Connecting The World of Webtoons And K-Dramas

May 15, 2016

Hey Soompiers! We all know that we love Korean dramas because of the formula they use to create insanely addictive stories that mix romance, drama and thrills to excite the audience. Even though the plotlines can be cliche at times, we always keep coming back for more.

Recently, K-dramas have been turning to webtoon adaptations to put a fresh twist on the dramas we know and love. Webtoons, or vertically-read digital comics, originated in South Korea in the early 2000’s, and it isn’t unusual to see Koreans flipping through the comics on mobile throughout the week while riding the subway. It’s not surprising, since once you read a webtoon there’s no turning back. The comics are insanely addicting and fun, and it’s easy to see why producers are scrambling to adapt them for the silver screen.

We’re excited to see webtoons spreading across the globe, and our partner Spottoon is making it happen. Spottoon is publishing houses romances like “Sucker for Love” and action/thrillers like “Last,” both of which were turned into the dramas last year. You might not recognize one of the title since it ended up being renamed! “Sucker for Love” was rebranded as “Fool’s Love” and aired starring After School’s Uee. Meanwhile, “Last” came on screen starring Yoon Kye-Sang.

Spottoon is also the home to the popular series “Cat and Dog.” This webtoon reminds us a lot of “Goong” — one of our favorite dramas and manhwas! “Cat and Dog” is set to be turned into a drama later this year titled “The Mermaid’s Prince.” The webtoon “Confession” is also another work to look out for on Spottoon, since it’s authored by Soo-Yeon Won, who is partially responsible for starting the Korean Wave with her classic hit “Full House” starring Rain and Song Hye-Kyo.

Catch some of the webtoons that we wish would be turned into dramas on Soompi right now! “Monster Idols” and “Shall We Have Dinner Tonight?” both take popular aspects of Korean culture and weave them into their stories to create something fun and addicting that will leave you wanting more. “Monster Idols” explores the world of K-pop with a romantic supernatural twist, while “Shall We Have Dinner Tonight?” brings together two lonely hearts through food.