TurtleMe blends cultural influences into global fantasy hit
Korean-American writer Brandon Lee reflects on cross-cultural storytelling and the unexpected journey to web comic stardom
Despite the virtual empire built under his pen name, TurtleMe, Brandon Lee still prefers the simple pleasure of writing in coffee shops.
"I always try to get my writing done in the morning," he explains from his home in Seattle during a interview via video with The Korea Herald on Friday.
"I like going to cafes and using my creative brain there. I get kind of stuffy if I always only work from home."
This modest routine belies Lee's status as the publishing platform Tapas' crown jewel — the creator of "The Beginning After the End," a fantasy saga that has amassed over 60 million views worldwide and generates roughly $500,000 monthly as a web comic.
What began as a stress-relieving hobby during his post-Berkeley career at JPMorgan Chase has evolved into a multimedia phenomenon with an anime adaptation slated for North American release in April.
"I wouldn't say star," he demurs when asked about his celebrity. "That's relative."
Lee's journey to literary success feels almost accidental.
"I had no dreams or aspirations of becoming a writer," he says. "I didn't think I would be writing at all."
Instead, he credits his immigrant childhood for cultivating his voracious reading habits.
"My parents thought that me reading meant that I was studying, so I got away with reading a lot of books. If I were to play games, my parents would scold me, but if I'm reading books, even fantasy books that have nothing to do with school, they were fine with that."
What distinguishes Lee's work is its uniquely multicultural DNA. As a Korean-American who immigrated at age 3, he absorbed storytelling traditions from both worlds, devouring everything from canonical fantasy works like "Lord of the Rings" and "Eragon" to more niche Korean fantasy manhwas and web novels like "Eureka" and "The Legendary Moonlight Sculptor."
"One advantage I had being an immigrant was access to cultural things — being aware of what webtoons were, being able to read in Korean. It was an advantage many English-speaking, American-born readers didn't have," Lee explains.
"I was always aware of what's popular in Korea, what's trending. The States were five to ten years behind Korea in some trends. I felt ahead of the curve."
This cultural ambidexterity manifests in "The Beginning After the End," which follows King Grey, who reincarnates into a magical world as Arthur Leywin. The series blends Eastern concepts like cultivation systems and mana cores with Western high fantasy tropes.
"It really wasn't inspiration from any single source," Lee says. "TBATE has roots in cultivation systems, like the whole mana core and getting stronger through meditation. It's a blend of Korean manhwas, light novels, epic fantasies from America, and Chinese web novels."
Though he denies any grand strategy, Lee found himself naturally filling a gap in Western fantasy literature.
"Reincarnation stories weren't widespread in America when I started 10 years ago," he reflects. His background gave him a distinct viewpoint that merged traditions — creating a protagonist who carries previous-life knowledge into a meticulously structured magical system where personal growth and relationships matter as much as power acquisition.
"I prefer writing moments where characters face setbacks alongside victories," Lee notes. "When the hero struggles, trains, builds connections, and then finally succeeds — that creates a bigger payoff."
When Tapas Entertainment approached him about adapting his novel into a webtoon format, Lee first thought it was a scam. But the platform's Korean-influenced design felt familiar.
"I could see where its roots were coming from," he says.
This partnership flourished, eventually leading to Kakao Entertainment's $510 million acquisition of Tapas in 2021.
The series' popularity in Korea holds special significance for Lee.
"When TBATE was first made into a web comic and translated into Korean, I was very nervous but also proud. It was like going back to my roots, where webcomics really started. I wondered how Koreans would think of my story," Lee says.
Korean readers largely embraced the series, though some noted difference in pacing compared to domestic stories.
"Koreans kept referring to 'goguma' moments," Lee laughs, referencing the Korean term for slow or unsatisfying plot progression. "The story structure of TBATE is different from how action fantasies typically are in Korea. Mine is slower, with more character interaction that doesn't always progress the plot. The main character getting stronger is important but not everything."
The multimedia adaptation presented new collaborative challenges for a writer accustomed to solitary creation.
"I had to realize these are experts who know how to create an anime. I might not agree with everything, but I don't know animation as they do. I know my story and can share thoughts on how it should be portrayed, but in the medium of anime, they're the experts," Lee says.
Despite his success, Lee kept his writing career secret from his parents for years.
"When I first started writing full-time, I didn't want to tell them because it was still a risk. I wasn't making that much money, and stepping away from a stable job in finance was scary. I worried my parents wouldn't accept it," he says.
They discovered his success only recently, through Korean media coverage of his recent anime deal.
Today, Lee remains refreshingly grounded.
"Day to day, I don't really feel famous. Maybe at conventions when I'm at a panel or when there's a line for autographs, that's really humbling. The only thing that's really different is I can eat out more. I can eat fancy foods without worrying too much — that's a really cool thing."
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