We are all well versed with the novel to film/series adaptations that often happens in the entertainment industry. Adapting a webtoon into a drama is a widespread phenomenon in South Korea. Over the years, more and more webtoons have been adapted into K-dramas, so much so that now the audience requests the makers to adapt their favourite webtoon into a drama.
Webtoon is an online comic reading app which is the amalgamation of two words- web and cartoon. It is a digital comic which can be accessed on any internet abled device. K-drama makers started to adapt these webtoons into dramas when they realised how popular these were among youngsters. Also, the webtoons came with a readymade manuscript, storyline and visual representation of the potential drama, which eased the makers' work. Over the years, several notable dramas have been adapted from webtoons. Below we have listed some of the best adaptations till date.
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True Beauty is the most recent drama adapted from the webtoon of the same name. Written and illustrated by Yaongyi on Naver, True Beauty follows the tale of ‘Lim Ju-Kyung’, a high school student who is very insecure about her looks because she is constantly bullied for her appearance. As ‘Lim Ju Kyung’ shifts to a new school, she masters the art of makeup and conceals her real face. Gradually she gains popularity in her new school and even befriends her classmate 'Lee Su-ho' and 'Han Seo-jun'. The series follows her journey of discovering her true beauty within. The drama is a complete package of friendship, romance and humour.
The most talked about K-drama of 2022, Business Proposal, is also an adaptation of the webtoon of the same name. Written by Hae Hwa and illustrated by Narak, Business Proposal revolves around ‘Shin Ha-ri’, a food scientist who helps her best friend, ‘Jin Young-Seo’ by disguising herself herself as her friend and goes on an arranged marriage date. The pre-arranged date ends with her President 'Kang Tae Moo' who proposes to her for marriage. This starts a series of bizarre situations that gets funnier as the scenes pass.
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South Korea is famous for its top-notch cosmetic procedures, and My ID Is Gangnam Beauty is based on the same. Originally published as a webtoon in 2016 with the same name, written by Naver, this drama follows the story of 'Kang Mi-rae', a college student who undergoes cosmetic procedures to change her appearance. She expects a fresh start when she signs up for college. However, she now has new challenges where she must fight society's assumptions of beauty and plastic surgeries. The drama also deals with issues of self-acceptance and relationships.
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Extraordinary You is based on the webtoon named July Found by Chance, and is a complete extension of the author's magnificent imagination. The webtoon was first published on Daum Webtoon in January 2018. Extraordinary You focuses on a high school girl, ‘Eun Dan-oh,’ who learns that she is a side character in a webcomic that is impacting her destiny. She then strives to become the main character of her own story. On her way to become the main character, she builds a romantic relationship with an unnamed 'extra' of the comic. The duo embarked on a journey to rewrite the writer's plans and revamp their destinies.
Nevertheless, the most sensational watch of 2022, is based on the webtoon of the same name, which was first published on Naver webtoon. The story revolves around 'Park Jae-eon' and 'Yoo Na-bi', two undergraduates who view love from inverse perspectives. While 'Na-bi' has a negative impression of love and, in a way, has given up on it, 'Jae-eon' is a charming individual who prefers flings and no string-attached partnerships. The two experience the hardships of contemporary dating as their paths cross, and they explore issues like love and heartbreak and are set on the path of self-discovery.
Broadcasted in 2020, Itaewon Class is a South Korean drama adapted from a webtoon of the same name. The drama's plot revolves around revenge in new age. Itaewon Class follows 'Park Sae-ro-yi', a young fellow who opens a little café in Itaewon. 'Sae-ro-yi's life goes for a toss when his dad dies because of 'Jang Geun-won's deeds, an influential individual of Itaewon. 'Park Sae-ro-yi' then starts building his empire and defeats the people who have violated him since he is driven by retaliation and equity. On this journey, he faces troubles, double-crossings, and challenges in his professional and personal relationships.
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All Of Us Are Dead is adapted from 'Now At Our School' webtoon by 'Joo Dong-geun'. This drama is a Netflix original, and the plot follows a group of high school students stuck in their school as they are caught in a zombie invasion. The students here struggle to make their way through the invasion.
Love Alarm is one of the most talked about webtoon-to-series adaptations of recent times, more so, because of its love triangle. The audience waited until the very last episode of the second season to find out who 'Kim Jojo' ended up with. Written by Chun Gye-Young, the webtoon has the same title and follows the same storyline. The plot describes the adverse effect of technology and how people are becoming increasingly dependent on technology with each passing day.
This drama is based on the webtoon by Kim Carnby and Kwang Young-chan of the same name. The webtoon was a megahit with over 2.1 billion views. The plot is based on apocalyptic horror and is a Netflix original. The story is of 'Cha Hyun-su' a high school student who moves into a new condo after the death of his family. One day, weird beast-like creatures begin to arise from the insides of his apartment complex, and 'Hyun-su' has to fight with them to survive.
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This drama is inspired by the webtoon Yeonmo by Lee So-young. The drama takes place during the Joseon dynasty. The story is based on an abandoned twin 'Yi-Hwi' who is compelled to disguise herself as her crown prince brother, 'Yi Hwi 'after he dies. She's coached by 'Jung Ji-un', and the two gradually fall in love irrespective of ‘Yi Hwi's disguise.
Hellbound is based on the webtoon of the same name written by Yeon Sang-ho, who is also the director of the series and the one who also made the South Korean zombie film, Train to Busan. The drama depicts the tale of supernatural creatures sentencing people to hell. Amid the disarray and commotion, another group called 'The New Truth' acquires impact on the situation and further elevates it.
These are some of the popular K-drama adapted from webtoons. Let us know which one is your favourite.
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