Chinese version of Grandpas Over Flowers gets green light
by awcoconuts
Chinese Grandpas Over Flowers fans, rejoice – tvN’s popular entertainment programs (the Grandpas and the Noonas) are being remade for Chinese television. CJ E&M, the huge conglomerate behind cable channel tvN, has entered into a strategic alliance with Dragon TV to bring the hit variety shows, adapted with Chinese stars, to the masses.
Through export, PD Na Young-seok’s atypical yet wildly successful programs have built a steadily increasing international fanbase in countries like Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Japan. The Chinese edition is the first time CJ E&M will collaborate with another country to adapt the Grandpa and Noona shows for a local market.
Dragon TV is a subsidiary of one of China’s largest multimedia companies, Shanghai Media Group. With a reach of over ten million viewers, the entertainment channel is gaining traction with audiences, having triumphantly remade other top international reality shows Britain’s Got Talent, American Idol, and Master Chef.
Under the alliance, Na PD and the production crew will hold a workshop with the Chinese team to lend their production tips and general knowledge. Lee Duk-jae, managing director of tvN, said, “Through this strategic partnership, we hope to bring Korea’s No.1 entertainment programs, Grandpas Over Flowers and Noonas Over Flowers, to the Chinese market, but tuned to local tastes. We expect that this practical collaboration will lead to other crossover hits in the form of dramas and a continued relationship in jointly developed television content.”
I’m giggling at the thought of a second batch of Asian stars in their twilight years being thrown into the towns of unsuspecting Europeans (or wherever they decide to shoot), production crews in tow. Will locals know what hit them, having experienced or heard of the Korean version, or will they wonder about the small group of Chinese celebrities who have suddenly landed in their midst, constantly being followed and taped? Will they be prepared for the subsequent influx of Asian tourists wanting to visit the places featured on the shows? Oh Na PD, what you alone have done for international tourism!
Via Sports Hankook
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1 Min
March 20, 2014 at 3:35 PM
Good for Na PD :) His genius for EVIL fun is finally getting recognized mwuahahahaha
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2 DayDreamer
March 20, 2014 at 4:00 PM
So proud of Na PD. His variety talent is being appreciated in so many ways and that makes me happy. Luff him so much.
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3 tiny
March 20, 2014 at 4:22 PM
Look at you, Youngseokie, conquering Asia. You're a Hallyu star on your own right.
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4 ilikehim
March 20, 2014 at 4:23 PM
Saw this coming since the Chinese "I Am A Singer" and "Dad, Where Are We Going?" are/were highly successful (not sure if they're ongoing).
I just find it immensely amusing that the Chinese just take whatever is popular in Korea and bring the entire concept to China. But hey, not a dumb move since Hallyu is infiltrating every corner of China. Even funnier is that I was just musing the other day what Korean shows they would redo/chinesefy and guessed GoF.
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topper
March 20, 2014 at 4:32 PM
They are not welcoming it as hallyu, just appropriating it as their own. The fact that they are originally Korean concepts are seldom mentioned. The mainland viewers can be very nationalistic.
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Hugepuffball
March 20, 2014 at 4:38 PM
I agree, I saw the Chinese I Am a Singer with my grandparents because they LOVED IT. I was thinking, this is ridiculously similar to a Korean- wait what?
And my grandparents had absolutely no idea that it was an adaptation, although they were hardly surprised since basically EVERY successful Chinese show is based on someone else's program
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StudyingInChina
March 20, 2014 at 5:07 PM
I think saying "every" successful Chinese show is a "rip-off" is not true. There are popular Chinese variety shows (e.g. You Are The One) which are totally original so it's unfair to use such a sweeping statement. The fact is that it's a lot easier to build on existing concepts and the "import" of such shows guarantees viewership and thus advertisers will be much more willing to pump money into it, which is really what TV stations and producers hope for.
You can argue that they can just buy the show and broadcast it, but it's not a very practical idea. I mean, when the voice is dubbed in Chinese it doesn't sound as colloquial and therefore loses some appeal with the audience. Plus, some jokes can be "lost in translation" as well.
With regards to the misconception that audiences are not informed about the fact that these are original Korean shows, I don't see how it's natural to say that the program is "Running Man based on Korea's Running Man". Everybody knows that the shows are Korean imports. Additionally, with viewers who know more about Hallyu, they usually don't watch such shows. People who love the show are probably those who are never going to be influenced by the Korean wave anyway.
Also, from someone who is neither Korean nor Chinese, I would say that Koreans are just as nationalistic as the Chinese (just look at Empress Ki).
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KDaddict
March 20, 2014 at 6:17 PM
So true, so balanced, so well-said, Every word.
space kablooie
March 20, 2014 at 7:00 PM
I'd agree with your comment, without getting into the question over who is more nationalistic. Most successful TV shows in big media markets (and movies, too!) are copied in some form or another. Hollywood did a remake of The British version of The Office. S. Korea started a version of Saturday Night Live last year. Japan remade You're Beautiful. It happens. It's generally a good thing and a sign of a great concept, and it can bring fans of the country's specific version to the original show. For instance, MTV's USA- tailored version of Silent Library made me a huge Gaki No Tsukai fan.
ringo
March 20, 2014 at 7:27 PM
Sorry, but even the example you gave - You Are the One (非诚勿扰) - is not even original. It's based off Aussie TV show that's been adapted by a lot of different countries.
windsun33
March 21, 2014 at 11:25 AM
"..saying “every” successful Chinese show is a “rip-off” is not true.."
No, but it probably runs about 90%+. And even some of the shows they have copied have flopped in China, mainly because of censorship, which limits what can be said and done so much.
China is a country of 1.5 billion people, yet it has less cultural influence in the region than South Korea, with a population of 50 million. Even Vietnam has more "cultural" exports than China does. For a funny take on the situation, see http://youtu.be/7DARmV1bPC0
Alan Guerrero
March 21, 2014 at 1:29 PM
Vietnam? I could only think of Flappy Bird and that's it...
China has Jet Li, isn't it.
salmon poke
March 24, 2014 at 3:21 PM
I don't know how to reply to Ringo, so I'll just add my reply here...
I just want to say if "If You Are The One" is indeed a copy of an Australian show, then I stand corrected. I always thought that it is a Chinese original because dating shows have been a staple of Chinese TV and because blind dating is a cultural norm (and tradition) in China.
Thank you so much for doing your homework :)
This really shows how China has been doing shoddy work in terms of crediting the original shows and its failure to be more creative and original. However, I do believe things will improve with time. I am looking forward to more Asian productions and diversify the current media scene. The more the merrier~~~
StudyingInChina
March 20, 2014 at 5:08 PM
I think saying "every" successful Chinese show is a "rip-off" is not true. There are popular Chinese variety shows (e.g. You Are The One) which are totally original so it's unfair to use such a sweeping statement. The fact is that it's a lot easier to build on existing concepts and the "import" of such shows guarantees viewership and thus advertisers will be much more willing to pump money into it, which is really what TV stations and producers hope for.
You can argue that they can just buy the show and broadcast it, but it's not a very practical idea. I mean, when the voice is dubbed in Chinese it doesn't sound as colloquial and therefore loses some appeal with the audience. Plus, some jokes can be "lost in translation" as well.
With regards to the misconception that audiences are not informed about the fact that these are original Korean shows, I don't see how it's natural to say that the program is "Running Man based on Korea's Running Man". Everybody knows that the shows are Korean imports. Additionally, with viewers who know more about Hallyu, they usually don't watch such shows. People who love the show are probably those who are never going to be influenced by the Korean wave anyway.
Also, from someone who is neither Korean nor Chinese, I would say that Koreans are just as nationalistic as the Chinese (just look at Empress Ki).
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topper
March 20, 2014 at 5:13 PM
I agree both are as nationalistic. Never said otherwise.
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Thirdinline
March 20, 2014 at 5:26 PM
I do agree with the last comment. Very popular shows like "You Are The One" have been around for ages and are Chinese creations, so it is unfair to say that all successful shows in China are copies of Korean ones.
In addition, from what I read on the net, plenty of Chinese netizens know that shows like "Dad Where Are You Going" are based off Korean shows. A lot of them are Kpop/K-drama fans, and many others live in areas with ethnic Koreans (since the "Chinese" don't just include Han Chinese, but a myriad of other ethnic minorities).
And I agree with the part on both countries being nationalistic. It is not a bad thing though. I find it very heartening that Korean fans (not sasaengs, of course) support their singers/artists ardently and faithfully. I think it is a lovely and effective way of encouraging a burgeoning industry.
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Jessica
March 21, 2014 at 3:07 AM
China's still pretty new at reality TV so it makes sense they based theirs on existing formats.
But they're most popular films and TV dramas are all home grown, like period pieces such as Bubu Jingxin and The Legend of Zhen Huan.
Also, I think one of the newer and more popular reality shows in China now is Sing My Song which seems to be an original show as well.
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windsun33
March 21, 2014 at 11:35 AM
But notice that about the ONLY shows or movies that China produces with any export potential are period pieces. And, according to the South China Morning Post (Hong Kong), "Sing my Song" is already running into censorship issues: "..Chinese rock star Cui Jian is not likely to perform this year at China’s spring gala show due to authorities’ requirement that he censor his lyrics.."
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Jessica
March 21, 2014 at 11:21 PM
Yuppers, the censorship problems really limit Mainland Chinese media.
I think the period pieces also get the biggest budgets and attract the most talent. All the good modern films and TV series are often filmed in Hong Kong.
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5 topper
March 20, 2014 at 4:28 PM
I don't think the IP is sold at a high price, China would just appropriate it without any payment in a minute, simply just by changing the title and using the concept. More like at least get some money, and possibly promises of future collaboration that can earn tvN profits. IP laws in China just restrict to mainland protection and it is very hard to assert overseas IP.
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Jessica
March 21, 2014 at 2:54 AM
If I'm not mistaken, South Korea also has some protectionist policies that helped to grow their entertainment industry.
There's a quota of foreign (mainly Hollywood) films that are allowed to be shown.
Not sure if it's changed now, but it really did help make the industry grow on it's own.
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topper
March 21, 2014 at 3:47 AM
In China there is a quota, which a lot of companies bypass by setting up joint partnerships to qualify their productions as local. I'm not sure about Korea.
But that is totally different from Intellectual Property and Copyright protection though.
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Jessica
March 21, 2014 at 11:26 PM
They're different but they are related since protectionist policies, go hand in hand with ignoring the IP of other countries.
And I actually support those policies. I read a very interesting book by Ha-Joon Chang called Bad Samaritans: The Myth of Free Trade and the Secret History of Capitalism and in it, "...he reveals how often free trade has failed where protectionism has benefited many of the richer countries today including the U.S. and U.K."
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6 topper
March 20, 2014 at 4:35 PM
I forgot to mention that Noona over Flowers is having a Chinese remake too. The baidu tieba(a fan forum) that originally belong to the Korean version got overtaken and wiped clean to be used for the new version.
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7 bakedshrimp
March 20, 2014 at 5:52 PM
Ugh.
Wasn't there a lamentation in China post-You Who Came From the Stars regarding why they can't produce something like that on that level of originality and innovation? It's not like China doesn't have enough creative people nor huge budgets to do it.
But yay for PD Na.
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Ppasun
March 20, 2014 at 8:00 PM
I read about a Chinese article which supposedly traced Do Min Joon's ancestry all the way to China, how he descended from the Dus of China. I just had to laugh and scratch my head, because didn't they watch the show? Hello, Do Min Joon is an alien from another planet and Do Min Joon is just the latest name he adopted after a string of others?
Also, I read the Washington Post article about how some top Chinese politicians lamented the lack of such original dramas as YWCFTS in China but concluded their remarks by saying that Korean dramas embody and popularize Chinese culture and tradition. That kind of comment bothers me though. This being the Global Age, we all do borrow, adopt and learn from other cultures, but claiming another country's entire pop culture as originating from theirs is too much.
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Gidget
March 21, 2014 at 10:27 AM
Those concerns aren't unfounded. I had an interesting experience in China last summer. It's very carefully expressed, but if you read between the lines of what's said among the apparatchik, the general sentiment was that wherever the country has had it's footprint in the past is still considered part of the 'homeland.' Make of that what you will. I think it's troubling.
This is a significant announcement. Let's just hope we aren't witnessing the start of yet-another cycle of rinse-wash-repeat in Korean history. I fear we are.
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Jessica
March 21, 2014 at 2:58 AM
The biggest problem with China's entertainment industry is their censors, the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television (SARFT).
While I understand their purpose, I feel that it completely restricts a lot of the creativity in Chinese media.
It's no wonder that the best Chinese directors often have to go overseas, or to Hong Kong, to make their best films.
It's also why there's so many remakes of popular shows. Because it's already been "approved" in a way so they don't have to waste time making something that might get censored.
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windsun33
March 21, 2014 at 11:50 AM
YFAS was one of the most successful non-period drama shows ever in China - and it was never broadcast. Due to censorship laws in China, it got all of it's multi-billion views on the internet.
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jporcu
March 23, 2014 at 1:37 AM
YFAS certainly isn't one of the most successful non-period dramas in China. And even though I don't mean to be critical, there's absolutely no relationship between the fact that it's not broadcasted and China's censorship regulations. It's just that the TV stations have yet to acquire the rights to do so because it's a very recent Korean drama not dubbed in Chinese yet. I don't even think any major networks outside of Korea has shown the show yet as well due to the exact same reasons. Please get your facts right.
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windsun33
March 24, 2014 at 1:24 AM
It was censored in China because it deals with supernatural and aliens. You can look it up but I don't have the link handy.
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JO
April 3, 2014 at 6:34 PM
I agree, I think China has many young people that should be utilized (and they want to be!). As a Korea, I don't mind these remakes--both parties are willing and they will certainly be different shows, despite similiar formats because of cultural differences, different celebrities and entertainment histories. But I do feel sad? for all the young people I KNOW have talent...but China keeps censoring and outsourcing?
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8 KDaddict
March 20, 2014 at 6:19 PM
Look at that poster: The grandpas are making heart signs; Seojinnie is scratching his head!
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9 napdrocks
March 20, 2014 at 6:41 PM
a super massive yeyy for the golden boy behind our favourite goldenboys like seung gi, seojinie.
i'm so glad uri na pd who is the opposite of a halyu star , is a halyu pd. !!!
he said he has more plans for more shows apart from flower series.
whatever they maybe i'm in.
thank u for 1n2d, gof and nof.
i will cherish these shows forever
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10 geese
March 20, 2014 at 8:17 PM
rof...lol..PD Na hallyu pd...darn it if he's not the one that made those crazy shows love by international community....whew...i hope whoever bought the copyright stick to the original concept so that the show will retain its own charm..
anyways....PD Na and the whole cast as alway my salute and long bow of gratitude with those shows they have made...
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11 Sour Grapes
March 20, 2014 at 10:33 PM
I don't think it is possible to effectively recreate this show without the same people working behind the cameras. They are the ones who make it funny. Look at what happened to 1N2D for example.
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12 Laden
March 21, 2014 at 1:42 AM
Omg the grandpas look so funny making the hearts above their heads especially the 1st two after seo jinnie,the 2nd one can't even touch his head lol :D
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13 chickenwing
March 21, 2014 at 2:14 AM
No shit. Mainland Chinese tourists in a foreign land. That sounds like bad news to me! (I'm Chinese but not from the mainland)
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Annie
March 21, 2014 at 3:09 AM
Wow, wow, that's an extremely prejudiced statement. While cases of badly-behaved Chinese tourists are widely reported, it is simply not acceptable to criticise a country's citizens unnecessarily. Mainland Chinese is not the only country in the world who have terrible tourists.
I'm Chinese too but not from the Mainland.
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windsun33
March 21, 2014 at 11:57 AM
Prejudiced or not, mainland Chinese tourists have gotten the reputation as THE worst in many countries. So much so that the CCP has issued several official guides on how to behave abroad.
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StudyingInChina
March 21, 2014 at 4:04 PM
I hope you do know that to foreigners, Mainland Chinese = non-Mainland Chinese = Chinese. What you're saying is like "New Yorkers in a foreign land. That sounds like bad news to me! (I'm American but I'm from Boston)" Just plain amusing.
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14 Annie
March 21, 2014 at 3:04 AM
But but... There's already a Chinese copy (or rather a Hong Kong Cantonese copy). It's called Three Amigos Bon Voyage! I only watched one episode during the forced family gathering when it was Chinese New Year. It's quite good if you can understand Cantonese and know the 3 old actors from your childhood.
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ilikehim
March 21, 2014 at 1:07 PM
I don't think that was much of a Grandpa Over Flowers. Besides having a group of old, veteran male actors travel together, there wasn't much mission or money-pinching or torture (correct me if I am wrong, I've only watched a episode or two of Three Amigos Bon Voyage). In fact, it just seems like a chill show for the "three amigos" to chill.
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15 ps
March 21, 2014 at 5:09 AM
This explains why Na PD was in Beijing a couple of weeks ago, at the same weekend of Seunggi's Beijing fan meeting. A few Seunggi's fans managed to get Na PD's autograph.
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16 Gidget
March 21, 2014 at 10:47 AM
This could shed some light on some of those really weird and out-of-character editorial choices they made in the Gaudi segment. Particularly, inserting that odd 'saving trees' bit ('GW') when they were showing the drainage/fountain system; and pointedly alleging cultural indifference to the death of a pauper ('99%').
Too early to say, but I hope the show doesn't sell it's soul for this.
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windsun33
March 21, 2014 at 12:04 PM
They probably will sell their soul. One Singapore editorial remarked that the grandpas "will probably spend most of their time extolling the virtues of the Communist Party".
"The watchdog group Reporters without Borders ranked China 173 out of 179 countries in its 2013 worldwide index of press freedom."
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totoqn
March 21, 2014 at 3:52 PM
Pardon me, I may be totally mistaken, but reading your comments all the way from the top, I'm under the impression that you have some sort of inexplicable repugnance against the Chinese. And I would just like to say that the Singapore editorial that you referred to probably doesn't have much grounds to stand on, considering that Singapore was also heavily criticised in the past by the UN for the lack of freedom of speech and press.
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windsun33
March 22, 2014 at 8:17 AM
You are conflating my feelings for the Chinese Communist Party with those for China and the Chinese. They are not the same thing. I love China - I totally detest the Chinese Communist Party. Most of that is probably personal reasons, some is philosophical.
And while you are correct that Singapore does not rank all that high either, at least they don't have 2 million people assigned just for press and internet monitoring and censorship.
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17 one
March 21, 2014 at 4:40 PM
" I’m giggling at the thought of a second batch of Asian stars in their twilight years being thrown into the towns of unsuspecting Europeans (or wherever they decide to shoot), production crews in tow"
I probably am in the minority but I think I would enjoy this. No other reason but just curiosity.
Note: I don't know too many Mainland Chinese actors/actresses except for those who have gone global and HK actors so I think this is a good concept to introduce some of the actors even though they're old or veterans.
East Asian movies, dramas and shows I notice overlaps each other. Its like the hen and the egg story on which comes first, etc.
Anyway, there is one show right now that I wish Korea or even China would try to get an adaptation and that would be this show from Japan " Why did you come to Japan? " ..... I think it is a fresh and interesting concept plus you get to see some really good stories behind the travels.
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18 byuldreamer
March 22, 2014 at 10:46 PM
LOL...that's bound to be hillarious...wonder who the cast will be?
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