From 'M' to 'Infinite Challenge': Korea's nostalgia revival takes over streaming

Korea’s streaming platforms are reviving 1990s and 2000s hits as part of a nostalgia wave, led by Tving’s M: Reboot and Wavve’s planned spinoffs of Hello, Franceska and Infinite Challenge’s Muhan Company. The new M series will move from the original’s abortion-centered supernatural plot to a psychological horror story about dissociative identity disorder. Industry insiders say legacy IP offers safety and freshness for streaming audiences.

M originally aired in 1994 and eventually peaked at a 52.2 percent viewership rating.

The original M starred Shim Eun-ha and became known for its glowing green visual effect, one of Korean television’s early uses of computer-generated special effects.

Tving says M: Reboot will be released next year on the streaming platform.

Jung Chae-yeon will play three roles in M: Reboot, while Jung Gun-joo co-stars as a detective chasing the truth behind the incidents.

Wavve is preparing a spinoff of Hello, Franceska and a standalone series version of Muhan Company, both scheduled for release this year.

Published Sep 24, 2026 7:00 am KST

Actor Shim Eun-ha is seen in this scene from MBC's horror drama "M" (1994). Courtesy of MBC

In 1994, Korean television history was rewritten when the legendary horror drama "M" hit the airwaves, eventually peaking at a staggering 52.2 percent viewership rating.

Starring iconic actor Shim Eun-ha, the series mesmerized the nation with a groundbreaking visual feat in the ominous glowing green eyes of its possessed protagonist, marking one of Korean television’s earliest uses of computer-generated special effects.

Beyond its chilling aesthetic, "M" sent shockwaves through society by tackling the deeply sensitive and taboo subject of abortion, framed through a dark supernatural lens.

Over three decades later, that iconic green glow is coming back to life. Tving has officially announced "M: Reboot," a modernized psychological horror thriller that revives the core identity of the 1994 classic while reframing it for contemporary audiences.

The original's narrative centered heavily around demonic possession and the social taboo of abortion, with Ma-ri (Shim) possessed by the soul of an aborted fetus seeking vengeance in a supernatural medical horror with a clear social message.

Jung Chae-yeon, right, and Jung Gun-joo pose for the promotional photo for Tving's "M: Reboot," slated for 2027 release on the streaming platform. Courtesy of Tving

The new series "M: Reboot," slated for release next year on the streaming platform, will shift away from the original plot to a modern psychological horror thriller focused on dissociative identity disorder (split personalities). Instead of a revenge story, it will revolve around a ballerina harboring a mysterious alternate identity and a detective chasing the green traces left in her wake.

Actor Jung Chae-yeon will tackle a challenging triple role, playing Ma-ri, a promising high school ballerina plagued by nightmares ahead of a major audition; Jenny, a mysterious surgeon visiting from the United States; and "M," the enigmatic and terrifying alternate personality that awakens within her. Actor Jung Gun-joo co-stars as the detective pursuing the truth behind the incidents surrounding Jenny, triggered by a haunting green light that unearths memories from a decade prior.

"M: Reboot" is not an isolated case but part of a massive "retro wave" sweeping through Korea's streaming platforms. Proven legacy intellectual properties (IP) from the 1990s and 2000s are being aggressively resurrected and expanded.

A promotional photo for MBC's hit sitcom "Hello Franceska" (2005) / Courtesy of MBC

Wavve is preparing a spinoff series that expands the universe of "Hello, Franceska," the legendary MBC sitcom that sparked a nationwide vampire craze when it first aired in 2005. Renowned for its groundbreaking dark humor, eccentric characters and satire of modern family dynamics, the original series followed a family of vampires disguised as an ordinary household in Seoul, cementing its iconic status as a cult masterpiece.

"Muhan Company," widely regarded as the best recurring skit from Korea's landmark variety show "Infinite Challenge," is officially returning as a standalone series on Wavve. The ongoing segment won over millions of viewers by satirizing the rigid hierarchies and everyday struggles of Korean workplace culture, eventually expanding from comedic sketches into a miniseries.

At the heart of the original was the chemistry of its cast, with Yoo Jae-suk as the demanding department head; Park Myung-soo as the cynical, hot-tempered deputy general manager; and Jeong Jun-ha as the slow-witted yet warm-hearted section chief who frequently bore the brunt of corporate criticism. Building upon this legacy, the new Wavve original series will see Park and Jeong reprise their roles to navigate a modern corporate environment alongside a new ensemble cast. Both "Muhan Company" and "Hello, Franceska" are scheduled for release on Wavve this year.

A poster for "2016 Muhan Company: Employees in Crisis," a miniseries based on the popular variety show "Infinite Challenge" skits / Courtesy of MBC

Legacy hits need modern sensibilities to survive

Industry insiders attribute this streaming trend to a need for both safety and freshness in a hypercompetitive market. Culture critic Jung Duk-hyun noted that reimagining legacy concepts as modern thrillers or expanding existing universes allows platforms to blend the power of classic IPs with contemporary trends, transforming them into fresh media content tailored for the streaming era.

"Remaking established IP is a safe choice because you are starting with content that already has a track record of success," Jung explained. "It is advantageous to create a broad viewer demographic through generational integration, offering something genuinely new to younger audiences while appealing to nostalgia and familiarity for older people."

"The key to success lies in reinterpreting these stories with modern sensibilities and perspectives," he said. "In the case of 'M,' the narrative must be adapted for today's context. Back then, abortion was viewed through a different lens, whereas today it is approached much more from the perspective of women's rights. If a remake fails to reflect today's sensibilities and values, it will be difficult for modern audiences to sympathize."

Despite these challenges, Jung sees immense potential in the show's shift of genre. "The thriller elements themselves will act as a major hook for today's viewers. While it is too early to judge the final product, centering the narrative around a female protagonist allows the story to explore the oppression and taboos women face. When those themes are approached through the framework of horror and suspense, it can deliver an immensely satisfying sense of catharsis," he added.

韩国流媒体平台正掀起一股怀旧热潮，纷纷重启上世纪90年代和本世纪初的经典剧集，其中以Tving的《M：重启》和Wavve计划推出的《你好，弗兰西斯卡》及《无限挑战》衍生剧《魔韩公司》最为引人注目。新版《M》系列将不再以堕胎为主题的超自然剧情，而是聚焦于分离性身份障碍的心理恐怖故事。业内人士表示，经典IP能为流媒体观众带来安全感和新鲜感。

M 最初于 1994 年播出，最终收视率达到 52.2%。

原版《M》由沈恩荷主演，并因其闪耀的绿色视觉效果而闻名，这是韩国电视早期使用电脑特效的案例之一。

Tving表示，《M：重启》将于明年在流媒体平台上线。

郑彩妍将在《M：重启》中一人分饰三角，而郑建柱则饰演一名追查事件真相的刑警。

Wavve 正在筹备《你好，弗兰西斯卡》的衍生作品和《慕韩公司》的独立系列版本，这两部作品都计划于今年发布。

发布于2026年9月24日 上午7:00（韩国标准时间）

图中是演员沈恩荷在MBC恐怖剧《M》（1994）中的剧照。图片由MBC提供。

1994年，韩国电视史被改写，传奇恐怖剧《M》开播，最终收视率达到了惊人的52.2%。

该剧由著名演员沈恩河主演，剧中被附身的主角那双不祥的绿色眼睛展现了突破性的视觉效果，令全国观众为之着迷，也标志着韩国电视史上最早使用电脑特效的剧集之一。

除了其令人不寒而栗的美学风格，《M》还通过黑暗的超自然视角，探讨了堕胎这一极其敏感且禁忌的话题，从而在社会上引起了巨大震动。

三十多年后，那标志性的绿色光芒即将重现。Tving 正式宣布推出《M：重启版》，这是一部现代化的心理恐怖惊悚片，它既保留了 1994 年经典作品的核心精髓，又以全新的视角重新诠释，使其更符合当代观众的口味。

原著的故事主要围绕恶魔附身和堕胎的社会禁忌展开，玛丽（沈清水饰）被堕胎胎儿的灵魂附身，在一部具有明确社会寓意的超自然医疗恐怖片中寻求复仇。

郑彩妍（右）和郑建柱为Tving出品的动画剧集《M: Reboot》拍摄宣传照，该剧预计将于2027年在该流媒体平台上线。图片由Tving提供。

计划明年在流媒体平台播出的新剧集《M：重启》将摒弃原作剧情，转而打造一部聚焦分离性身份障碍（人格分裂）的现代心理恐怖惊悚片。该剧不再讲述复仇故事，而是围绕一位拥有神秘双重身份的芭蕾舞演员和一位追查她身后绿色痕迹的侦探展开。

演员郑彩妍将挑战一人分饰三角，分别饰演玛丽（Ma-ri），一位前途无量的高中芭蕾舞演员，在重要试镜前饱受噩梦困扰；珍妮（Jenny），一位来自美国的神秘外科医生；以及“M”，一个在她体内觉醒的神秘而恐怖的另一个人格。演员郑建柱饰演一位侦探，他正追查围绕珍妮发生的事件背后的真相，而这一切的起因是一道诡异的绿光，它唤醒了珍妮十年前的记忆。

《M：重启》并非个例，而是席卷韩国流媒体平台的“复古浪潮”的一部分。上世纪90年代和本世纪初的经典IP正被积极地重新挖掘和拓展。

MBC热门情景喜剧《你好，弗兰西斯卡》（2005年）的宣传照 / 图片由MBC提供

Wavve 正在筹备一部衍生剧，拓展《你好，弗兰西斯卡》的世界观。这部传奇的 MBC 情景喜剧于 2005 年首播，引发了全国范围内的吸血鬼热潮。原剧以其开创性的黑色幽默、古怪的角色和对现代家庭关系的讽刺而闻名，讲述了一个伪装成首尔普通家庭的吸血鬼家庭的故事，巩固了其作为邪典杰作的标志性地位。

被誉为韩国标志性综艺节目《无限挑战》中最受欢迎的固定小品之一的“Muhan Company”正式回归，将在Wavve平台推出独立剧集。该小品以讽刺韩国职场中森严的等级制度和日常琐事赢得了数百万观众的喜爱，并最终从喜剧小品发展成为一部迷你剧。

原版剧集的精髓在于演员们之间精彩的化学反应：刘在石饰演严厉的部门主管；朴明洙饰演愤世嫉俗、脾气火爆的副总经理；郑俊河饰演反应迟钝却心地善良的科长，他经常承受公司内部的批评。Wavve 的全新原创剧集将延续这一成功，朴明洙和郑俊河将再次出演原版角色，与全新的演员阵容一起，在现代职场环境中展开新的冒险。《Muhan Company》和《你好，弗兰西斯卡》都计划于今年在 Wavve 上线。

迷你剧《2016慕韩公司：员工危机》海报，该剧改编自人气综艺节目《无限挑战》的小品片段 / 图片由MBC提供

经典金曲需要融入现代审美才能流传下去。

业内人士认为，这种流媒体趋势源于在竞争激烈的市场中对安全性和新鲜感的双重需求。文化评论家郑德铉指出，将经典概念重新构想为现代惊悚片或拓展现有宇宙，能够让平台将经典IP的魅力与当代潮流相结合，从而打造出适合流媒体时代的新鲜媒体内容。

“翻拍已有的IP是一个稳妥的选择，因为你是从已经取得成功的素材入手，”郑解释说。“通过代际融合来打造广泛的观众群体是有利的，既能为年轻观众提供真正的新内容，又能唤起年长观众的怀旧情怀和熟悉感。”

“成功的关键在于用现代的视角和感受重新诠释这些故事，”他说道。“以《M》为例，叙事必须适应当今的语境。过去人们对堕胎的看法与现在截然不同，而如今人们更多地是从女性权利的角度来探讨这个问题。如果翻拍作品不能反映当今的价值观和感受，现代观众就很难产生共鸣。”

尽管面临这些挑战，郑恩熙仍然看到了该剧类型转变的巨大潜力。“惊悚元素本身就能吸引当今的观众。虽然现在评价最终成品还为时尚早，但以女性主角为中心的叙事方式，让故事得以探讨女性所面临的压迫和禁忌。当这些主题通过恐怖和悬疑的框架来呈现时，便能带来一种令人无比满足的宣泄感。”他补充道。