Barfi to Ek Villain – Top 5 Bollywood films that are inspired from South Korean films

The influence of Korean cinema on Bollywood was there long back when this immense craze for K-Dramas was not there at all. Even before Korean films became global sensations on streaming platforms and in international theatres or at Film Festivals, Bollywood was finding inspiration in their narratives.

Here, we have come up with some of the critically acclaimed Bollywood films that were adapted from popular Korean hits, which will blow you mind:

Barfi

Released in 2012, this is one of the most celebrated films of Ranbir Kapoor. Even though the actor is currently getting hugely criticised for his violent role in Animal, Barfi proved that nepotism is not inadequate if there is talent. Kapoor's acting in Barfi is undoubtedly one of the finests in today's generation. Without even a single dialogue, Ranbir won millions of hearts. But did you know, Barfi is actually a remake of South Korean film - Lover’s Concerto? The film was released in 2002, which tells a story about a young man (Cha Tae-hyun), who remembers the complex relationship he formed with two teenage girls (Lee Eun-ju, Son Ye-jin).

Awarapan

This is the most celebrated film of Emraan Hashmi. Released in 2007, even though Hashmi’s character died in the end, Awarapan made him a star. Did you know Awarapan is inspired from the South Korean film - A Bittersweet Life? The film was released in 2005. It shows, when high-ranking gangster Young Sun-Woo (Lee Sun-Woo) refuses to follow his boss Kanga's (Kim Yeon-Cheol) orders, things become ugly and turn into a gang war which only causes several deaths.

Bharat

Salman Khan is one of the biggest stars in Bollywood, including Shah Rukh Khan and Aamir Khan. These three Khans are the heart of Bollywood. Every single film of these three Khans is loved by the masses. Although mostly he does action films, Bharat showed Salman's versatility. But did you know Bharat is actually inspired from the South Korean film - Ode To My Father? The film was released in 2014. It tells a story about a young man, who parts ways with his father and his sister while escaping from a war-torn North Korea. However, he longs to reunite with his missing family members.

Murder 2

Released in 2011, this film still gives goosebumps with its terrifying storyline, mixed with Emraan Hashmi’s seductive character. No doubt, Prashant Narayanan’s acting as a transgender, is breathtaking and worth mentioning. But did you know, Murder 2 is actually a remake of the South Korean film - The Chaser? Released in 2008, the film follows an ex-policeman, who runs a small ring of prostitutes. When he finds out one of the women is missing, he begins hunting down a serial killer who is preying on his girls.

Ek Villain

After debuting with Student of the Year, this film literally mesmerised us with Sidharth Malhotra’s performance. The violence, the action, those hand-to-hand fights, everything is just mind-blowing. But did you know, Ek Villain is actually a remake of the South Korean film - I Saw The Devil? Interestingly, even Ek Villain has the same scenes and turning points. The South Korean film was released in 2008. The story follows when his pregnant fiance is murdered, secret service agent Soo-hyun sets out to seek revenge. He identifies the killer and forces him to swallow a GPS-tracking capsule.