Beyond Watching: How K-Webtoons and Games Are Building the Next Hallyu Universe
Hello! This is Sunny from K-Music Note.
Did you get swept up in the global craze for K-dramas like Disney+'s 'Moving,' or Netflix's 'Sweet Home' and 'All of Us Are Dead'? What if I told you that all of these blockbusters actually began as 'webtoons'? If the Korean Wave, or Hallyu, has so far been centered on 'listening' to music and 'watching' dramas, it's now entering a new era: the age of 'experiencing' these story worlds directly through webtoons and games. Today, let's explore how K-content is building its own 'IP Universe,' inviting fans to step deeper into the stories they love.
K-Webtoons: The Heart of the IP Universe, Where All Stories Begin
At the center of K-content's recent success are K-webtoons. No longer just online comics, webtoons have become the 'story powerhouses' of the industry, serving as the heart of all IP expansion. The 2024 global hit 'Marry My Husband,' which streamed on Amazon Prime Video, was also based on a webtoon. The reasons for their power as an IP source are clear: their stories have already been validated by millions of readers, reducing financial risk, and their visual, panel-by-panel format is perfectly optimized for adaptation into a screenplay or storyboard. With Naver WEBTOON's global monthly active users (MAU) exceeding 80 million, the data proves that the K-webtoon industry has already cultivated a massive global fandom on par with K-pop and K-dramas.
K-Games: The New Door to Step Directly Inside the Story
If webtoons provide the solid 'blueprint' for a story, K-games open the door for fans to walk directly into the 'world' built from that blueprint. You evolve from a spectator of the world to a citizen of it, carrying out missions and leveling up your character. The prime example of this success is 'Solo Leveling:ARISE.' Based on the legendary webtoon IP that garnered 14.3 billion cumulative views worldwide, the game became a massive hit, achieving tens of millions of global downloads shortly after its launch. Fans could finally become the protagonist Sung Jinwoo, experiencing his flashy combat firsthand and taking their immersion in the IP to the ultimate level.
One-Source Multi-Use (OSMU): The K-Content Success Equation
The core strategy connecting all these trends is 'One-Source Multi-Use' (OSMU). This means taking one proven story (the IP) and adapting it into various content formats to maximize its value. The ideal fan journey is designed like this: You discover an amazing webtoon (Step 1), get excited when it's adapted into a drama (Step 2), play the game to explore its world more deeply after the drama ends (Step 3), and finally, buy merchandise of your favorite character (Step 4). This process continually deepens fan loyalty and extends the life of the IP indefinitely.
[An Insider's Take] A Korean game planner working on a webtoon IP adaptation said this: "Our biggest challenge isn't 'how to make a fun game.' It's 'how to perfectly embody the world that the original fans already love.' The fans aren't just consumers; they are the lore experts, the 'original citizens' of this world. Our job is to build the playground they've always imagined."
Key Takeaways in 3 Lines
- Hallyu is evolving from an era of 'watching' (dramas, music) to an era of 'experiencing' through immersive webtoons and games.
- K-webtoons serve as a rich source of proven intellectual property (IP), forming the foundation for successful K-dramas and films.
- K-games complete the 'One-Source Multi-Use' strategy by allowing fans to actively participate in these worlds, maximizing the value of the IP.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. Is there a special reason why webtoons are so popular as source material for dramas?
Yes, because their stories are already proven to be popular with a large audience, which lowers the financial risk of a major production. Also, their highly visual nature makes them perfect for adapting into storyboards and scripts.
2. Are K-pop idol universes also made into webtoons or games?
Absolutely. BTS, for example, has created official webtoons to expand their 'Bangtan Universe' narrative and has released games like 'BTS Island' that allow fans to interact with the members' characters. The fusion of K-pop and webtoons/games is very active.
3. Where can I read official K-webtoons in English?
The most popular global platforms are WEBTOON (by Naver) and Tapas/Piccoma (by Kakao). You can enjoy a vast library of officially translated K-webtoons on their websites or mobile apps.