Is Marry My Husband: Japan a remake of the famous Korean drama? Differences, who plays who, & all you need to know about

On July 25, 2025, the concluding episodes, 9 & 10, of Marry My Husband: Japan were released on Amazon Prime Video. The J-drama, inspired by the same webtoon as the titular Korean hit, is not an exact remake.

Rather, it is a standalone project produced from the ground up for Japanese audiences. While both renditions center on a backstabbed woman who is sent back in time to change her future, the consequences vary between the two.

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Producer Son Ja-young shared key differences between the Korean & Japanese versions of Marry My Husband

During the Japanese adaptation's press conference in South Korea, Studio Dragon’s producer Son Ja-young asserted the key contrasts between the two.

"Usually, when a Korean drama is produced overseas, it's a remake. However, the Japanese version of this drama was planned even before the Korean version began filming. Since it's not a remake but an original Japanese drama, it's a new attempt and a significant challenge," Son clarified, as reported by The Korea Times.

She added,

"If the Korean version offers instant satisfaction, a refreshing sense of justice and straightforward fun, the 10-episode Japanese version was designed to explore deeper relationships and the psychological nuances between characters.”

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Marry My Husband casts: South Korean & Japanese edition

Marry My Husband Korean and Japanese versions (Image via X/@CJnDrama, @PrimeVideo_JP)

Both versions feature well-known actors from their respective countries.

Marry My Husband: Japan

Role	Character name	Japanese cast
Female lead	Kanbe Misa	Koshiba Fuka
Male lead	Suzuki Wataru	Satoh Takeru
Female lead's best friend	Esaka Reina	Shiraishi Sei
Female lead's husband	Hirano Tomoya	Yokoyama Yu

Marry My Husband: Korea

Role	Character name	Korean cast
Female lead	Kang Ji-won	Park Min-young
Male lead	Yoo Ji-hyuk	Na In-woo
Female lead's best friend	Jung Soo-min	Lee Yi-kyung
Female lead's husband	Park Min-hwan	Song Ha-yoon

The respective casts resulted in distinct portrayals while maintaining the core story from the shared source material.

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Marry My Husband: Plot of both the Japanese & Korean interpretations

In the Japanese version, Kanbe Misa is the lead. She’s gentle, often sidelined, and always puts others first. She trusts her husband, Hirano Tomoya, and her closest friend, Esaka Reina, until she discovers their secret affair. The betrayal leads to her death — or so it seems.

Instead of dying, she finds herself transported ten years into the past, to 2015. With a second chance at life, she quietly reshapes her future. Suzuki Wataru, a division supervisor previously unconnected to her former life, steps into her life. His presence gradually steers her story, pulling her toward healing.

In contrast, the Korean adaptation centers on events set in 2023. It follows the story of Kang Ji-won, who endures a harsh marriage to Park Min-hwan, and persistent mistreatment from her in-laws.

Shortly after, she is diagnosed with terminal cancer. The only person Ji-won leans on is her childhood friend, Jung Soo-min, who betrays her trust as well. Ji-won discovers her spouse and best friend in an affair. What follows is worse as they mock her illness, argue about insurance money, and she’s shoved into a glass table during a fight.

As Ji-wom bleeds, she hears them discussing her death as if it’s scheduled. But time rewinds, and she lands in 2013 before the wedding. This time, Ji-won begins shifting events, forcing Soo-min into the doomed marriage instead.

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Both Korean and Japanese versions of Marry My Husband are on Amazon Prime Video.