7 Malayalam Films on OTT Likely Adapted From South Korean Movies: Mammootty’s White, Angels to Chaappa Kurishu

Malayalam cinema has often been associated with storytelling elements and narrative nuances that draw comparisons to South Korean films, making them particularly engaging for audiences.

While the influence of South Korean cinema on Malayalam films is evident, some movies appear to be direct remakes or loose adaptations of Korean titles. Here’s a list of such films worth checking out.

7 Malayalam Movies Likely Adapted from South Korea

1. White

• Cast: Mammootty, Huma Qureshi, Siddique, Shankar Ramakrishnan, Ahmed Sidhique, Ansar Kalabhavan, Sona Nair
• Director: Uday Ananthan
• Genre: Romantic Drama
• Where to watch: YouTube, ErosNow

White follows Roshni Menon, a young IT professional from Bengaluru who moves to London for an overseas assignment. While adjusting to her stressful new life and dealing with a demanding boss, she encounters an older, intoxicated man stumbling near a metro track.

After saving him, the man unexpectedly becomes a part of her life, setting off a series of events that change her future. The film is widely regarded as a remake of the South Korean romantic comedy My Sassy Girl (2001). Additionally, Vinodayatra is also said to have borrowed certain scenes from the Korean classic.

2. Lavender

• Cast: Rahman, Elham Mirza, Nishan, Anoop Menon, Govind Padmasoorya, Aju Varghese
• Director: Altas T. Ali
• Genre: Romantic Action
• Where to watch: SunNXT

Lavender revolves around a tragic love triangle set in Bangkok. The story follows an Interpol detective, a hitman, and an artist who becomes entangled in a web of mistaken identity after surviving a life-threatening incident. The film is considered a loose adaptation of the South Korean romantic thriller Daisy.

3. Angels

• Cast: Indrajith Sukumaran, Asha Sarath, Joy Mathew, Baiju, Prem Prakash, Vijayakumar, Lakshmi Priyaa Chandramouli
• Director: Jean Markose
• Genre: Investigative Thriller
• Where to watch: YouTube

Angels follows a dedicated yet egoistic officer who teams up with a quirky priest to unofficially investigate a series of gruesome, unsolved cases. The film was inspired by the 2012 South Korean thriller Confession of Murder.

4. Silence

• Cast: Mammootty, Anoop Menon, Pallavi Purohit, Joy Mathew, Aparna Nair
• Director: VK Prakash
• Genre: Thriller
• Where to watch: SunNXT

Silence follows Arvind Chandrasekhar, a shrewd-to-be judge. Before taking his oath, he receives an anonymous tip about a mysterious person targeting his family. With the help of an officer, he sets out to uncover the truth. The film is partly based on the South Korean thriller The Client.

5. Hide N’ Seek

• Cast: Mukesh, Shalu Kurian, Divyadarshan, Natasha Doshi, Shankar
• Director: Anil
• Genre: Romance Drama
• Where to watch: SunNXT

Hide N' Seek revolves around the lives of two newly married IT professionals and explores the complexities, secrets, and emotional conflicts that emerge within their relationship. The film is considered a loose adaptation of 3-Iron, directed by Kim Ki-duk.

6. Ivar

• Cast: Jayaram, Biju Menon, Bhavana, Devi Ajith, Vinayakan, Anoop Menon, Siddique, Janardhanan
• Director: TK Rajeev Kumar
• Genre: Action Thriller
• Where to watch: SunNXT

Ivar follows Raghava Menon, an undercover agent who infiltrates a group led by Jose and becomes his trusted man with the intention of exposing operations.

The film was originally based on the Hong Kong classic Infernal Affairs. The same story later inspired the South Korean remake City of Damnation and the acclaimed Hollywood adaptation The Departed, directed by Martin Scorsese.

7. Chaappa Kurishu

• Cast: Fahadh Faasil, Vineeth Sreenivasan, Roma Asrani, Remya Nambeesan
• Director: Sameer Thahir
• Genre: Drama Thriller
• Where to watch: SunNXT

Chaappa Kurishu revolves around two contrasting individuals. Arjun is a wealthy businessman in Kochi who is secretly involved in a relationship with his subordinate, Sonia, despite being engaged to a family friend's daughter, Ann.

Meanwhile, Ansari lives in a slum and works at a supermarket, where he is often mocked for his appearance. He also harbors feelings for his co-worker, Nafiza. Their lives collide when Ansari comes into possession of a lost mobile phone containing intimate videos of Arjun and Sonia, triggering a bitter rivalry that threatens to upend both their lives.

The film is widely regarded as an unofficial remake of the South Korean thriller Handphone.

These titles are among the Malayalam films that are believed to have drawn inspiration from, or been adapted from, popular South Korean movies. While some of them are just partial inspirations or unofficial remakes, it goes to show the influence South Korean films have had on Malayalam cinema.

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