Daniel Dae Kim is widely credited with having broken barriers for Korean-American actors in Hollywood.

Since his debut in 1992, Kim has starred in popular series, such as “Lost” and “Hawaii Five-0,” and has been outspoken in his advocacy of racial equality in the American entertainment industry.

Now, the 48-year-old is branching out into production, in particular Korean titles in the US. Next month, “The Good Doctor,” a remake of the hit 2013 KBS drama written by Park Jae-bum, is set to air on the ABC network at a prime time slot on Monday evenings.

In the original series, actor Joo Won is a pediatric surgeon with autism and savant syndrome. The ABC series will feature Freddie Highmore as Shaun Murphy in the role. The show also has a multiethnic cast consisting of Antonia Thomas, Nicholas Gonzalez, Chuku Modu and more.

Daniel Dae Kim speaks to reporters at InterContinental Seoul Coex on Wednesday. (KOCCA)

Kim said producing has given him a “surprising” amount of satisfaction and newfound freedom.

“As an actor you can only get the roles that you are given. As a producer you can create a world from the ground up and populate it with the types of people you want to see, ones that reflect the actual reality around you,” he told The Korea Herald in an interview Wednesday at the InterContinental Seoul Coex.

The new rendition has been scripted by David Shore, the writer of the 2012 medical series “House.” It is set to begin airing on Sept. 25.

Kim is hopeful that more Korean dramas will be readapted for American television in the future -- his production company 3AD has several projects in the works -- but says they need to be tweaked to appeal to the American system and audience.

“You can’t just rely on romance. For a show to succeed in America you need something beyond a love story, an engine that can keep it going for several seasons maybe.”

Korean dramas tend to be hyperfocused on the intense emotions of characters, he noted. “I remember watching ‘Winter Sonata.’ There was a lot of ‘I love you but I can’t be with you.’ ... In Korean dramas, (the characters) feel everything 100 percent. If they’re in love, they’re deeply in love with their whole body, their whole being.

“These things are I think unique to Korean culture and the way (Koreans) express (feelings). That’s one of the dangers of trying to bring a Korean format to America. Relationships are different in America. Things like divorce and family are treated differently.”

Daniel Dae Kim speaks to reporters at InterContinental Seoul Coex on Wednesday. (KOCCA)

Regardless of the adaptation process for remakes, however, Kim feels that original Korean dramas “shouldn’t change at all” and should remain true to their distinctive identity.

“That’s the character of K-drama.”

Kim pointed out that many Asian-American actors get “tired of just waiting and hoping that someone will write” a multidimensional, fulfilling role for them, so they venture into the creative process themselves.

Recently, Korean-American actor Justin Chon, of the “Twilight” film series, wrote and directed the film “Gook,” released on Aug. 18. The film centers on two Korean-American brothers and a manager running a shoe store in Los Angeles when a riot breaks out and upends their business.

The film was invited to the Sundance Film Festival this year and stars Korean-American comedian David So, among others.

Kim predicts more of such movements will take place. He also believes that a gradual transition toward racial equality is taking place in Hollywood, though it may feel slow to many.

“I think it’s changing. We’re having roles for Asian men where they get to be sexy and funny. … But it’s ridiculous that we still have to face those obstacles.”

By Rumy Doo (doo@heraldcorp.com)