Quiz from God remake: K-drama medical mystery gets a Japanese series with Shotaro Mamiya as lead, know all about it

Shotaro Mamiya will play Haruto Hatsushima, a gifted forensic pathologist who investigates deaths that are difficult to explain.

Prime Video is adapting the popular Korean mystery drama Quiz from God for Japanese audiences, with Shotaro Mamiya stepping into the lead role. Mamiya will play Haruto Hatsushima, a gifted forensic pathologist who investigates deaths that are difficult to explain. The series moves between medical mysteries and the stories of the people behind them, while also exploring the secrets Haruto has been keeping about his own past and health.

Meet Haruto Hatsushima

Prime Video is adapting the popular Korean mystery drama Quiz from God for Japanese audiences, with Shotaro Mamiya stepping into the lead role.

Haruto is a former neurosurgeon who left the operating room for reasons that have never been fully explained. He now works at the National Forensic Autopsy Centre, where he examines people who have died under unusual circumstances.

His work takes him through a series of cases across Tokyo. They include the death of a convicted kidnapper, an underground idol who dies during a live performance while caught up in an online controversy, and a young person who becomes involved in organised crime through illegal gig work. There is also a mysterious death during a couple's first date at a cinema, and the lonely death of a runaway youth living on the fringes of society.

Some of the victims were suffering from rare diseases that standard medical examinations could not detect, and that makes the cases difficult to solve. Haruto has to piece together the clues left behind by their deaths to find out what really happened. While he is busy solving other people's mysteries, Haruto is dealing with one of his own. He is secretly suffering from an illness and is unsure how much longer his body will allow him to continue working. The series will also slowly reveal the reason he gave up his career as a neurosurgeon.

Mamiya first heard about the role a decade ago

In a statement, he said, “About ten years ago, when I was in my early twenties, my manager first told me that they wanted me to take on this role in this drama. That was what led me to watch the original Korean series. After many twists and turns along the way, once the project officially got underway last autumn, we moved into production in no time.”

Mamiya also spoke about working with the producers, several of whom have known him for a long time. Although this was his first project with Hashizume, the actor said they developed a strong working relationship while making the series.

He added, “The three producers on this project are people who have known me for a long time, and I am truly delighted that we have been able to bring this work to life together. This was my first time working with the director, but we were able to build a relationship of mutual trust as we progressed through meetings, script readings, and filming. I sincerely hope that audiences will enjoy this series. I myself am very much looking forward to seeing the finished product.”

The director wanted to look beyond the ‘genius’

Shunki Hashizume, who directed the Japanese Netflix series Soulmate, is at the helm of the adaptation. For him, one of the key questions while developing the character was what actually makes someone a genius.

“I had always thought of Mamiya as an actor with remarkable range — someone who can transform from a tough delinquent to a fresh-faced young man to a comedic character, revealing a different side of himself with every role,” Hashizume said. “When we came together for the first time on this project, he was tasked with portraying a character whom others call a ‘genius.’ This led us to start from the very fundamental question: what does it truly mean to be a genius? I recall having in-depth discussions with Mamiya on this very topic.”

The director said Haruto will not remain the distant and intimidating figure viewers meet at the beginning. As the story progresses, audiences will get to know the person behind the reputation. He said, “At first, Haruto appears as an unapproachable ‘genius,’ but as the story unfolds, he gradually reveals himself as ‘Haruto the human being.’ I believe it is thanks to Mamiya that we were able to bring this portrait of Haruto to life.”

Hashizume also reflected on the title Quiz from God and what he wanted the series to explore through its various cases. “What I ultimately arrived at was the idea that ‘God exists precisely because human beings exist.’ As we depict the myriad events born from the complexities of human nature, if we can discover emotions that cannot be reduced to a simple binary of black and white, perhaps that is what Quiz from God truly is. My hope is that this story carries within it a sense of imagination toward all things, and a gentle warmth of spirit.”

The original Korean drama ran for five seasons

The Japanese series is based on the K-drama medical mystery drama Quiz from God, which starred Ryu Deok Hwan as Han Jin Woo, a brilliant medical examiner who investigates unusual deaths.

The original series combined medical mysteries with human stories and became popular for its unpredictable cases and twists. Produced by Studio Dragon, it ran for five seasons, including Seasons 1 to 4 and Quiz from God: Reboot. The Japanese version will take the basic premise into a new setting, with Mamiya's Haruto investigating mysterious deaths in modern-day Tokyo.

The series will stream worldwide

Prime Video is giving the Japanese adaptation a global release. The series will be available from December 4.

Quiz from God is produced by Kansai Television Co., Ltd., with The Icon handling production. The writing team includes Takayuki Ichikawa, Sayaka Shito, Sayaka Abe and Shunki Hashizume, while Shu Kanematsu has composed the music. Takashi Yoneda, Hiroko Okamitsu and Akihiko Takaishi are the producers.