MANILA – (UPDATED) ABS-CBN and Viu’s adaptation of “Flower of Evil,” while made to suit local sensibilities, promises to be a world-class offering made for a global audience, according to its creative and production teams.

“Flower of Evil,” billed as the first Viu Original Adaptation, will premiere June 23 across 16 territories via Viu, and on June 25 on Kapamilya Channel and A2Z.

“Malaki ‘yung pressure, kasi it’s a big project,” director Darnel Villaflor said on Monday during the series’ media launch.

Noting that it is based on the South Korean title from CJ ENM, and is a partnership of Viu and ABS-CBN’s Dreamscape Entertainment, Villafor added, “Ang daming matang nakatingin, ang daming K-drama fans na nag-i-expect.”

“Pero of course at the end of it, you just have to give your best and put your A-game on, para talagang binigay mo lahat ang kaya mong gawin para i-improve at pagandahin ‘yung programa,” he said.

The director explained that while “Flower of Evil” will be retold through Filipino lenses, it’s targeted for a broad, international audience. Viu earlier announced it will stream episodes the series in 16 countries across Asia, the Middle East, and South Africa simultaneously.

“This time kasi, we wanted to look at it na, we’re not just showing it this to our Filipino audiences. It’s going global in a sense. Ibang mga lahi, ibang mga audiences, dapat ma-appreciate din nila ‘yung gawa natin,” Villaflor said.

“Ang tingin mo ngayon sa proyekto ay hindi na lang para sa kapwa Pilipino, kundi para rin sa mga ibang tao sa iba’t ibang regions ng Viu at kung saan pa man makarating ang proyekto na ‘to. Ganu’n namin siya tinitingnan, kaya binigay namin ang lahat para sa programa.”

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The series comes on the heels of the massive success of “The Broken Marriage Vow,” Viu’s first collaboration with ABS-CBN, so “the stakes were high,” according to Viu Philippines Head of Content Partnerships Garlic Garcia.

“And yet every day on set, seeing how every single person worked so hard, brought their A-game, I had so much faith, whether on camera or behind the camera,” she said on Monday.

Garcia then shared her experience on the set of the project, particularly her interactions with crew members who would tell her that they were inspired by the hard work of the cast, led by Piolo Pascual and Lovi Poe.

Referring to a utility man named Patrick, who would assist on set, Garcia said: “At the end of the lock-in, I just thanked him. I said, ‘Maraming salamat sa lahat ng binigay mo, sa lahat ng tulong mo, kasi hindi ito mabubuo nang wala ikaw at ang kontribusyon mo.’

“Alam mo ang sagot niya? ‘Karangalan ko po na galingan sa trabaho ko, kasi nakikita ko lahat ng kasama ko sa set na ito, ginagalingan po.’ I think that’s a mark of a Kapamilya, the Kapamilya spirit. That’s the mark of a collaboration between Viu and ABS-CBN.”

Lauding the work ethic and performances of the cast and crew, Garcia added, “I’d like to think that even the cast members and the production team can also attest to the culture of respect, of love that we brought in with this collaboration.”

“It was really with just one vision: We wanted to all, collectively be a part of creating something we could all be proud of as Filipinos to showcase to 16 territories all over the world.”