The Korea Herald

지나쌤

Webtoon based drama series to dominate in early 2024

By Lee Yoon-seo

Published : Jan. 8, 2024 - 15:44

    • Link copied

"Man and Woman" (Channel A)

Drama series adaptations of renowned South Korean webtoons are set to open the new year, riding high on the continued success of Korean webtoon-based dramas on global streaming services.

"Man and Woman," a 10-part drama series adaptation of the hit Naver webtoon series of the same name, began airing on cable TV network Channel A Dec. 26 and continues through to Feb. 27.

The webtoon series ranked seventh on Naver Webtoon's Top 10 most-read list despite its R-rating, meaning you have to be 19 and older to read it.

Starring Super Junior's Lee Dong-hae as the main character Jung Hyun-sung and Lee Seol as Han Sung-ok, the drama depicts the romance of Korean 20-somethings, portraying love, ennui, as well as separation and regret via various characters' relationships.

"Marry My Husband" (tvN)

Naver's popular web novel "Marry My Husband," which boasts more than 40 million downloads and has been translated into English web novel on Naver Webtoon's overseas service Yonder, has been turned into a 16-part drama series.

The first episode of the drama series aired on tvN on Jan. 1 and is scheduled to air its last episode on Feb. 20, with a plot centering on the story of Kang Ji-won, whose husband has an affair with her best friend. After being murdered by her husband upon discovering their affair, Kang is reborn 10 years in the past and sets up a plan to have her best friend marry her former husband.

The drama series stars Park Min-young, Na In-woo, Lee Yi-kyung and Song Ha-yoon as the main cast.

"Love Song For Illusion" (KBS)

KBS' "Love Song For Illusion," a romance fantasy drama based on Naver Webtoon of the same title, aired its first episode last Tuesday, with its last episode set to air on Feb. 27.

The drama, which stars actor Park Ji-hoon and Hong Ye-ji as the king and an assassin trying to kill the king, respectively, narrates the growing romance between the two as the king grapples with his dissociative identity disorder.

"A Killer Paradox," a thriller webtoon that was serialized on Naver Webtoon from July 8, 2010 to June 3, 2011, will be turned into an eight-part drama and exclusively streamed on Netflix starting on Feb. 9.

The webtoon series follows the story of an ordinary college student Yi Tang, who commits voluntary manslaughter, and a detective named Jang Nan-gam who sets on a rigorous journey to pursue him.

In the Netflix drama helmed by "K-thriller master" Lee Chang-hee, who directed the hit OCN thriller drama series "Hell Is Other People," Yi Tang will be played by actor Choi Woo-shik, while Jang Nan-gam will be played by actor Son Suk-ku. An ex-police named Song Chon who sets on a journey to pursue Yi Tang will be played by Korean actor Lee Hee-joon.