When it comes to analyzing the catalog of options of Netflixproductions like The paper house: Korea it involves a debate that moves between the commercial and the proper sense of a new series. The premiere of the second part of the production revives this franchise and, at the same time, leaves mixed feelings.
Perhaps the discussion could start with the end of a remake. In artistic fields such as music, those who transcend do so by offering a renewal of a theme without this meaning that the original version is blurred or failed. The value, in this case, is to give it a twist and represent that song to new generations or audiences. If this logic applies to The paper house: Korea – Part 2it is not so easy to come up with a positive conclusion.
The series wants to stick as much to the tradition imposed by the house of paperhe that limits almost any potential that its cultural framework, the Asian, offers it. In this feeling there is a trap. Seen from the other side of the world, the original series is positioned as a remarkable reference. That reality does not have to be such in other latitudes.
Why is it important to understand the above? Because The paper house: Korea It is not so much a production for those who have already seen the original series, but for a continent that is perhaps not used to this type of narrative.. With the mother production installed as one of the most watched on Netflix, it made sense to try it on the other side of the world.
The paper house: Korea – Part 2
It’s a good intention, but…
Having clarified the previous point, and taking into account that there is no way to position yourself as an Asian viewer, The paper house: Korea – Part 2, supports the bases established in the first part. What in theory seems like an achievement, in this case it is not. The remake does not transcend beyond this. What is this”? The tension between criminals and the State, represented in the police.
Most of the characters in The paper house: Korea They trace those presented in the original series, even in some phenotypic details. This entails, in the eyes of a viewer other than the Asian, the sensation of being a replica rather than a representation. In some cases, this works in a very good way, giving performances that approach the panache and aura of the actors who were part of the base series.
The story is sustained in its actions, in the tensions, yes, although they are evident and in general lines, with the original series as a reference, predictable. But some characters manage to create their own space, their particular atmosphere. It may not be enough to achieve something equalizing, if you take into account the previous production. However, if one tries to look beyond it, in this last aspect there is a value on which to advance.
The paper house: Korea
The second part of The paper house: Korea It premiered on Netflix to leave sensations similar to the first installment. It is a production that looks so much at the Spanish series, the origin of everything, that it lacks its own identity. It makes sense to search for references, to respect tradition, to establish parallelisms. But its development does not contribute to its having a voice of its own. Like the first part, it is a remake with few aspects to highlight, from the point of view of those who have already seen the original production series.
The contrasts and the missed opportunity
Taking into account that Netflix is a global platform and productions like The paper house: Korea They are usually available to audiences beyond Asia, this condition makes this type of proposal entertainment content with a powerful cultural value. This, as long as it is well managed. It is about sharing part of a culture, of a philosophy, based on a recognizable plot.
In The paper house: Korea – Part 2, the strength of its architecture does not abound, for example; nor does he elaborate on giving some clues about aspects of that way of life in which the story is being recreated. These questions can be achieved explicitly, through the script, or through the realization, with frames, sequences, symbolisms that can be interpreted within the plot that is being developed.
Any artistic proposal is usually a window towards a way of seeing the world, of relating to issues such as politics, the economy, its artistic expression and even historical pulses. The paper house: Korea – Part 2as a whole, does not advance much in these senses. The twelve total chapters between both parties are available on Netflix.