Several of Netflix’s most popular recent series were born of comics shared on Webtoon, a popular webcomic publisher.
Late last year, Netflix debuted Sweet Home, a television adaptation of Kim Carnby and Hwang Young-chan’s webcomic of the same name. The first season was immensely popular on the streaming platform, and rumors allege that the season’s success prompted Netflix to greenlight a second season.
The platform also recently launched the first season of Hellbound, another Korean dark fantasy series based on a webtoon. The comic the series is based on comes from Choi Gyuseok and Yeon Sangho, who recently made the comic available in English. Both of these series—along with a few that got snagged up by Cruchyroll—have sparked a sudden interest among viewers in the source material.
Webtoon is host to a massive collection of stellar comic series, many of which are in the process of being adapted as we speak. Here are a few to watch out for.
Lore Olympus
The most popular comic on Webtoon has well earned its place. Created by Rachel Smythe, this gorgeously realized comic puts a delightful modern spin on several classic Greek mythology stories, including the Abduction of Persephone. The artwork is colorful and emotional, and the story is captivating, romantic, and hilarious.
Any adaptation of this series is bound to be thoroughly watchable, but one from Netflix is all the more likely to succeed. The platform is reportedly working on a Lore Olympus series in collaboration with the Jim Henson Company, though news about the series’ potential release is exceedingly slim. Regardless of when we see it or where it ends up, a television adaptation of the series has been confirmed, so fans will eventually see Smythe’s vibrant gods on screen.
All of Us Are Dead
Headed to Netflix in January of 2022, All Of Us Are Dead is another South Korean show based on a Webtoon. The comic follows a group of high school students who find themselves trapped in their school during a zombie outbreak.
It is based on Now at Our School by Joo Dong-geun, which was initially published between 2009 and 2011.
D.P.
Shifting into far more serious tones, D.P. is the only entry on this list—apart from Sweet Home and Hellbound—that is already available to stream on Netflix. The series, which is based on creator Kim’s D.P: Dogs Day, was originally published between 2015 and 2016. It arrived on Netflix on Aug. 27, 2021.
The series name is an acronym for “Deserter Pursuit,” and follows a story that takes place in 2014. It follows a group of Korean military police who are tasked with tracking down deserters, and aims to shine a spotlight on some of the more negative traits of military service, particularly in South Korea, and reveals the ugly and brutal reality some enlistees endure.