fantastical twist of events, goes from a grandma to a hip young woman in a matter of seconds. Her transformation allows her to live out unfulfilled wishes in her life and of course, sing her heart out onstage. A tragedy strikes this grandma's family, but it's nothing that a miracle fueled by love can't fix.
Photo Credit: Viva and CJ Entertainment
Bela Padilla as Ye-sung in "Miracle in Cell No. 7" (2013), originally played by Park Shin-hye
Local version's release date: 2019 | Bela Padilla is a feisty lawyer and dedicated, loving daughter in this award-winning film. Her choice of profession was guided by how her father, a mentally disabled man, was wrongfully arrested and put in prison when she was but a child, then severely punished for his alleged crime. The movie title alludes to the special events that unfold as Bela's character, when she was little, found miraculous ways to visit her father while he was in prison and the heartwarming friendships she formed with unlikely pals along the way.
Photo Credit: Screenshot from ABS-CBN News and IMDb
Lead photos from @celestinegonzaga @tincanfilmsph @beaalonzo @cristinereyes @kyo1122 / Son Ye-jin's images from Smart and IMDb / Jun Ji-hyun's imags from MICHAA and IMDb / Kylie Verzosa's image from Viva/ Jeon Do-yeon's image from IFC Films
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