The legendary youth noir comic 'Beat' by master Korean cartoonist Heo Young-man is set to be reborn as a drama.
On the 11th, the newly established production company Alt Studio (CEO Kim Young-bae) announced that it plans and produces the 10-episode drama 'Beat', based on the eponymous comic by Heo Young-man, as its first project.
'Beat' is Heo Young-man's representative work that was serialized in Young Champ from 1994 to 1995. It is a Korean-style noir comic that captures the anger, wandering, frustration, and growing pains of youth at the time. It garnered explosive popularity, recording over 1 million copies in cumulative circulation during its serialization, and created a 'Beat syndrome' by making popular items within the artwork such as the Honda CBR600F, Zippo lighter, and Marlboro Red.
In 1997, it was made into a film of the same name starring Jung Woo-sung and Go So-young and directed by Kim Sung-soo, surpassing 870,000 viewers (based on Seoul) and generating buzz once again. In particular, it is regarded as the work that propelled Jung Woo-sung to become a youth icon of the 1990s, with many famous lines such as "I had no dreams" and "17 to 1 fight." The upcoming drama remake has sparked intense interest in who will symbolize the new generation of 'Min,' alongside Jung Woo-sung of that era. Beyond mere casting, the birth of a new icon that will represent 'today's youth' is anticipated.
'Beat', as the first project of Alt Studio, which secured the remake rights, is expected to reinterpret the emotions of youth from that time in a modern context, providing nostalgia for the older generation and new empathy for the 20-somethings.
Alt Studio is a content studio established by core production staff who have successfully produced popular IP-based dramas such as 'Taxi Driver 1, 2', 'My ID is Gangnam Beauty', and 'Love is Amazing' airing in July. The team has strengths in simultaneously preserving 'the essence of the original work and today's trends', raising expectations for how they will reinterpret the era's hot topic 'Beat.'
Alt Studio's first project 'Beat' is planned to officially begin production and planning with a goal for release in the first half of 2026.
[Photo] Heo Young-man Co., Ltd, 'Beat' still cut
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