The Smile Clinic, a digital short from SNL Korea Season 8, is being developed into a 10-episode sitcom consisting of 30-minute episodes. The project will mark the first spin-off to emerge from an international version of Saturday Night Live.
The sketch focuses on Korea’s cosmetic dermatology industry and the workplace dynamics among the people working in it. Lee Su-ji, Kim Won-hun, Gong Min-jeung, Kim Kyu-won and Ji Ye-eun are set to reprise their roles in the sitcom.
According to NBCUniversal Formats, which sells the Saturday Night Live format and brokered the deal with Coupang Play, clips from The Smile Clinic have generated more than 17 million views on YouTube. CP Entertainment is producing the adaptation.
The project is the first time a sketch from an international SNL edition has expanded into a separate series. In the U.S., Saturday Night Live characters including Wayne’s World, Coneheads and MacGruber have also moved beyond the original program, with MacGruber later becoming a feature film and a Peacock series.
The adaptation comes as Saturday Night Live continues to expand internationally. A critically rated UK version has attracted significant online attention for its sketches, while Canal+ has announced a French edition.
Linfield Ng, NBCUniversal Formats’ vice president of Format Sales and Production, said the short’s focus on office politics and K-beauty had helped it connect with audiences, adding that the characters’ existing following made a sitcom a natural next step. He also said the company was pleased to be working with Coupang Play and the SNL Korea team.
Sources: Deadline.