Summary
K-dramas based on webtoons bring fresh and captivating storylines to the small screen, appealing to a wide range of viewers.
Some series like “My Roommate Is A Gumiho” stay true to their source material, while others take creative liberties for narrative reasons.
From romance to horror, K-dramas offer a diverse range of genres and themes, attracting audiences with compelling characters and storylines.
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Comics and webtoons have always been a source of inspiration, and the best K-dramas based on webtoons are no different. In South Korea, WEBTOONS is a publishing portal launched by the popular search engine, Naver. Webtoons, as a medium, come up on many platforms. As webtoons gained popularity in South Korea, it sparked the idea to adapt some for the small screen. There are many highly talked about K-dramas on streaming platforms that were first a webtoon — many of which reached acclaim with those who have no knowledge or interest in K-dramas as a genre.
Some of the best K-dramas based on webtoons stick closely to their source material. However, this isn’t always the case, as sometimes deviations are necessary for narrative reasons. Some long-running K-dramas also outlast the storyline of their webtoon predecessors. K-dramas have taken over streaming platforms like Netflix due to their binge-worthy storylines of drama, comedy, romance, action, and even a dash of horror for good measure — and some of the best K-dramas going started life as webtoons.
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18 My Roommate Is A Gumiho (2021)
A 999-Year-Old Gumiho Falls In Love With A Human
The 2021 K-drama My Roommate is a Gumiho is a fantasy series following a 999-year-old Gumiho who takes the form of Shin Woo-yeo (Jang Ki-Yong). Initially a nine-tailed fox, Shin’s dream is to become human one day and live a regular life with someone he loves. In most of the myths, it is a beautiful woman who is the Gumiho and her goal is usually to seduce a man and then eat their heart or liver. This takes an entirely different approach as this Gumiho is a man who wants to fall in love.
The live-action series that ran for 16 episodes started life as an original webtoon. While the series had only 16 episodes, the webtoon for My Roommate is a Gumiho ran for more than 150 episodes. The stories are the same, with a 24-year-old woman named Dam Lee moving in with the 900-year-old Gumiho after she accidentally swallows one of his beads, which means she has one year to get it out of her body, or she will die, and he will never become human.
17 Aftermath (2014)
A Man Can Foresee When Someone Will Die
Aftermath is a South Korean supernatural web series that follows Ahn Dae Young (Kim Dong Jun), a quiet high school student involved in a car accident. He then develops the ability to predict who is a killer and who is about to die based on the changing color of their eyes. If a person’s eyes turn red — from Dae Young’s perception — he knows they will die. What’s more, he realizes he can intervene to prevent it.
The plot of Aftermath then unfolds almost like a comic-book story. Ahn Dae Young decides to become a hero and save people’s lives using his newfound powers and he has a nemesis with the same power set, but this person is obsessed with murder. Aftermath is a streaming series with short episodes of around 10 minutes each, and it ran for two seasons in 2014, with 11 total episodes. The series is based on a webtoon by Kim Sun-kwon.
16 Itaewon Class (2020)
A Man Seeks Revenge Against The People Responsible For His Dad’s Death
Itaewon Class
Release Date January 31, 2020
Cast Park Seo-joon , Kim Da-mi , Yoo Jae-myung , Nara , Ahn Bo-Hyun , Lee Joo-young , Kim Hye-Eun , Ryu Kyung-soo
Seasons 1
The 2020 South Korean series is based on the webtoon of the same name. The 16-episode series is a revenge story where a man named Park Sae-ro-yi (Park Seo-joon) tries to murder Geun-won (Ahn Bo-hyun) after his father is killed in an accident. Park’s girlfriend, Oh Soo-ah (Kwon Na-ra), ends up getting her university tuition paid for by Geun-won, followed by a job with his company, the Jangga Group. However, when Park gets out of prison, he tries to start anew but still wants revenge on Jangga Group for his dad’s death.
Park then teams up with some new friends as they try to find success once and for all. The Itaewon Class webtoon the K-Drama is based on ran for 81 episodes, compared to 16 for the TV series adaptation. It ended in 2021, the year after the series aired. The series was very loyal to the webtoon and played the story pretty straight throughout. However, one problem comes with the character of Jo Yi-seo (Kim Da-mi), whose live-action character many online felt seemed to betray the independence and strength her webtoon character displayed.
15 Memorist (2020)
A Man Who Can Read People’s Memories Solves Crimes
Based on a webtoon of the same name by Jae Hoo, Memorist became a top drama that aired in 2020 on tvN and is one of the best K-dramas based on webtoons. The crime/mystery drama tells the story of the main character with the ability to read people’s memories. With this ability, Dong Baek (Yoo Seung-Ho) solves crimes as a police detective.
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In this K-drama with a serial killer storyline, a string of gruesome murders occurs, and Dong Baek (Yoo Seung-ho) teams up with a criminal profiler to find the culprit. As they investigate, their troubled pasts surface, and the murders are much more complex than they imagined. Memorist is unique with its thriller elements and intriguing storylines. The series maintained steady viewership numbers over its 16-episode run and interestingly, saw actors Yoo Seung-ho and Lee Se-young reunite after appearing in Missing You.
14 Mystic Pop-Up Bar (2020)
A Woman Must Help People Overcome Their Struggles
Mystic Pop-UpBar gained significant interest when it became available to stream on Netflix for worldwide audiences. The webtoon is titled “Ssanggabpocha” by Bae Hye-Soo and was first published in 2016. The webtoon was then developed into a series and released in 2020. Mystic Pop-Up Bar features some fascinating supernatural elements, and while it’s only 12 episodes long, the series garnered high ratings among audiences and critics alike.
The show follows three main characters whose lives are intertwined in the most mystical way possible. A mysterious food cart owner runs a rooftop bar only open at night, and she has a story to tell. Forced to live out a sentence for her past deeds, she must listen and help customers overcome their internal struggles. Alongside her is a young man with the ability to get people to confess and the manager of the shop who was once her past love.
13 True Beauty (2020)
A Woman Undergoes A Makeover And Finds More Popularity
True Beauty was a smash hit on streaming platforms when it debuted in 2020 and is a romantic story revolving around Lim Ju-kyung (Moon Ga-young), a young teenage girl who was always ridiculed for her appearance. When Lim Ju-kyung gets the opportunity to switch schools, she also decides to get a makeover. Now bubbling with confidence, she becomes a popular beauty at school.
The drama enthralled fans as it had a riveting love triangle between two former best friends who have feelings for the main character. The drama is based on a webtoon by Yaongyi. The creator expressed in a YouTube video that it was a dream come true to see her work be turned into a drama. Additionally, True Beauty was nominated for an Indonesian Hallyu Fans Choice Award and won for K-Drama of the Year.
True Beauty
Release Date December 9, 2020
Cast Moon Ga-young , Cha Eun-woo , Jang Hye-jin , Park Ho-san
Seasons 1
12 Love Alarm (2019)
An App Alerts People When Someone Who Likes Them Is Nearby
The highly acclaimed and talked about K-drama, Love Alarm, first got its start online and is definitively one of the best K-dramas based on webtoons. Chon Kye-Young has created several other popular webtoons (Unplugged Boy, Audition) with Love Alarm being the first Netflix original. Audiences got hooked on the young love story and the riveting love triangle. Overall, Love Alarm has been nominated for four awards at the Seoul International Drama Awards.
The series also had a hidden message regarding society’s reliance on social media and apps. Love Alarm follows a young school student who starts to use a popular love app that notifies her when someone who likes her is within a 10-meter radius. The show focuses on the relationship between the two main characters, but there’s someone else harboring feelings, as well. The drama’s popularity led to a second-season installment.
Love Alarm
Release Date August 22, 2019
Cast Kim So-hyun , Song Kang , Ga-ram Jung , Go Min-si
Seasons 2
11 Lucky Romance (2016)
A K-Drama About Falling In Love With The Boss
Lucky Romance is for any viewer looking for a cute and comical romance wherein Shim Bo-nui (Hwang Jung-eum) falls in love with her boss Je Soo-ho (Ryu Jun-yeoi), but it’s not a conventional love story. The original webtoon was made in 2014, and the show is just as bright and colorful as the source material, but the on-screen version is a bit more dynamic.
Shim Bo-nui is obsessed with superstitions and fortune-telling. One day, a shaman tells her that to save her sister, she must sleep with a man born in the year of the Tiger. In blind faith, she goes on the hunt and meets game developer Je Soo-ho, who doesn’t believe a word she says. It’s an overall sweet and compelling K-drama about falling in love with the boss, and won Ryu Jun-yeol a Best New Actor award at the 36th MBC Drama Awards.
10 Hell Is Other People (2019)
A K-Drama Thriller About A Man Fearful Of His Neighbors
If one isn’t looking for a romantic K-drama and instead wants a thriller full of jumps and scares, then Hell is Other People is a great watch. Hell Is Other People can also be found under the title, “Strangers from Hell.” It was first illustrated and written by Kim Yong-Ki. The insulated drama was critically acclaimed among audiences and critics alike, even securing itself the Grand Prize at the Cable TV Broadcasting Awards.
The psychological thriller centers around Yoon Jon-Woo (Im Si-wan), a young man in his 20s who moves to Seoul after getting a new job. In the thrilling K-drama, he stays in a low-end apartment where he shares the bathroom and kitchen with other residents. As he stays there, odd occurrences begin making him suspicious and fearful of his neighbors — especially the chilling dentist Seo Moon-jo (Lee Dong-wook).
9 The Uncanny Counter (2020)
A Young Man Finds New Life Fighting Evil Spirits
Netflix’s The Uncanny Counter had subscribers hooked on every episode for its action sequences, heartfelt story, and heartbreaking scenes. The webtoon the show is based on is titled under a different name, Amazing Rumor by Jang Yi, and is one of the best K-dramas based on webtoons. The stellar cast has received due recognition, with Yeom Hye-ran gaining a Best Supporting Actress award at the 57th Baeksang Arts Awards.
The show centers around So Mun (Jo Byeong-kyu), a wheelchair-using teen who is given the opportunity to join the Counters. The Counters are a group of individuals with supernatural abilities who fight evil spirits that escape the afterlife. Like many K-dramas tropes, their stories are intertwined in ways they never expected and help each other find peace with their troubled pasts. The series was critically praised and lasted two seasons and a total of 28 episodes.
8 Backstreet Rookie (2020)
A Young Man Reconnects With A Girl At His Family’s Convenience Store
Backstreet Rookie is a rom-com that debuted in 2020, based on a webtoon from 2016 and 2017 titled Convenience Store Saet-byul and written by Hwalhwasan. The series sees interesting twists and turns, making it highly binge-able. Its engaging storyline and lovable characters didn’t go unnoticed by critics, with the series garnering eight nominations and two wins at the SBS Drama Awards and the 7th APAN Star Awards.
The show starts with a prologue. Choi Dae-Hyun (Ji Chang-Wook) walks through an alley and encounters three teenage girls. One girl becomes incredibly smitten with him and even kisses him. The K-drama then time jumps three years forward. As Dae-Hyun manages his family’s convenience store, they need a part-time worker. In a twist of fate, the teenage girl from three years ago applies for the job. The K-drama uses the oft-used time-jumping storyline to great effect in a fun love story.
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7 All Of Us Are Dead (2022)
A Zombie Apocalypse In A High School Setting
All Of Us Are Dead
Cast Park Solomon , Cho Yi-hyun , Park Ji-hoo , Yoo In-soo , Yoon Chan-young
Distributor Netflix
The K-drama/horror Netflix series All of Us Are Dead was hugely popular, but what’s not common knowledge is that it’s based on an eponymous NAVER webtoon by Joo Dong-geun. All of Us Are Dead features plenty of jump scares and heart-stopping action sequences, but the series never forgoes the storyline. Renewed for a second season and one of the best K-dramas based on webtoons, All of Us are Dead is so highly acclaimed that the show was nominated for nine awards, winning two, at the 8th APAN Star Awards, 58th Baeksang Arts Awards, and 1st Blue Dragon Series Awards.
All of Us Are Dead follows students from classes 2-5 at Hyosan High School after a failed science experiment results in a zombie outbreak. Teachers and students alike are all affected, and the once-normal high school becomes a dangerous hunting ground for bloodthirsty zombies. All of Us are Dead is different from other zombie shows as it actually explores the zombie virus origins at length in a twist that must be seen to be believed.
6 Cheese In The Trap (2016)
A K-Drama Focusing On A Love Triangle
Cheese in the Trap first premiered in 2016 and is a popular K-drama for anyone looking for a good love triangle. The original webtoon it was adapted from was written by the user Soonkki. The love triangle K-drama webtoon amassed popularity and was developed into a K-drama. Cheese in the Trap has been nominated for a staggering 13 awards, winning four at the Korean Cable TV Awards, 52nd Baeksang Arts Awards, and 1st Asia Artist Awards.
The webtoon was published between 2010 and 2016. At the time of filming, the webtoon wasn’t complete yet, so the show had no set ending. It follows a university student whose life is turned upside down by the college’s rich and popular guy. His kind demeanor makes her question his intentions. The focus on interpersonal relationships between Yoo Jung and Hong Seol is what makes Cheese in the Trap such an engaging watch, as Jung’s manipulative tendencies in their relationship are both maddening and enthralling.
5 Hellbound (2021)
A Horror Story About Demonic Monsters & Religious Cults
Hellbound
Release Date November 19, 2021
Cast Yoo Ah-in , Kim Hyun-joo , Park Jeong-min , Won Jin-ah , Yang Ik-Joon , Kim Do-yoon , Kim Shin-rock , Ryu Kyung-soo
Seasons 2
Yeon Sang-ho is both the director of Hellbound and the creator of its original webtoon, which bears the same name. A K-drama with supernatural elements, Hellbound is definitely one of the best K-dramas based on a webtoon, as when it launched on Netflix, the series became the world’s most-watched Netflix series the next day, even surpassing Squid Game. Hellbound will at some point be getting a second season, but in the meantime, the high-octane K-drama’s first season alone was nominated for 14 awards, winning four for actress Kim Shin-rok.
Hellbound is set in 2022 and sees a mysterious angel descend on South Korea and start spewing prophecies. These prophecies condemn certain people to hell at an unspecified future time that ranges between seconds and years. Three supernatural beings are responsible for savaging and incinerating the hell-bound individual’s body. In the middle of this chaos are two groups, the New Truth Society and the Arrowhead group, who flex their own power by exploiting people’s fears.
4 Sweet Home (2020)
A K-Drama About The World’s End
Sweet Home (2020)
Release Date December 18, 2020
Cast Song Kang , Lee Jin-Wook , Lee Si-young , Park Gyu-young , Go Min-si , Kim Hee-jung , Kim Gook-hee , Lee Joon-woo
Seasons 2
Sweet Home became a must-watch K-drama on Netflix in 2020. It had everything fans were looking for in a riveting thriller of the world possibly ending. The drama also had a chilling storyline of monsters and survival. The apocalyptic horror series was first a Naver webtoon created by Kim Kan-Bi and Hwang Young-Chan. Full of thrilling fights and stunning cinematography, Sweet Home ran for three seasons and has been nominated for 18 awards, winning six.
In Sweet Home, the building tenants find themselves trapped inside one morning. They are unaware of what’s going on outside but soon realize that humans are turning into grotesque and ravenous monsters. Similar to Squid Game, the tenants fight for survival not only from the outside but from themselves. A tenant can turn into a monster at any moment, meaning the suspense in Sweet Home never truly ends.
3 My ID Is Gangnam Beauty (2018)
A K-Drama About Finding Acceptance In One’s Beauty
My ID is Gangnam Beauty is a K-drama that has everything from romance and battling insecurities to revenge and drama. Written and illustrated by Gi Meng-Gi, the webtoon centers around a college student who makes a life-changing decision. For those unaware of Korean culture, “Gangnam beauty” is a derogatory term used for women who have altered their looks through plastic surgery. Gangnam is an area in Seoul famous for its surgery clinics.
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2 What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim? (2018)
A Love Story Between A Boss & His Secretary
What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim? is one of the best K-dramas based on webtoons to watch for steamy romances between attractive lead characters with impeccable comedic talent. The K-drama’s steamy kissing scenes aside, the show is highly talked about, and so is the webtoon it’s based on. Created by Kim Myeong-Mi, the webtoon and K-drama follow a similar story. The romantic K-drama won six awards for its 16-episode run, receiving acclaim from the Korean Drama Awards, the APAN Star Awards, and the Annual Soompi Awards.
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What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim follows Lee Young-joon (Park Seo-joon), the stoic, arrogant, and yet handsome VP of a major corporation who is set to lose his trusted and dedicated secretary of nine years. Once hearing of her resignation, he comes to realize how much he needs her in his life. He goes into a spiral of attraction, feelings, and intense jealousy when it comes to her. Along the way, they fall in love but realize they knew each other all along.
A Woman Discovers She Lives Inside A Comic Book Story
Extraordinary You is a teen-love K-drama that was released in 2019 and is titled differently from its original webtoon. The webtoon is titled July Found by Chance and was published in 2018, but both have an interesting twist in their teen drama storylines. Extraordinary You is one of the most highly rated K-dramas based on webtoons, winning seven awards thanks to its unique storyline and relatable characters, including the Outstanding Korean Drama award at the Seoul Drama Awards.
Eun Dan-oh discovers that her life and the world they live in is a fantasy world in a comic. The comic writer gives her a mediocre fate of getting engaged to someone who hates her, and she’s expected to die soon. In a turn of events in the female-led K-drama, she writes her own story to find her true love, but it comes at a cost. Audiences will even be excited to see it’s the first major drama for a popular K-pop idol.