The Japanese remake of the hit Korean drama Extraordinary Attorney Woo has started airing, and lead actress Mana Ashida is already drawing comparisons with Park Eun Bin, who played the beloved character in the original series.
Titled Extraordinary Attorney Minami, the Japanese adaptation premiered on Fuji TV's network on October 19. The drama has also attracted attention in South Korea, appearing on Netflix's Top 10 series ranking in the country.
Based on the popular 2022 ENA drama Extraordinary Attorney Woo, the remake follows Minami, a rookie lawyer on the autism spectrum who uses her exceptional memory and unique perspective to handle legal cases while navigating challenges in everyday life.
Mana Ashida takes on the lead role originally portrayed by Park Eun Bin, whose performance received widespread praise and helped make the Korean series an international success.
Following the Japanese premiere, viewers began sharing different opinions about Ashida's portrayal, with some praising her acting while others felt that Park Eun Bin's original performance remained more convincing.
Japanese entertainment outlet MANTANWEB highlighted several positive reactions on October 22, with viewers expressing admiration for Ashida's acting.
Some commented, "I got goosebumps from Mana Ashida's acting within the first five minutes," and "Her gestures and eye expressions are amazing."
Others praised the remake's attention to the original, saying, "She was much more like Woo Young Woo than I expected," and "There is a lot of respect for the original."
The Japanese adaptation also made several changes to better reflect everyday life in Japan.
For example, the Korean drama's revolving door scene was changed to an escalator scene, while Woo Young Woo's favorite food, gimbap, was replaced with Japanese rice balls.
Some viewers welcomed these adjustments, saying the remake preserved the original story while making the setting more familiar to Japanese audiences.
However, reactions have not been entirely positive.
On Japanese drama review platform Filmarks, one viewer compared Ashida's performance with Park Eun Bin's and said that while her facial expressions and movements were impressive, there was a noticeable difference in how the character was portrayed.
The reviewer specifically pointed to Ashida's voice, speaking style, and delivery of dialogue, saying they preferred the innocent and natural atmosphere Park Eun Bin brought to the role.
Another viewer who watched the Korean version felt that the Japanese adaptation relied more heavily on explanations rather than expressing certain emotions through visuals and subtle acting.
Despite the divided opinions, Extraordinary Attorney Minami has generated discussion among viewers familiar with the original drama.
Park Eun Bin's portrayal of Woo Young Woo remains a major point of comparison. The actress received the Grand Prize in the television category at the 59th Baeksang Arts Awards in 2023 for her performance in Extraordinary Attorney Woo.
As the Japanese remake continues its broadcast, attention is now on how Mana Ashida will develop her own interpretation of the character and whether the adaptation can win over more fans of the Korean original.
