Highly addictive and charming in their own way, Korean dramas have got us in a chokehold. One of their secret ingredients? Webtoons. Using webtoons (a term used for Korean comics) as source material for K-dramas has been popular since the mid-2010s. The international success of viral webtoon-turned-k-drama titles like A Business Proposal, All of Us Are Dead, True Beauty, What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim, and many more further proved the effectiveness of this practice. 

More than a decade since its emergence, this format is thriving as ever! So make sure to leave enough space in your watch list for these new and upcoming K-dramas:

Marry My Husband

They say revenge is a dish best served cold, but Marry My Husband proves otherwise. When Kang Ji-Won (played by Park Min-Young) catches her husband having an affair with her best friend, she travels back in time to change her future and exact vengeance on the two. Fans cannot help but root for Ji-Won as she quickly (and satisfyingly) begins her revenge plan, unlike other dramas of the same plot. Based on a webtoon by Studio Lico, Marry My Husband has been a crowd favorite, with more than 150 million views in the Naver Webtoon app.

Daily Dose of Sunshine

Released last November 2023 on Netflix, Daily Dose of Sunshine follows the story of Jung Da-Eun (played by Park Bo-Young), a kind young nurse in the psychiatric ward attempting to understand the problems of her patients and her own. This web series beautifully and accurately illustrates various mental illnesses, putting the viewers in the patients’ shoes. This 12-episode tearjerker is based on the popular webtoon of the same name by former nurse Lee Ra-Ha, who revealed that real-life events inspired the scenes. Be sure to prepare lots of tissues!

A Killer Paradox

If killing criminals is a talent, college student Lee Tang (played by Choi Woo-Shik) might be a genius. This crime-thriller will put viewers on the edge of their seats as they watch the antihero become a vigilante serial murderer. A Killer Paradox is based on a webtoon published in 2010 by writer Ggomabi and illustrator Nomabi. This 8-episode drama is on Netflix. Fun fact: some scenes were shot in the Philippines, so watch out for those!

Doona!

What would you do if you found out a famous idol lives in the same apartment as you? For most, this is a dream come true, but for college student Lee Won-Jun (played by Yang Se-jong), it is a huge problem. Bae Suzy brings to life the character of Lee Doo-na, a beautiful and enigmatic former K-pop idol in this webtoon-turned-k-drama by Min Song-ah. 

Death’s Game

Based on a 2019 webtoon entitled Yijae Will Die Soon by writer Lee Won-Sik and illustrator Ggoolchan, Death’s Game is about a jobless man who gets punished for taking life too lightly. He gets thrown into a game organized by Death herself, where he has to live and experience the death of 12 people. This star-studded series has been the talk of the town way before its release, with famous Korean celebrities Park So-Dam (from Parasite), Seo In-Guk (from Doom at Your Service), Alchemy of Souls protagonists Go Youn-Jung and Lee Jae-Wook, and Lee Do Hyun (from The Glory). 

Chicken Nugget

If you crave something light and out of the ordinary, you must try Chicken Nugget. Set to release on March 15, this quirky comedy series begins when the daughter of a small machine company owner mysteriously turns into a chicken nugget. We join Choi Sun-Man (played by Ryu Seung-Ryong) as he desperately tries to bring back her daughter with the help of a staff intern. This K-drama is based on a 2019 webtoon of the same title by Park Ji-Dok.

Perfect Marriage Revenge

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4uvjnFFX1sA

True to its title, this series is the perfect marriage revenge as Han Yi-Joo (played by Jung Yoo-Min) gets a chance to relive her days before she marries her cheating husband and lives with her abusive in-laws. She immediately breaks her engagement and pursues Seo Do-Guk (played by Sung Hoon) for a contractual marriage, but the latter surprisingly wishes for a real one. This romance-revenge drama written by Young and Lee Beom-Bae and illustrated by Jerryball has more than 90 million views on Naver Webtoon.

Wedding Impossible

https://youtu.be/R5JRiGE8tbA?si=rI8okwsbM6t3Ex1Y

This list is incomplete without a K-drama fan’s watch list staple: a good rom-com like Wedding Impossible. Based on a webtoon by Lee Song-Jung, it follows the story of an unknown actress who enters into a fake marriage with her best friend – a gay conglomerate heir. The two try their best to convince his parents, especially his skeptical younger brother. The highly-anticipated TVN series premiered on February 26.

Which of these K-dramas are you looking forward to the most?

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