I haven't watched the BBC Original, but from what I've seen, it follows characters pretty spot on but the cases and what not are pretty specific to Korea (Memoirs of a Murderer), as well as the original showrunners having given the show a thumbs up early on, it seems to have pleased the creators so there's no need to worry about that!

Life on Mars is a cross between a serious crime show that OCN is known for, and a slapstick chummy cop show with a rambunctious captain calling the shots. It follows Han Taejoo, who ends up in the 80s outside of Seoul after a mishap in a present day 2018 case. The first few episodes are very heavily so Taejoo getting adjusted and lots of references to 2018, but as it continues on, it delves more into the story of why Taejoo came to the 80s and how it ties into his 2018 life. The plot was always interesting, and as it gets towards the middle the true nature of the story comes to the forefront and is super captivating.

As for the cast, they're all purely fantastic. Jung Kyungho does a great job as Taejoo, especially when he is caught in the rift of past and present (which isnt easy). For me, the real gem of Life on Mars is Kim Dongcheol, played by Park Sungwoong. Dongcheol is your typical rambunctious, self assured, brawn and all captain who rules his team with a brash and harsh mouth but would go to war for every single one of them. Park Sungwoong was absolutely hilarious in near every episode and made for a lot of comedic relief that didn't feel forced or cheesy. Go Ahsung also did a wonderful job as Yoon Nayoung, and I adore how her character was written in every aspect and how she is allowed to grow within the team. The character development is very noticeable and positive, and that's what I did love about the show.

The ending made it very open ended so I'm interested to see if OCN will follow through with a season 2 (i.e Voice), but regardless, you won't regret watching this. If you want a crime show but something still light hearted? This is the drama for you.