[467 K-Trend] The Dynamic Transformation of Webtoons into Hit Dramas on OTT Platforms

   As webtoons continue to gain popularity in Korea, there has been an increasing number of Over The Top (OTT) dramas based on webtoon originals. Recently, Netflix has gained great success with dramas such as The Trauma Code: Heroes on call, Sweet Home, All of Us Are Dead, Bloodhounds. On Disney+, webtoons like Moving and Vigilante, and on Tving, StudyGroup have been adapted into dramas. In 2020, there were only 11 webtoon based dramas, but by 2023, that number increased to 22. More webtoon-based dramas are either slated for release or in production for 2025, and the market is expected to continue expanding. 

   Until the 2010s, webtoons were considered a subculture. However, with the widespread use of smartphones, they became easily accessible with diverse themes, quickly becoming mainstream cultural content. In 2014, NaverWebtoon launched its Thai service, and in 2015, it expanded its service to Indonesia, marking its entry into Southeast Asia. In 2019, Spanish and French services were then launched, following by the German service in 2021. This webtoon culture has spread beyond Korea, and fueled by the Korean wave, it is expanding into the Middle East.

   For example, True Beauty, a webtoon that began in 2018, surpassed 5.1 billion views worldwide, becoming hugely popular. Based on this popularity, it was also adapted into a drama. Furthermore, in overseas markets, many people start by watching Korean dramas, then seek out the original webtoons and web novels, increasing interest in webtoons. 

   One of the key reasons for success of webtoon-based Korean dramas is their originality. Webtoons often feature fantasy elements like zombies, monsters, reincarnation and superhumans, which were uncommon in Korean dramas. These unique themes grab the attention of viewers and stimulate their interest. Furthermore, since popular webtoons are already well-loved and proven successful, they have established fanbases, which aid in creating buzz for the drama adaptation. Fans are curious about how the original webtoon has been adapted into live action, raising the potential for higher viewership. 

   In the past, the webtoon author and the drama script writer were often different, thus the content of the webtoon was sometimes adapted, causing a loss of the original charm. However, in recent years, webtoon authors are increasingly involved in the drama production, helping to preserve the key narratives of the webtoon. This ensures that the drama’s direction and progression align with the original material, making it more faithful to the source and increasing its longevity. This shift in the authorship, from a single drama scriptwriter to joint authorship, has played a significant role in the continued success of webtoon-based dramas. 

   The success of these dramas has also benefited both the OTT market and the webtoon industry in Korea. As more webtoon-based dramas are produced, fans who watch the dramas are also being drawn to the OTT platforms, and conversely, many viewers of drama visit webtoon platforms to access the original webtoons. For instance, Kakao Entertainment reported that following the success of the Disney+ drama Moving based on the DaumWebtoon Moving, the daily average views of its webtoon counterpart on KakaoPage increased 22-fold, with revenues rising by about 12 times. 

   The collaboration between Korean OTT platforms and webtoon platforms is expected to continue growing. With these developments, viewers can look forward to an even wider range of original and engaging content. The drama you recently watched might have been adapted from a webtoon. Through these collaborative media contents, you can enjoy a variety of cultures.