Webtoons, with their already beloved stories and captivating characters, have a high potential for success when adapted into K-dramas. The unique settings and narratives of webtoons, reimagined in dramatic form, are attracting wider audiences.
These adaptations offer familiarity to fans of the original works and introduce new entertainment for those watching the story for the first time. So, what are some successful dramas based on webtoons?
Jeong Nyeon
“Jeong Nyeon” (also known as “Jeongnyeon: The Star is Born”) is based on a Naver webtoon of the same name. The original webtoon, consisting of 138 episodes, tells the story of a girl named Jeong-nyeon from Mokpo, who joins an all-girls theater troupe and grows through her experiences.
The drama highlights Jeong-nyeon’s struggles and growth after joining the troupe. Actress Kim Tae-ri, who played Jeong-nyeon, attracted attention for her resemblance in appearance and personality to the webtoon character. His portrayal of the character’s emotional depth naturally brought Jeong-nyeon’s challenges and growth to life.
Shin Ye-eun played Jeong-nyeon’s rival Heo Young-seo, a character with the cold “ice princess” demeanor. Coming from a privileged and cultured family, Young-seo seeks recognition and encouragement from her mother while displaying strong rivalry towards Jeong-nyeon.
The drama faithfully reflected the world of the original webtoon while incorporating changes needed for television, enriching the story. Starting with a 4.8% rating for its first episode, “Jeong Nyeon” grew in popularity, culminating in a series-high 16.5% for its finale. The drama topped both ratings and ratings, proving its widespread appeal.
Itaewon class
“Itaewon Lesson”also based on a webtoon, it portrays the journey of a group of young people guided by their unique values as they challenge social injustices and pursue freedom by starting their own business.
Starring Park Seo-joon, Kim Da-mi, Kwon Nara, Kim Dong-hee and Ahn Bo-hyun, the drama follows protagonist Park Sae-ro-yi, who becomes a convicted criminal after attacking his father’s killer . Despite his tarnished reputation, Sae-ro-yi is drawn to Itaewon, where he decides to open a business in a vibrant and diverse atmosphere.
Kim Da-mi played Jo Yi-seo, a multi-talented genius who abandons her goal of attending a prestigious university after being inspired by Sae-ro-yi’s passion and joins her Danbam pub as a manager.
The drama explored themes of youth, identity and social conflict while addressing issues such as race and culture. It achieved a peak rating of 16.5% and dominated both viewership and buzz charts. Additionally, the drama’s soundtrack topped the music charts, further solidifying its success as a webtoon adaptation.
Cheese in trap
“Trapped cheese” combines romance and mystery, making it a unique and very popular drama. The story revolves around Hong Seol, a college student who encounters various incidents after meeting her enigmatic senior, Yoo Jung.
The drama delves into the complexity of human emotions and relationships, influenced by external circumstances, fusing intricate emotional dynamics with mystery.
Starring Park Hae-jin, Kim Go-eun, Seo Kang-joon and Lee Sung-kyung, Cheese in the Trap achieved a maximum rating of 7.1%, ranking as the ninth highest-rated Monday-Tuesday drama on tvN all era. . Its widespread popularity has led to “Cheese” becoming a buzzword.
The drama showed how webtoon adaptations can captivate mainstream audiences, successfully attracting the webtoon fan base to the television medium.
Conclusion
Overall, these K-dramas have proven that webtoons are far from being “just childish comics”. With their nationwide success, they demonstrate the significant impact of webtoon adaptations on the K-content industry, raising anticipation for the future of webtoons in the global market.
Source: Wikitree
