Posters for MBC's rom-com "Perfect Crown," left, penned by prize-winning debutant writer Yoo Ji-won, and its upcoming spin-off web novel / Courtesy of MBC, Kakao Entertainment
The long-standing success formula for Korean entertainment is undergoing a dramatic pivot as original television screenplays increasingly serve as the foundation for new webtoons and web novels, flipping the industry's traditional "webtoon-to-screen" equation.
For years, the K-drama industry relied on popular digital comics and fiction as guaranteed blueprints for televised hits, but recent breakout successes are reversing this trajectory. The first half of 2026 has seen a surge in original scripts — many by rookie writers — that are expanding "backward" into the digital space after proving their commercial viability on screen.
This shift is fueled by a new business model known as "reverse expansion," where the drama acts as the source intellectual property (IP) rather than the end product.
Leading the trend is MBC drama"Perfect Crown,"starring IU and Byeon Woo-seok, and Netflix series"The Art of Sarah."
Despite being penned by rookie writers, these projects have secured substantial production budgets and star-studded casts, signaling a significant shift in how the industry values and invests in original storytelling.
The commercial performance of these works has been encouraging across both domestic and international markets. "Perfect Crown" surpassed an 11 percent national viewership rating in its second week, according to Nielsen Korea. It also claimed the top global spot in the Disney+ non-English segment, according to FlixPatrol.
Upon release, the Netflix series "The Art of Sarah" and"Boyfriend on Demand"surged to the top of the global non-English TV charts as pure original creations rather than established adaptations.
Posters for SBS romance drama "Our Beloved Summer," top, and its spin-off webtoon / Courtesy of SBS, Naver Webtoon
"Perfect Crown," penned by prize-winning debutant writer Yoo Ji-won, is now spawning a spin-off web novel on Kakao Page to coincide with the drama's finale.
Source: Korea Times News
