NECESSARY OR NOT? MONEY HEIST KOREA - MOVIE REVIEW

First I must say that this contains a little spoilers here and there.
You must also promise you'll give me your thoughts when you've read this.
Thank you, shall we?

The name Money Heist should be a household name all over the world already. It was literally everywhere when the original and Spanish version of the series streamed on Netflix. The theme song itself didn’t help matters.
I’m sure a lot of people have no idea of what the lyrics of ‘Bella Ciao’ mean in their language. But we can all agree it was music to the ears that even some folks used it in different protests.

Now, talking about Money Heist: Korea - Joint Economic Area which came out few days ago.
The question in most peoples mind would be:

• What’s the difference between the original version and the remake?
• Was it necessary?
• Are the characters thesame?
• If it ends in the same manner, then why was it done again?
  And maybe any other question you the reader has had in mind.
  

MY BRIEF HISTORY WITH SERIES
I must say first that I am not a series person. I feel I might get too addicted once I start watching something I love, especially if it is filled with thrill and suspense.
I decided against watching series when I saw FRIENDS, a rom-com of 10 seasons with an average of 20 episodes each in the shortest possible time. If I wasn’t sleeping, I was watching it.
Got so bad that I was driving in an enclosed area and watching simultaneously. (That was the height of it)
So against all odds, I saw this one, in my defence because it had just 6 episodes and so of course, in one night, I watched the whole of it.
I prefer to do that than having to stall, so I dedicate one night and see it through. Enough of me, let’s get to the deal.

MOVIE SYNOPSIS: FROM MY POV
The series is centred around a very intelligent topic:
North and South Korea has now been unified and they must therefore create a common currency. What is formerly known as Joint Security Area, a bridge between North and South Korea where they meet to settle all the differences between them is now known as Joint Economic Area. This time around, it’s not a place for a truce but now a mint where their common currency is printed.
A college professor played by Too Ji-tae has a theory that the only way they can be unified and co-exist is by making the both nations wealthy.
Migrants from North Korea to South Korea were often scammed and treated like thrash. Of course, you don’t expect the unification to take place that easily.
The Professor decides to embark on a heist and there is no better place than the Mint itself. That way, he doesn’t necessarily have to steal money but they can then print whatever amount they want to, in the sum of 4 trillion won (about $3.1 billion).
He puts together a group of people with different skills and they go on their journey to spearheading what is called the single largest heist in history.
The brain behind the heist, the professor doesn’t go with them as they need an eye on the outside. So he gives them information in the mint through a series of communication mode.
Of course, they have an IT guy on the inside.

The Professor has one rule: No one must die or get hurt; both the hostages and the suspects.
Apparently, he already had it all planned out 2 months prior to the heist (at least that’s how far back we are told in the movie). We know this because he befriends Seon Woojin, the Head of crisis negotiation. He not only befriends her but we see that he actually is in love with her. Before the heist, the Professor had published different scandalous and implicating news about all others who had a chance of heading the crisis negotiation, so they were left with only Seon Woojin. However, Seon Woojin herself has had some family issues in that she’s in a court case with her husband trying to sort out who has custody of their daughter and her mother also suffers from memory loss in her old age. Seon Woojin’s husband is a well known Politician who has a high chance of becoming the first President of the unification of the both countries.

The characters in the heist each have their own backstory and we’re told a little in Episode one while others are further expounded on in the next 2-3 episodes.
Other details are kept for when you decide to watch the movie, you’re welcome!

SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE ORIGINAL AND THE KOREAN
There are a lot of similarities and quite a number of differences between the both of them.
First, it is pretty much thesame storyline of a group of people trying to pull off the ‘single largest heist in history.’
The thieves also have thesame name and a equal number of them (8).
However, the backgrounds of some of them are different.
Of course, there is Tokyo, Berlin, Denver, Moscow, Rio, Nairobi, Oslo and Helsinki.
Tokyo is a trained soldier and an immigrant
Berlin is an escapee who was imprisoned after he was caught trying to flee North Korea illegally. His mother died in the process.
Denver is a street fighter.
Moscow is Denver’s father and he used to work in the mines.
Nairobi is a con-artist as Tokyo says.
Rio is an IT Professional.
Oslo and Helsinki are crime fixers.


You can compare what they look like side by side

The series is a narration and the narration is done by Tokyo, that is one unique difference between this and the original.
Also, because it is of a Korean origin, their culture is used to enhance it’s uniqueness. This is seen notably in the mask used by the thieves called the Hahoe mask. It is from one of their native festivals in Korea.
The only differences I’ve noticed so far is in the culture, the background and character traits of the characters; most especially the Professor. Some argue that the portrayal of the character by Too Ji-tae is nothing compared to what Alvaro Morte did in the original.
The storyline is pretty much the same, except some twist and touch here and there.

MY RATINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
If I’m to rate this series, I’ll easily give it a whooping 9/10.
I’ll rate it this excellent if I consider it a fresh-stand alone movie and not a remake of an original.
Now, comparing it to the original, I’ll give it a 5/10. Funnily, IMDB does the same thing. In it’s own right, it was an excellent movie but the original has so much raised the expectations of people.

I really enjoyed it, the thrill and suspense that comes with such. The characters did reasonably well and I look forward to the many more twists and turns that comes with it.
We’re just 6 episodes into what might be at least 3 seasons long so we can’t be so quick to judge yet.
If I were to recommend this movie, I’ll do so to those who like critical thinking and like to be shocked.
There isn’t so much violence in here, as ordered by the Professor but still, I won’t recommend it for children.
Please let me know your thoughts about the movie.

All images that are not referenced are from the movie screenshot.
Thank you for reading!❤️

Catch the trailer here: