Streaming giants Netflix and Crunchyroll recently met with Korean publishers such as RIDI and KW Books , seeking new webtoon adaptations to expand their reach in North America. The meetings took place during the K-Story&Comics , held in Los Angeles between July 30 and August 3 .
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The meeting was attended by 74 American companies and 10 Korean companies. Among the prominent names were Alcon Entertainment , Lionsgate , TOKYOPOP , Tomorrow Studios (co-producer of the One Piece live-action series), and other production companies and publishers interested in Korean content.
Webtoons are gaining traction on streaming platforms' radar
Publishers DCCENT , Vivravo , YLAB EARTH , Torycoms, and Toyou's Dream also participated, presenting their main works to US studios. Vivravo , in particular, secured a strategic partnership with the American company Toon Pocket , aiming to distribute audio dramas based on Korean comics.
Crunchyroll has already shown interest in diversifying its productions beyond Japanese manga. However, the success of the adaptation of Solo Leveling , which began as a Korean web novel, reinforces this strategy. The company is also considering producing anime based on Indian and British works, targeting new markets.
Netflix, meanwhile, is reaping the rewards of the popularity of K-dramas and its adaptations of webtoons such as True Beauty , Weak Hero , and The Trauma Code . Another recent highlight was the K-Pop movie Demon Hunters , now among the four most-watched English-language films on the platform.
Adaptations that drive gaming and streaming
In addition to the animated series, Crunchyroll is now also involved in the development of the game Solo Leveling: KARMA , while Netflix has acquired the rights to the live-action version. However, this move promises to generate cross-platform traffic, with audiences migrating between the anime, the series, and the games in the franchise.
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Source: PR Newswire