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news

S. Korea FTC Finds Over 1,000 Unfair Terms in Webtoon, Web Novel Contracts

23 content providers including RIDI, Lezhin Comics ordered to correct contracts ― South Korea's Fair Trade Commission (KFTC) has identified a sweeping number of unfair contract terms used by major webtoon and web novel content providers, including clauses allowing for the unauthorized production and use of derivative works such as films and dramas without proper consent from creators. According to a...

Korean Teachers' Union Calls for Cancellation of Live-Action Webtoon-Based Get Schooled Series

Union released statement titled “Violence Is Not True Education” ― The Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union (KTU), also known as JeonGyoJo, has publicly opposed the production of the upcoming Netflix series adaptation of the webtoon Get Schooled, calling for its cancellation due to concerns over its portrayal of violence and the education system. On May 20, the union released a statement titl...
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Live-Action Webtoon-Based My Daughter is a Zombie Film Reveals Trailer

Webtoon centers on father trying to save his daughter, who is the last remaining zombie in the world ― Naver Webtoon revealed the trailer for the webtoon-based live-action film My Daughter is a Zombie on May 22. In the film, Jung-hwan (played by Jung-suk Cho) travels to the seaside village of Eunbong-ri, where his mother Bamsun (played by Jung-eun Lee) lives, to protect his daughter Soo-ah (played b...
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BL Webtoon Painter of the Night Inspires Short-Form Live-Action Series

Series follows aristocrat Seung-ho Yoon, erotic paintings artist Na-kyum Baek ― Korean broadcasting system JTBC announced on Thursday the webtoon Painter of the Night is set to be adapted into a short-form live-action series. Multiple entertainment industry sources on May 22 said casting auditions and pre-production are currently underway, with filming scheduled to begin in June. Based on the webtoo...
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Webtoon-Based Live-Action Series Head Over Heels Reveals Trailer

Series will debut in South Korea on June 23 ― Korean network tvN has released the first teaser trailer for its upcoming series Head Over Heels, a fantasy romance based on the webtoon of the same name. The youthful first-love story follows 18-year-old high school shaman Seong-ah Park (played by Yi-hyun Jo), who defies fate to save Gyeon-woo Bae (played by Young-woo Choo), a boy destined to die. The s...
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Live-Action Webtoon-Based Thriller Series Field Mouse Reveals Netflix Streaming

Kyung-gu Seol, Jun-yeol Ryu will co-star ― Netflix announced on May 20 it will stream the upcoming live-action thriller Field Mouse, based on the Kakao webtoon of the same name. The series stars Kyung-gu Seol and Jun-yeol Ryu. The story follows reclusive novelist Moon-jae, whose life is turned upside down by a mysterious figure known only as "Field Mouse." In a desperate attempt to reclaim what he's...
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Netflix's Weak Hero Class 2 Series Tops Netflix's Non-English Series Chart, Sparks Surge in Original Webtoon Viewership

Webtoon recorded 20-fold increase in monthly revenue compared to its post-completion average ― Netflix's Weak Hero Class 2 live-action series based on the webtoon of same name topped Netflix's non-English series' global rankings for the week of April 21-27 (the show debuted on April 25). The show recorded 6.1 million views during that period, calculated by dividing total watch hours by the series' r...
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Korean-Animated Film Lost in Starlight Unveils Trailer, Poster

1st Korean-animated film on Netflix about romance between astronaut, musician debuts on May 30 Lost in Starlight, the first Korean-animated film on Netflix, revealed a new poster and official trailer on May 14. Lost in Starlight, which is directed by Ji-won Han and written by Han and Hyun-joo Kang, features voice performances by Tae-ri Kim and Hong Kyung. Set in the year 2050, Lost in Starlight te...
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K-pop Girl Group Billlie Releases Japanese Song for Webtoon Dead Mansion

Dead Mansion shares same universe with Lookism ― K-pop girl group Billlie (members Siyoon, Sheon, Tsuki, Moon Sua, Haram, Suhyeon, and Haruna) have released their first Japanese-language original soundtrack following a Korean version earlier this year. The track, titled "The Savior," was officially released on May 18. Originally introduced in Korean in February, "The Savior" serves as the opening th...
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Webtoon Platform Bufftoon to Shut Down After 12 Years

NCSoft, one of the biggest game publishers in Korea, announced end of platform ― NCSoft, one of the biggest game publishers in South Korea, has announced the official closure of its webtoon and web novel platform BUFFTOON, ending a 12-year run. According to a notice posted by the platform's operations team on May 14, BUFFTOON will shut down on December 17, 2025. In preparation for the shutdown, BUFF...
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Webtoon Entertainment Reports US$26.6 Million Operating Loss in Q1 Amid Weak Yen, Won

Company marks 1st year-on-year revenue drop since going public in June 2023 ― Webtoon Entertainment reported an operating loss of US$26.63 million for the first quarter of 2025, marking a sharp downturn from an operating profit of US$14.19 million in the same period last year. The results were disclosed on May 13. The company also posted a net loss of US$21.97 million, with adjusted EBITDA (Earnings...
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Live-Action Adaptation of Efficient Meeting of Single Men and Women Webtoon Reveals Main Cast

Series is slated to release in 2026 ― Television network JTBC has announced that it will produce the television series adaptation of TARI's Efficient Meeting of Single Men and Women webtoon, and has also revealed the main cast. The story of the webtoon follows 33-year-old Eui-young Lee, who finds herself torn between two very different men. One is Tae-seop Song, a stable and unremarkable mid-sized c...
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Webtoon Unveils Major Platform Updates for Content Discovery, Personalization

Updates introduce AI-powered recommendations ― WEBTOON Entertainment announced a series of major updates on May 6 to transform how users discover and engage with webcomics. The updates were rolled out across its global platforms on May 8 (including the English-language service). Key updates included: AI-powered personalized recommendations to analyze user onboarding preferences, reading history, and...
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Go-eun Kim Returns to Star in Yumi's Cells Season 3 Live-Action Series

Series will premiere in 2026 ― TVING, a Korean streaming platform, has officially announced that its original live-action series based on the webtoon Yumi's Cells will return for a third season, with Go-eun Kim reprising her role as Yumi. The upcoming season will continue the “cell-stimulating” romance story, following Yumi's journey as a now-successful writer and the lovable, outspoken cells that l...
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Live-Action Study Group Series Based on Webtoon Gets 2nd Season

2nd season is in early development stage ― The webtoon-based live-action series Study Group has officially confirmed a second season. The announcement was made on May 8 through the Q1 2025 earnings report for Studio Dragon, the production company of the series. The company revealed that the second season is in early planning stages. Studio Dragon also hinted at the possibility of exploring new forma...

Reaper Scans Shuts Down Following Legal Action from Kakao Entertainment

Kakao Ent. claims site had approximately 10 million monthly visits ― Reaper Scans, a popular pirate site known for offering unauthorized fan translations of web novels and webtoons, officially announced its permanent closure on May 9. The decision comes after the platform received a cease-and-desist letter from Kakao Entertainment, the parent company of Tapas. The statement from Reaper Scans reads: ...
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Webtoon-Based Live-Action Series Head Over Heels to Premiere in June

1st love story follows 18-year-old high school shaman ― The Korean television network tvN announced on Friday that its new series Head Over Heels will premiere in June. The series is based on the webtoon, Gyeonwoo and Fairy. The youthful first-love story follows 18-year-old high school shaman Seong-ah Park (played by Yi-hyun Jo), who defies fate to save Gyeon-woo Bae (played by Young-woo Choo), a bo...
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Live-Action Series Based on Forest of Humans Webtoon Confirmed

Dark thriller centers on correctional facility that gathers psychopathic serial killers for experimental purposes ― Korean business news outlet Money Today reported on May 8 that a live-action series based on the webtoon Forest of Humans is in production, and actress Ye-ji Seo is reportedly considering taking the lead role. Her agency, Sublime, confirmed on May 8 that she has received a casting offe...
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Web Novel-Based Korean Live-Action Series Dear Hongrang Premieres on Netflix on May 16

Official English-subtitled trailer, poster were also unveiled for mystery romance series ― Netflix announced on April 30 that the web novel-based mystery romance series Dear Hongrang will premiere on May 16. The service has released an official English-subtitled trailer and a poster. Set in the Joseon Dynasty, the series follows Hongrang (played by Jae-wook Lee), the long-lost son of the kingdom's l...
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Horror-Romance Webtoon Red Fox Gets Animated Adaptation Premiering on LAFTEL on May 19

Series follows red fox who feasts on livers of humans ― Korean streaming platform LAFTEL will launch an animated adaptation of the horror-romance webtoon Red Fox on May 19. The company recently unveiled a teaser video, which is age-restricted and only available to watch on YouTube. The story of Red Fox reads: Welcome to Ibana, a beautiful country also known as the red country. Here, lives the red fo...
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Live-Action Adaptation of Web Novel, Webtoon Men of the Harem Confirmed

Former K-pop star Suzy considers taking lead role ― Korean entertainment media outlet OSEN exclusively reported on May 12 that Suzy, actress and former member of K-pop girl group Miss A, is currently reviewing an offer to star as the lead in an upcoming live-action adaptation of Men of the Harem. Based on the web novel by author Alphatart, who wrote The Remarried Empress, Men of the Harem is a palac...
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Kakao Entertainment Establishes New U.S. Subsidiary

New company will lead Kakao Ent. to strengthen its global presence, explore new business opportunities ― Kakao Entertainment, the parent company of webtoon/web novel platform Tapas, has established a new subsidiary in the United States to strengthen its global presence and explore new business opportunities. The new entity, Kakao Entertainment Global (KEG), is based in Los Angeles, California, and w...
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Webtoon-Based Action Noir Live-Action Show Mercy for None to Premiere on Netflix June 6

Streaming company also unveils teaser poster, English-subtitled trailer ― Netflix Korea confirmed on Friday that the action noir show Mercy for None will premiere on June 6. Ji-sub So stars as Ki-joon, alongside Beom-soo Lee, Joon-ho Heo, and Gil-kang Ahn. The streaming company also unveiled the teaser poster, which features Ki-joon standing alone amidst a field of fallen men, blood spatters on the ...
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JoongAng, Lotte Groups to Merge Cinema Chains, Forming South Korea's Largest Theater Operator

Merged group will operate 1,682 screens nationwide, surpassing CGV ― JoongAng Group and retail giant Lotte Group have signed a memorandum of understanding to merge their respective cinema chains — Megabox and Lotte Cinema — creating what will become South Korea's largest theatrical exhibition company. The joint venture, which will be co-managed by both groups, is designed to expedite new investment ...
interest

Line Friends Opens New Retail Store at Universal CityWalk Hollywood

Store features collaborative collections with NBC Universal brands ― LINE FRIENDS opened a new retail store, LINE FRIENDS SQUARE, at Universal CityWalk Hollywood on April 25. The store features exclusive BT21 merchandise, original LINE FRIENDS character products, K-pop-related items, and collaborative collections with NBC Universal brands. The Universal CityWalk Hollywood location marks LINE FRIENDS...
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Pinkfong Company Launches Moon Shark Webtoon in English

Romance fantasy series is based on world of Baby Shark ― Pinkfong Company, known globally for the Baby Shark phenomenon, has officially launched Moon Shark: From Underwater Princess to Celebrity in North America. The spin-off webtoon series is now available on five major digital platforms in the U.S., including Manta, Lezhin Comics US, HYPERCOMIC, Dashtoon, and Lalatoon. Moon Shark follows Sid, a sh...
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Webtoon-Based Live-Action Series S Line Wins Best Music at Cannes International Series Festival

Composer Jun-oh Lee receives award ― The webtoon-based live-action mystery series S Line has won the Best Music Award at the 8th Cannes International Series Festival, held on April 29. Composer Jun-oh Lee was recognized in the long-form competition category for his work on the series' soundtrack. This marks the first Korean drama to win at the festival since Bargain received the Best Screenplay Awar...
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Naver Webtoon Launches 1st Tower of God Side Story Urek Mazino

Side story reveals Urek's life before entering the Tower ― Naver WEBTOON released Urek Mazino, the first official side story of the webtoon Tower of God, on April 28 in Korea. The new series will be serialized every Tuesday. Written and illustrated by SIU, Urek Mazino explores the untold past of one of Tower of God's most powerful and mysterious characters. As an "Irregular" who entered the Tower on...
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Marry My Husband Web Novel, Webtoon Get Japanese Live-Action Adaptation on Amazon in June

Franchise inspired separate Korean live-action series earlier this year ― Amazon Prime Video announced on April 28 that the Korean web novel and webtoon Marry My Husband will get a Japanese live-action series adaptation titled Watashi no Otto to Kekkon Shite. The Amazon Original drama will premiere globally on June 27 and will have 10 episodes. Two episodes will debut every Friday. Amazon described ...
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Webtoon Creators' Union to File Complaint Against Kakao Entertainment

Union states company refused to engage in collective bargaining ― The Webtoon Creators' Union in South Korea announced on April 21 that it plans to file a complaint with the Labor Relations Commission against Kakao Entertainment for refusing to engage in collective bargaining. Kakao Entertainment is the parent company of Kakao Webtoon, Tapas, and Kakao Page. According to the union, it submitted a re...
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Naver Webtoon Releases AI Chatbot for Webtoon Characters

Company stated AI chatbot boosts viewers' engagement ― Naver WEBTOON reported on April 15 that according to its internal analysis, the service's AI chatbot, 'Character Chat,' which allows users to interact with webtoon characters, is contributing to increased engagement with original works. Character Chat was developed in-house by Naver WEBTOON and launched in June 2024. The AI chatbot is trained on...
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Live-Action Adaptation of Martial Arts Webtoon Shark Gets Sequel Series in May

Sequel story follows Woo-sol's evolution from survivor to protector Shark: The Storm, based on the webtoon Shark, is set to premiere on May 15 as a six-episode original series on the Korean streaming platform TVING. Ahead of the release, TVING unveiled a new teaser poster highlighting the tense showdown between lead characters played by Min-seok Kim and Hyun-wook Lee. Shark: The Storm, which is th...
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232 Draws 4-Panel Webtoon for K-Pop Group TXT

Love Revolution creator draws webtoon for group's upcoming single "Love Language" ― Tomorrow X Together (TXT) reunited with webtoon artist 232, known for Love Revolution, for a new collaboration titled "TXT's Lovetoons." The four-panel comic strip, featuring artwork by 232, was released on April 24 via TXT's official social media accounts. This marks the second collaboration between TXT and 232. In ...
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Live-Action Adaptation of Romance Webtoon Back to Work! is Confirmed

Back to Work!, created by McQueen Studio, follows romance between office mates ― Korean entertainment media outlet SPOTV reported on Thursday that the live-action adaptation of the romance webtoon Back to Work! is confirmed. The production team revealed that they offered the male lead to actor In-guk Seo. Back to Work!, created by McQueen Studio, follows the romance between office mates. The story d...
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Kakao Ent. Rolls Out AI-Generated Webtoon Shorts to All Users

New "Helix Shorts" AI-powered service automatically generates video shorts based on webtoons ― Kakao Entertainment officially launched "Helix Shorts," a new AI-powered service that automatically generates short-form video content based on webtoons, on April 22. The company announced that the rollout is now complete across all KakaoPage users. Helix Shorts converts webtoons into short videos (shorts)...
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WEBTOON Entertainment Partners with PlayStation to Launch Cross-Platform Subscription Campaign

WEBTOON subscribers receive 2 complimentary weeks of PlayStation Plus ― WEBTOON Entertainment announced on Tuesday that it has entered a marketing partnership with PlayStation. Starting on Tuesday, PlayStation Plus Premium users gained access to a WEBTOON subscription on the platform's English-language service. In return, WEBTOON subscribers—particularly readers of titles like Omniscient Reader, Bad ...
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Jujutsu Kaisen Tops Bookscan's March Adult Graphic Novel List in U.S.

Solo Leveling takes 5 spots; One Piece, Berserk, Apothecary Diaries, more rank ― The 25th volume of Gege Akutami's Jujutsu Kaisen manga ranked at #1 on Circana BookScan's Top 20 adult graphic novels list for March. This month's list featured 12 manga volumes, including: #1 — Gege Akutami's Jujutsu Kaisen volume 25 #3 — Eiichiro Oda's One Piece volume 108 #7 — Gege Akutami's Jujutsu Kaisen volume 1 #8...
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Live-Action The Remarried Empress Adaptation Reveals Main Cast

Adaptation of webtoon with 2.6 billion views to star Min-a Shin, Jong-suk Lee, more ― Studio N, a subsidiary of Naver Webtoon, confirmed the live-action series adaptation of The Remarried Empress webtoon on April 14 along with the main cast. Actress Min-a Shin will play Navier, the dignified empress with a cold demeanor. Jong-suk Lee will portray Prince Heinrey of the Western Kingdom, who falls for ...
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Live-Action Adaptation of Webtoon The First Night with the Duke to Premiere on June 11

Taecyeon, Seohyun star in series ― KBS, the public broadcasting system in Korea, has confirmed that its new series The First Night With the Duke will premiere on June 11. Based on the webtoon and web novel of the same name, the fantasy romance series follows a college student who wakes up and finds she has possessed a minor background character within a romance novel. After unexpectedly spending a n...
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Ize Press Announces English Print Releases of The Merman Trapped in My Lake, I Love Amy

I Love Amy marks Ize Press' 1st girls-love release ― At its industry panel on Friday during Sakura-Con 2025, Ize Press announced that it will publish English print editions of two manhwa: The Merman Trapped in My Lake and I Love Amy (pictured above). The Merman Trapped in My Lake, illustrated by R.PPOBI and based on an original story by Mitchu, follows Servaine Noxirel, the last heir of a fallen nob...
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LINE Manga App Becomes Top-Grossing App in Japan in 1st Quarter 2025

App is celebrating 12th anniversary ― According to mobile analytics firm Sensor Tower, LINE Manga — Naver Webtoon's Japanese-language service — ranked No. 1 in total app market revenue in Japan in the first quarter of 2025. This milestone comes as the platform celebrates its 12th anniversary, having launched in 2013. LINE Manga first overtook Kakao Piccoma's digital manga and novel platform Piccoma ...
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Delusion Webtoon Gets Live-Action Adaptation

Suzy, Sun-ho Kim will lead cast ― According to a report from Korean entertainment outlet OSEN on April 10, actors Suzy and Sun-ho Kim have been cast in a live-action adaptation of the webtoon Delusion. Delusion was created by Hongjacga and originally serialized in Korea from 2019 to 2020, followed by a U.S. release in 2021. Set during the early 20th century under Japanese colonial rule in Korea, the...
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Kakao Ent. Co-CEOs Deny Reports of Company's Sale, Claim Reports are 'Misunderstanding'

Statement follows media reports last week that Kakao plans to sell Kakao Entertainment subsidiary ― Korean business media outlet Hankook Economy reported on April 8 that Kakao, one of the biggest tech companies in Korea, has signaled its intention to sell its subsidiary Kakao Entertainment, stepping away from its long-held plan to take the company public. According to investment banking sources, Kak...
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Manta Launches Romance Webtoon Her Merry Obsession

Manta also offers promotional event ― Manta launched its new romance webtoon Her Merry Obsession on April 10. The series is based on a novel of the same name by MOOMI (Dry Fish Girl), also known for writing the original work behind the Netflix Original Series When the Phone Rings. Artwork for the webtoon is provided by 18.9Studio. Manta describes the story: For two blissful years, Soryung's world re...
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WEBTOON Entertainment to Join NAB Show 2025 Panel on Webcomics

Discussion topics will include the growth of fandoms across genres and the rise in webcomic and webnovel adaptations ― WEBTOON Entertainment announced on April 3 that it will participate in a panel discussion at NAB Show 2025 in Las Vegas, focusing on the role of webcomics in entertainment and IP development. The session, titled “Hollywood's IP Gold Mine: Comics, Fandoms and Creators Building New Wor...
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Webtoon-Based Mobile Game Tower of God: New World Collaborates with hololive

Special collaboration event launches on April 9 ― On April 1, Korean game developer and publisher Netmarble released a promotional video for Tower of God: New World, revealing an upcoming collaboration with hololive, the Japanese VTuber group. (The announcement is not an April Fool's Day joke despite the date of announcement, as Netmarble had been teasing the announcement since late March.) The newl...
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Manta's Parent Company Ridi Posts Operating Loss for 2024 But Marks Record-High Revenue

Company attributes reduced deficit, revenue growth to expansion of its global business ― RIDI, the parent company of webtoon platform Manta, announced on April 3 that it posted an operating loss of 12.9 billion KRW (approx. US$8.8 million) on a consolidated basis in 2024, down 56.2% from the previous year. Revenue rose 7.2% year-over-year to a record high of 235.4 billion KRW (approx. US$161 million...
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Inklore to Publish Webtoon How to Hide the Emperor's Child in Print

Series will begin publication in 2026 ― Inklore, an imprint of the Random House Publishing Group, announced on Thursday that it acquired the print publication rights to the webtoon How to Hide the Emperor's Child from C&C Revolution. The webtoon How to Hide the Emperor's Child, which is drawn by SSAL and adapted by 26, is based Yeonseon Lee's web novel of the same name. The webtoon has amassed over ...
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CloverWorks Produces Anime Shorts for 7Fates: Chakho, The Star Seekers Webtoons

HYBE's original webtoon series feature members of BTS, TOMORROW X TOGETHER as characters in story ― Anime studio CloverWorks began streaming two anime shorts on Thursday adapting HYBE's The Star Seekers webtoon and HYBE's 7FATES: CHAKHO webtoon. Each short is around 11 minutes long, and features an original story. Both videos feature hard subtitles in Korean. (Note: CloverWorks has disabled embedding...
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Premiere of Webtoon-Based Live-Action Romance Series Crushology 101 Delayed by 1 Week

Delay comes in response to ruling on S. Korean president's impeachment on Friday ― The premiere of Crushology 101, the live-action Korean romance series based on the webtoon Bunny and Her Oppas, has been postponed by one week. According to SPOTV News on April 2, the series, originally scheduled to air on April 4 in Korea, will now premiere on April 11. The delay comes in response to the Constitution...
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Webtoon-Based Live-Action Series S Line Invited to Cannes International Series Festival

Story centers on incident where mysterious red lines appear connecting those who have had sexual relationship ― The webtoon-based live-action mystery series S Line has been officially invited to the competition section at the Cannes International Series Festival, becoming the only Korean content selected in the category this year. According to the festival's announcement on Tuesday, S Line is one of...
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Netflix Confirms Live-Action Weak Hero Class 2 Series to Premiere on April 25

Series reveals official trailer, poster ― On April 1, Netflix announced that the live-action Weak Hero Class 2 sequel series based on a webtoon will premiere on April 25. Along with the announcement, the platform also released the series' official poster and teaser trailer. Netflix began streaming Weak Hero Class 1 on March 25, and the series quickly gained popularity. According to Netflix's officia...
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Under the Oak Tree Webtoon Concludes Season 4

Series planned to end in Season 5 to finish adapting Book 1 of web novel ― Manta has announced that the fourth season of its webtoon Under the Oak Tree concluded with the release of the final episode on March 22. Based on the webnovel by Su-ji Kim, Under the Oak Tree follows Lady Maximilian, a young noblewoman who is forced into marriage with a knight, Sir Riftan. Shortly after their wedding, Riftan...
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'The Story of Manager Kim, Who Works For a Large Company in Seoul' Webtoon Gets Live-Action Series

Seung-ryong Ryu takes on lead role in upcoming series ― Korean broadcasting studio JTBC confirmed on April 1 that Seung-ryong Ryu will take on the lead role in its upcoming live-action series The Story of Manager Kim, Who Works For a Large Company in Seoul adaptation of the Naver webtoon of the same name. The drama centers around Nam-soo Kim, a straight-laced, middle-aged man who appears to be living...
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Live-Action Korean Web Series Something Went Wrong to Premiere Globally on April 16

Series is spin-off of webtoon "Who Can Define Popularity?" ― The live-action web series Something Went Wrong will make its global debut on April 16, bringing its new take on the popular boys-love universe to international audiences. The series is a spin-off of the webtoon Who Can Define Popularity?, and centers around two supporting characters from the original story — Ba-woo Do (played by Min-ho Ch...
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Yumi's Cells Live-Action Series Based on Webtoon Confirmed for Season 3

Go-eun Kim reviews offer to return for 3rd season ― The webtoon-based romance live-action series Yumi's Cells has officially been confirmed for a third season. Yumi's Cells follows the everyday life and emotional growth of an ordinary woman named Yumi, uniquely told through the perspectives of the tiny cells inside her brain. The series stands out for its imaginative storytelling and relatable slice...
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Korean Gaming Company Com2uS Secures Publishing Rights for Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint Game

Art director of The Seven Deadly Sins: Grand Cross mobile game will work on game ― Com2uS announced on March 31 that it has made a strategic investment in South Korean game developer Offbeat and signed a global publishing agreement for the company's upcoming game based on the hit IP Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint. The original story of Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint follows an ordinary office worker w...
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Studio Lico Releases Mobile Game Mythic Item Obtained Based on Webtoon (Updated)

Webtoon has amassed more than 320 million views ― On March 28, Naver Webtoon announced the official launch of the mobile idle RPG game Mythic Item Obtained, developed by its subsidiary Studio Lico. The game is based on the webtoon Mythic Item Obtained, which is adapted from the web novel of the same name. The webtoon began serialization in 2022 and has accumulated over 320 million views globally. Th...
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Efficient Meeting of Single Men and Women Webtoon Confirmed for Live-Action Adaptation

Sstory follows woman who is torn between 2 very different men ― According to Korean news agency Newsis, a live-action adaptation of the webtoon Efficient Meeting of Single Men and Women has officially entered production. Casting is currently underway, with offers reportedly made to actors Ji-min Han and Sung-hoon Park, who appeared in Squid Game season 2. The story follows 33-year-old office worker ...
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Naver Webtoon Joins Anti-Piracy Coalition ACE

Company is the 1st webtoon company to join coalition ― The Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE) announced on March 25 that NAVER WEBTOON has joined as its newest member. NAVER WEBTOON, part of WEBTOON Entertainment Inc., is the first webcomic and webnovel company, and the first Korea-based company, to become a member of ACE. WEBTOON Entertainment, headquartered in Los Angeles and listed o...
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Production of Webtoon-Based Live-Action Thriller Series Dear X Delayed Due to Injury of Actor Do-hoon Kim

Actor was diagnosed with a 24-week recovery period ― The filming of the live-action series Dear X has been put on hold after actor Do-hoon Kim suffered a serious injury on set. According to Korean entertainment media outlet Sports Chosun, Kim fractured his left forearm while practicing motorcycle riding during a break in filming last week. The accident occurred as he attempted a short ride and lost ...
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Toonimotion Releases Animated Series Based on BL Webtoon Robber X Lover

Webtoon follows unexpected cohabitation story of college student ― Toonimotion released an animated adaptation of the boys-love webtoon Robber X Lover on March 26. Based on the webtoon of same name drawn by PENGKI, the animation premiered on Toonimotion's website with English subtitles. Robber X Lover follows the unexpected cohabitation story of a college student named Jiho. After missing the deadli...
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Korea Fair Trade Commission Uses AI Tools to Make Webtoon for Public Outreach

Government agency uses Stable Diffusion to produce webtoon ― The Korea Fair Trade Commission (KFTC), the government agency promoting fair and free competition, announced on March 26 that it is actively leveraging generative AI technologies to produce content and enhance the effectiveness of its public outreach. The KFTC is currently publishing a weekly webtoon series titled Fair Diary on its officia...
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Live-Action Japanese True Beauty Films Preview 2nd Film in Video, Poster

2nd film featuring insert song by star Keito Tsuna opens on May 1 ― The staff for Megami Kōrin Before Kōkō Debut-hen / After Proposal-hen (True Beauty Before: High School Debut Arc / After: Proposal Arc), the two-part Japanese live-action film adaptation of Yaongyi's True Beauty webtoon, revealed a poster visual and trailer on Friday for the second film, After Proposal-hen. The video previews both Ke...
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Naver Webtoon Adapts 2 Short Stories by Author Young-ha Kim

Si illustrates "The Origin of Life," "Christmas Carol" stories ― Naver Webtoon launched webtoon adaptations of two short stories by Korean author Young-ha Kim. Young-ha Kim's Short Story Collection premiered on Tuesday. The webtoons are based on "The Origin of Life" and "Christmas Carol," originally published in Kim's short story collections Two People Only and My Brother's Back, respectively. "The O...
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The Kidnapping Day Novel/Live-Action Series Gets Webtoon

Webtoon adaptation launched on March 13 The Kidnapping Day novel and live-action series expanded its IP universe with a new webtoon adaptation that launched on March 13 exclusively on RIDI. Unlike the original novel and drama, the webtoon introduces a fresh narrative perspective by focusing on Hye-eun Seo—a character previously portrayed as a villain. The story delves into her childhood, the origin...
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TappyToon to Launch How The Grand Duchess Returns to Her Tower Webtoon on March 31

Story based on 2022 romance fantasy web novel ― TappyToon announced on Tuesday that it will launch the webtoon How the Grand Duchess Returns to Her Tower on March 31. Based on a 2022 web novel of the same name, the webtoon begins when the former master of a magic tower awakens in the body of a grand duchess—betrayed by her own disciple whom she had raised like a younger sibling. As she struggles to r...
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New Spin-off of Webtoon/Web Novel God of Blackfield Launches

New series expands lore with high-stakes clashes between multiple powerful factions ― A new spin-off of the webtoon/web novel God of Blackfield has officially launched. Kakao Entertainment announced on March 24 that it has begun serialization of a new web novel titled The Black – Falcon of Arabia on KakaoPage. The story follows the search for a covert agent from the secret organization The Black, wh...
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Kakao Entertainment Teams Up with Instagram Star Jjonyami for New Webtoon Series

Story follows white cat character sent to Earth on secret mission ― Kakao Entertainment is launching a new webtoon collaboration with Jjonyami, the beloved Instagram character. The webtoon, titled Jjonyami: Mission Earth!, will premiere on April 25 via Kakao Webtoon and KakaoPage. Created by artist Chae-so, the adorable white cat Jjonyami is known for its hearty appetite and playful charm, attractin...
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KOMACON Unveils Support Program for Senior and Physically Challenged Creators

The agency is aiming to broaden the cultural reach. ― The Korea Manhwa Contents Agency (KOMACON) has announced its major support programs for 2025, aimed at advancing the manhwa and webtoon industry and broadening cultural reach. One of the key initiatives this year is the Webtoon Senior Mentoring Program, which will run year-round. The program is designed to strengthen webtoon creation skills among...
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Medical Comedy Webtoon Endurance Doctor Gets Live-Action Adaptation

The series will depict the struggle of a doctor on a remote island. ― Korean entertainment media OSEN revealed that Kim Tae-pung's Endurance Doctor (Jonbuh Doctor) webtoon is getting a live-action adaptation. Actor Jae-wook Lee will take on his first-ever doctor role as the lead, Ji-ui Do, the plastic surgeon struggling to survive island life. Myung-woo Lee (The Fiery Priest) is directing the series,...
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Webtoon Platform Bomtoon Launches Simultaneous Serialization in 8 Languages Including English

Bomtoon to support 8 languages ― Bomtoon announced last Thursday that it will begin simultaneous webtoon serialization in eight languages—Korean, Traditional Chinese, Thai, Japanese, English, Spanish, German, and French—on a monthly basis to support global expansion for webtoon creators. A Bomtoon representative stated, "As the webtoon market rapidly globalizes, it has become increasingly important t...
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Heesu in Class 2 BL Webtoon's Live-Action Adaptation Premieres on March 28

Webtoon boasted 9.7+ rating on Lezhin Comics ― The Korean streaming platform for Boys-Love shows Heavenly announced on Saturday that the live-action adaptation of BL webtoon Heesu in Class 2 will premiere on March 28. Sang-jun Lee (who played a guard on Squid Game season 2) stars as Seung-won Kim, an intense student who hates wasting time and is fully committed to getting into college. While he seems...
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KOCCA Launches 2025 Startup Support Program for Manhwa, Webtoons

KOCCA will provide up to US$75,000 ― Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA) announced its “2025 Startup Support Program for the Manhwa and Webtoon Sector,” which aims to help early-stage companies with creative ideas and technology successfully enter the market. The program will run from the date of agreement signing until November 30, 2025, selecting a total of eight projects for funding. Selected st...
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Netflix's Live-Action Webtoon-Based Series Karma Unveils New Trailer, Poster

Heesun Choi drew original series ― Netflix Korea streamed released on March 19 a new official trailer and poster for Kakao Entertainment's upcoming live-action series Karma, based on the webtoon of the same name. In the trailer, 'Loan Shark Man' (Hee-jun Lee) requests a murder after confirming a 500 million won (about US$340,000) insurance policy, 'Joo-yeon' (Min-a Shin) confronts someone who brought...
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Netflix Confirms Cast of Get Schooled Webtoon's Live-Action Adaptation True Lessons

Moo-yul Kim, Sung-min Lee, Ki-yoo Jin, Ji-hoon Pyo star ― Netflix confirmed last Thursday the production of its new original series True Lessons (working title), based on the webtoon Get Schooled, and announced the lead cast lineup. Moo-yul Kim plays Hwa-jin Na, a Teacher Rights Protection Bureau supervisor who resolves school issues with his own methods. Sung-min Lee stars as Kang-seok Choi, the Min...
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Kakao Entertainment Launches 1st Story-Driven Webtoon for Kakao Friends Character

Still, Ryan follows Ryan's hidden past ― Kakao Entertainment has released its latest webtoon, Still, Ryan, featuring the Kakao Friends character Ryan. This marks the first time Ryan's hidden past has been unveiled. The series is available on KakaoPage and KakaoWebtoon, accompanied by various special events to commemorate its launch. Still, Ryan follows the journey of Ryan, a lion born as the heir to ...

AI-Powered Webtoon Platform 'RealToon' Officially Launches

RealToon uses AI technology to streamline creative process ― The new AI-driven webtoon platform RealToon has officially launched. It aims to improve the webtoon creation process by reducing production burdens for creators while delivering personalized content for readers. RealToon seeks to innovate by utilizing AI technology to streamline the creative process. The platform features an AI engine that ...
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Webtoon-Based Live-Action Taxi Driver Series Confirms Season 3

Main cast reunites for series about secretive taxi company that enacts vigilante justice ― The live-action Taxi Driver series is set to return for its third season later this year. Following the success of its previous seasons, Taxi Driver 3 has officially been scheduled for a late 2025 release, bringing back its signature blend of thrilling action and vigilante justice. Based on the webtoon of the ...
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KOMACON Report: Number of Webtoon Titles Dropped by Nearly 7% in 2024

57.7% of registered webtoons were categorized as "18+ content" ― According to the 2024 Comics and Webtoon Distribution Statistics Report published by the Korea Manhwa Contents Agency (KOMACON) on March 12, the total number of webtoon titles registered last year was 18,792, marking a 6.7% decline from the previous year's 20,141. By platform, KakaoPage, a flagship platform of Kakao Entertainment, saw ...
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Webtoon-Based Live-Action Thriller Series Field Mouse Confirms Cast

Jun-yeol Ryu, Kyung-gu Sol to star series ― According to Korean entertainment media outlet TV Report, actors Jun-yeol Ryu and Kyung-gu Sol will team up for the first time in the upcoming live-action series Field Mouse. Originally serialized from 2017 to 2020 by webtoon artist Ludovico, Field Mouse is inspired by the Korean folktale "The Rate That Ate Fingernails," which tells the story of a rat that...
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Webtoon-Based Live-Action My Dearest Nemesis Show Stays at #1 on Rakuten Viki

Series tops charts in 118 countries, territories in 3rd week ― According to the streaming platform Rakuten Viki, the live-action My Dearest Nemesis series ranked No. 1 in viewership across more than 130 countries during its first week of streaming. The series maintained its top position in 118 countries and territories — including the United States, Brazil, Mexico, France, and India — in its third w...
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BTS Singer Jin Hosts Variety Show With Webtoon Artist Kian, Comedian Ye-eun Ji

Series following 3 people as they operate B&B on Ulleungdo island debuts on Netflix on April 8 ― On March 12, Netflix released a minute-long teaser for Kian's Bizarre B&B, an unscripted variety show featuring webtoon artist/entertainer Kian, BTS member Jin, and SNL Korea comedian Ye-eun Ji. The series follows the three as they operate a bed-and-breakfast on Ulleungdo island, navigating the challenge...
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7 Major Webtoon Firms Demand Maximum Penalty for 'OKToon' Pirate Site Operator

Illegal webtoon site caused US$37 million in losses according to companies ― Seven major webtoon companies — Kakao Entertainment, Naver Webtoon, Ridi, Lezhin Entertainment, Kidari Studio, Toptoon, and Toomics — have come together to call for strict legal action against the operator of the illegal webtoon site OKToon. The Webtoon Anti-Piracy Coalition, which represents these companies, submitted a pe...
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Exclusive: Dark Horse Books to Release Purgatory Funeral Cakes Manhwa in Fall

Manhwa following baker, ghost assistant baking funeral cakes ― Dark Horse Books announced on Thursday that it has licensed Sanho's Purgatory Funeral Cakes manhwa. The company will release the first volume in English on November 18 in bookstores and November 19 in comic shops. Danny Lim is the translator, and Michael Heisler is the letterer. The 224-page paperback first volume is available for preorde...
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Secret Relationship Webtoon Sees Surge in Viewership/Revenue Following Live-Action Series Premiere

Viewership in N. America grew by 12 times ― Kakao Entertainment announced on March 10 that the viewership and revenue of its webtoon Secret Relationship has significantly increased following the release of its live-action drama adaptation on February 27. According to Kakao Entertainment, within one week of the drama's premiere, the webtoon's views on Kakao Page and Kakao Webtoon in South Korea increa...
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Get Schooled Webtoon Gets Live-Action Adaptation

Mu-yeol Kim leads series as main actor ― Webtoon company YLAB has confirmed that its Get Schooled webtoon get a Netflix Original series adaptation. The series is slated for release next year, as part of YLAB's strategy to expand its global footprint through Netflix. YLAB Plex and GTist are co-producing the live-action adaptation with actor Mu-yeol Kim as Na Hwa-jin. The cast also includes Ki-joo Jin,...
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Jisoo of Blackpink to Star as Webtoon Producer in New Boyfriend on Demand Netflix Series

Seo In-guk will co-star in series about virtual reality ― Netflix announced last month the production of the tentatively titled Boyfriend on Demand, a new romantic comedy series starring Jisoo of Black Pink and Seo In-guk. The series will stream exclusively on Netflix. Jisoo will star as Mi-rae, an overworked webtoon producer who escapes her exhausting reality through a subscription-based virtual dat...
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K-Pop Boy Band BOYNEXTDOOR to Release Single for Webtoon Odd Girl Out

Odd Girl Out has been serialized since 2015 ― The K-pop boy band BOYNEXTDOOR has collaborated with the webtoon series Odd Girl Out for the single "Never Loved This Way Before." The track is set to be released on March 14 at 6:00 p.m. KST (5:00 a.m. EDT). Odd Girl Out, serialized since 2015, explores the lives of teenage girls navigating the complexities of friendship, love, and personal growth. The ...
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Naver Webtoon Continues Sponsoring 'Hyun-se Lee Cartoon Creation Camp' for Aspiring Creators

Outstanding works may be serialized via Naver Webtoon ― Naver Webtoon announced on March 4 that it will once again officially sponsor the "Hyun-se Lee Cartoon Creation Camp" this year, continuing its support for aspiring webtoon creators. The camp was first launched in 2001 by Doo-ho Lee, a professor at Sejong University at the time, as a so-called "hell camp" designed to immerse students completely...
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Rakuten Viki Announces New K-Drama My Girlfriend is The Man! Based on Webtoon

Members of K-pop idol groups will star in adaptation ― Rakuten Viki announced on Friday My Girlfriend is The Man!, a new K-drama series co-produced with Korean production company Studio N. The series, based on a webtoon with over 379 million views, will debut exclusively on Viki later this year. The announcement comes as Viki celebrates reaching 100 million registered users. The series stars K-pop i...
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Se-young Lee to Star in Live-Action Adaptation of The Remarried Empress Novel/Webtoon

Se-young Lee will portray runaway slave Rashta Isqua ― Korean broadcasting studio JTBC reported on March 6 that Se-young Lee is set to star in the live-action adaptation of the popular web novel/webtoon The Remarried Empress. Regarding the news, Se-young Lee's agency Prain TPC stated that it is “one of the projects she has received.” In the series, Se-young Lee will portray Rashta Isqua, a runaway sl...
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Wattpad Webtoon Studios Hires Mar Vila Barcelo to Lead European Expansion

Studio aims to expand in Spanish-speaking market ― Wattpad Webtoon Studios has appointed Mar Vila Barcelo to lead its European operations. Based in Madrid, Barcelo will oversee the studio's international film and TV projects in the region and report to David Madden, Head of Global Entertainment. Barcelo was previously Development Executive at ITV Studios Iberia, where she managed the development of f...
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Mobile Game Based on +99 Reinforced Wooden Stick Webtoon Debuts at #1 in Korea

Players control 3 main characters in hack-and-slash style combat ― Daeri Soft's new mobile RPG +99 Reinforced Wooden Stick: Growth has taken the top spot on Google Play Store's popularity chart in Korea following its official release on February 5. The game's success was fueled by pre-release promotions and high anticipation among webtoon fans, leading it to top the Google Store's popularity chart j...
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Ridi's Subsidiary Prodifi Launches AI-Powered Webtoon Localization Tool

Prodifi claims tool can reduce time, cost of localization by up to 90% ― Prodifi, a subsidiary of content platform company Ridi, announced on Wednesday the launch of its new AI-powered tool designed to simplify the complex process of webtoon localization. Ridi is the parent company of the webtoon platform Manta. The new tool utilizes artificial intelligence (AI) to speed up translation while consider...
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Live-Action Film of Webtoon 'Somebody' to Open in Korea on March 12

K-pop girl group Girls' Generation member Yuri headlines film Somebody, the film based on the webtoon of the same name, is set to open in South Korea on March 12. The movie stars Yuri, a member of the K-pop girl group Girls' Generation, as Min, and Sun-young Kwak as Young-eun. Somebody is a psychological thriller that follows the crumbling life of Young-eun, whose days are disrupted by her daughte...

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