From Mexican telenovelas like Marimar and Rosalinda, to hit South Korean dramas like Stairway to Heaven, Descendants of the Sun, Start-Up, Pure Love, and more – these foreign dramas reached the hearts of many Filipinos through local adaptations that made TV history.
But who says homegrown Filipino teleseryes (television series) are not at par with foreign made ones? Apparently, there are a lot of teleseryes that had been adapted internationally, to much fanfare abroad.
Pangako Sa’Yo
One cult favorite that has cemented itself in Pinoy pop culture is Pangako Sa’Yo, which not only took the Philippines by storm when it aired in 2000, but also our neighboring countries. After the original series aired in 20 different countries in 2000, Cambodia interpreted the series in 2013 incorporating their culture in the adaptation simply titled “The Promise.” According to reports, the Cambodian adaptaption was broadcast peak-time on CTN, Cambodia’s most popular TV channel, running three shows a week until July 2014.
The Legal Wife
Who could forget about the love triangle in The Legal Wife? Malaysia adapted this iconic series that was known for its many memorable scenes and catfights, this year with “Isteri Halal.” According to Content Asia TV, the Malaysian version of the soap, which is shown on subscription platform Astro’s flagship entertainment channel Astro Ria, has topped all shows in the weeknights 6pm slot since its premiere on 27 February.
Kadenang Ginto
Dynasty, who? ABS-CBN brought the story of powerful women to a whole ‘nother level luring viewers to latch onto the story of the Mondragon family, including Indonesia who remade the series just the same year the original series ended. In 2020, Indonesia released Putri Mahokta, which translates to “crown princess.”
Sino Ang Maysala?: Mea Culpa
Mea Culpa was probably one of the most underrated series in the country during its run, but Indonesia may have seen its potential, thereby adapting it for local broadcast with Bukan Salah Cinta in 2020.
Forevermore
This beloved rom-com series by the love team of Liza Soberano and Enrique Gil finds its spark all the way to Turkey, where it was adapted to Vermem Seni Ellere just this year, which followed the plot of the original series.
Tayong Dalawa
One of the shows that really solidified the love team of Kim Chui and Gerald Anderson, the series showcased their strong chemistry and was shown in several countries such as Singapore, Malaysia, Uganda, and Vietnam. In 2020, it was remade for Malaysian audiences, titled Angkara Cinta.
Impostora
One of the first Filipino telenovelas to be adapted in other countries is Impostora, which starred veteran actresses Iza Calzado and Sunshine Dizon way back 2007. The series was remade for Cambodian audiences in 2012 and was called Impostors, which became a big hit in Cambodia.
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