Latest news with #KakaoWebtoon
AsiaOne
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- AsiaOne
Lee Chae-min recounts surprising Crushology 101 cast and crew with how much he perspired on set , Entertainment News
Does it ever feel like the summer heat is out to get everyone? In a recent interview with AsiaOne, South Korean actor Lee Chae-min talked about a scene in his new K-drama Crushology 101 that was special to him. "I think the first shoot is what stands out the most in my memory. We started filming in the middle of a really hot summer. Since I sweat a lot, the staff on set were all pretty surprised," shared the 24-year-old who plays Hwang Jae-yeol in the show. "There's even a scene where my sweat is visible in the actual footage — that episode definitely stuck with me." In Crushology 101, which is based on the Kakao Webtoon of the same name, university student Bani's (Roh Jeong-eui) first love leaves her heartbroken but luck has two new men coming her way. There is the charming yet brooding Jae-yeol, whose heart is a lot softer than he lets on. There is also the perfect dream guy Cha Ji-won (Cho Jun-young), who might be hiding some secrets of his own. Chae-min's fellow cast members also shared with us the scenes that stood out to them. For 22-year-old Jun-young, it was "sincere and heartwarming" when his character Ji-won finally opened up about his growing feelings for Bani on his terrace, after having "always stayed quietly and warmly by her side". [embed] Jeong-eui's scene of choice would be Bani opening up about her struggles while drinking with best friends Bo-bae (Nam Kyu-hee) and Kkot-nim (Choi Ji-su). The 23-year-old actress added: "We had so much fun filming it. Since we were all so comfortable with each other, like real friends, it barely even felt like work." Chemistry on set 'amazing' and 'incredible' The cast had nothing but good things to say about their chemistry with one another. "Since we're all around the same age, we had a great time joking around and chatting comfortably — it made for such a fun and friendly atmosphere on set," shared Jeong-eui, calling her chemistry with her male co-stars "amazing". For Jun-young, the chemistry was "incredible", adding: "The atmosphere was always so bright and cheerful. We joked comfortably and looked out for one another." Although Jeoung-eui always kept the mood bright on set, as soon as the cameras started rolling, Jun-young, felt she'd "switch to a serious, focused mindset". "That professionalism really stood out to me and was something I truly admired," he said, pointing out that she is the most experienced actor among the cast. Jeong-eui's acting career started in 2011 when she was just 10 and in 2016, she gained notice for her supporting role in the movie Phantom Detective. How alike is the cast to their characters? When asked to describe how they relate to their characters, Chae-min and Jun-young had varied answers. Chae-min felt that the similarity between him and Jae-yeol was "around 30 to 40 per cent". He explained: "On the outside, we both seem a bit cold but deep down, we're actually quite different from that impression — that part feels quite similar to me. "Besides that, I think our way of speaking and how we treat people are quite different." Jun-young perceives Ji-won as someone who's stoic and "endlessly gentle with the people he cares about". He added: "He may seem quiet, but once he's comfortable with someone, he's actually playful and jokes around a lot - that's something I really relate to." Crushology 101, which also stars Kim Hyun-jin, Hong Min-gi and Kim Min-chul, is now available for streaming on Viu. [[nid:717827]] No part of this article can be reproduced without permission from AsiaOne.
Forbes
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
How A Tale Of Resilience ‘Itaewon Class' Became A Japanese Musical
Itaewon Class is more than a popular webtoon, garnering over 430 million cumulative views on Kakao Webtoon. It's a source of ongoing inspiration. The engaging storyline has inspired a variety of adaptations, including the 2020 Korean TV series, starring Park Seo-joon and Kim Da-mi, and a 2022 Japanese TV series titled Roppongi Class, which topped Netflix Japan's most watched list for weeks. A Taiwanese series is being developed and the first-ever musical adaptation of Itaewon Class is currently in rehearsal. The stage adaptation of the original webtoon will be performed at Brillia Hall in Tokyo from June 9 through 30, with a national tour following through July 21. Produced by the Japanese entertainment company Toho Co., Ltd., the musical is a collaboration between Korean, Japanese, and U.S. creators, including composer and lyricist Helen Park. The award-winning South Korean-born composer is best known for the score of the Broadway musical KPOP and she's the first Asian female composer/lyricist for a Broadway play to be nominated for a Tony Award. Park is also a fan of the original Itaewon Class webtoon by Kwang Jin. 'I loved how compelling the webtoon is in its rawness and humanity,' said Park. 'What struck me most was how grounded and flawed the characters were—and how deeply relatable their struggles felt.' The webtoon was serialized from 2016 to 2020 on Kakao Webtoon, a platform operated by Kakao Entertainment. "It features Park Sae-ro-yi as the protagonist ― a character who steadfastly adheres to his own beliefs and principles ― while unfolding the stories of various young people navigating life in contemporary society," said Jake Hwang, chief manager of Story IP Business at Kakao Entertainment. Sae-ro-yi (Nozomu Kotaki) is an ex-convict who opens a pub in Seoul's Itaewon neighborhood and tries to live in a way that would make his late father proud. As a high school student he transferred to a new school because his father (Masahiro Asano) transferred to that location for work. There he saw his classmate Jang Geun-won (Kentaro Akizawa) bullying others. Everyone looked the other way, but Sae-ro-yi hit him. Because Geun-won is the son of Jang Dae-hee (Kenta Satoi), the chairman of the restaurant chain where Sae-ro-yi's father works, Sae-ro-yi drops out of school and his father quits his job. "The story of Itaewon Class is one of resilience, ambition, and the pursuit of justice—all set against the vibrant, ever-changing backdrop of Itaewon, Seoul,' said Park. 'Musically, I wanted to reflect that energy by blending contemporary musical theater with k-pop, rock, and the lush, emotionally rich style of Korean drama that defined the TV adaptation.' When his father later dies, Sae-ro-yi learns about Geum-won's involvement. He assaults Geum-won and ends up in prison, crushing his hopes for the future and his budding romance with classmate Soo-ah (Minami Umezawa/Yurina Kawaguchi). Years after his release Sae-ro-yi opens a restaurant in Itaewon. He doesn't know a lot about business but he instinctively knows who to trust. As an ex-con Sae-ro-yi knows what it's like to be looked down on. He assembles a crew of workers, who might find it hard to fit in anywhere else, and together they excel in the convivial setting of the pub DanBam. He teams up with the smart sociopath Yi-seo, played by Sora Kazuki/Sara). He also hires Hyeon-yi (Kate Doi), Seung-won (Kodai Yoshida), and Geun-soo (Tasuke Niihara), Geun-won's younger brother who has feelings for Yi-seo. 'I was also inspired by the characters' emotional journeys,' said Park. "Each of them has a distinct voice, and I tried to capture that individuality and depth in the score.' For Hwang the ongoing adaptations of Itaewon Class stem from its vivid, lifelike characters and its close reflection of real-world narratives. 'The story deeply resonates with readers, offering comfort and encouragement to many young people living through today's challenging times,' said Hwang. For Park the story is timely, but the message is timeless. 'I believe it's the timelessness of the themes—perseverance, integrity, love, and revenge—set within a culturally specific context,' said Park. "It's a classic hero's journey, but one deeply rooted in contemporary Korean society, which gives it both universality and a fresh perspective. That balance is what makes the story resonate so strongly across different mediums and cultures, including the Japanese audience we're honored to present this musical to.' The musical's script was written by Riko Sakaguchi, best known for her work on the productions The Tale of the Princess Kaguya and Mary and The Witch's Flower. The production will be directed by Koyama Yuna, who won the Yomiuri Theater Award for Outstanding Director. The musical's choreography is by Kyle Hanagami, who has worked with k-pop group Blackpink. Lee Hee-joon is the lyricist and composer, known for his work on the musical Darwin Young's Origins of Evil. The webtoon Itaewon Class is available in English on Tapas and the live-action Korean adaptation is available on Netflix.
Korea Herald
12-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
Web comics industry faces contraction, adult content surges
Number of titles down 6.7 percent as new releases plunge 14.6 percent across platforms South Korea's once-thriving web comics industry has shown signs of cooling down. New data shows the digital comics market shrank nearly 7 percent last year, with adult content now making up over half of all titles. According to data released by the Korea Manhwa Contents Agency (KOMACON) on Wednesday, the total number of web comics available across domestic platforms dropped to 18,792 in 2024. This marks a 6.7 percent decrease from the previous year's 20,141 titles. Industry giant Kakao Entertainment saw a significant decline across its platforms. Kakao Page, its multimedia hub featuring both comics and novels, saw offerings dip by 16.1 percent, from 1,401 to 1,176 titles. Kakao Webtoon recorded an even steeper 22 percent reduction. Market leader Naver managed to break away from this downward trend. Its flagship Naver Webtoon platform grew by 20.1 percent, adding 71 new titles last year. Naver Series, a digital content platform offering web novels, webtoons and e-books, also grew its lineup by 20.4 percent, reaching 2,775 titles. The declining number of new releases suggested possible changes in the content creation pipeline. An analysis spanning 34 different South Korean platforms found that new web comic launches dropped by 14.6 percent industry-wide, falling from 17,245 in 2023 to 14,723 last year. "The web comics market contracted throughout 2024," KOMACON said in its report. "This downturn will likely carry on well into the first half of 2025." Meanwhile, the report painted a picture of an industry pivoting toward adult-oriented material. Works rated "18+" accounted for 57.7 percent of all web comics available last year. Niche platforms dominated this segment, with Bomtoon topping the list at 83.4 percent adult-only titles, followed by Jjang Manhwa (82 percent), Bookcube (71.9 percent) and Lezhin Comics (71.3 percent). Among major platforms, Naver Series stood out with nearly half (48.6 percent) of its catalog rated for adults only. Kakao Page followed at 17 percent, while both Kakao Webtoon and Naver Webtoon held onto relatively family-friendly offerings, with adult titles at 6.6 percent and 5.2 percent, respectively.
