Streaming giants Netflix and Crunchyroll recently met with Korean publishers like 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 from July 30 to August 3 .
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The meeting was attended by 74 North American companies and 10 Korean companies. Among the big names were Alcon Entertainment , Lionsgate , TOKYOPOP , Tomorrow Studios (co-producer of One Piece ), and other producers and publishers interested in Korean content.
Webtoons are trending on platforms' radar
Publishers DCCENT , Vivravo , YLAB EARTH , Torycoms , and Toyou's Dream also participated, presenting their major works to US studios. Vivravo even secured a strategic partnership with American company Toon Pocket to distribute audio dramas based on Korean comics.
Crunchyroll has already expressed interest in diversifying its productions beyond Japanese manga. However, the success of the adaptation of Solo Leveling 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 benefits of the popularity of K-dramas and their webtoon adaptations like True Beauty , Weak Hero , and The Trauma Code . Another recent highlight was the K-Pop film Demon Hunters , now among the platform's four most-watched English-language films.
Adaptations that move games and streaming
In addition to the animated series, Crunchyroll is now also involved in the development of the 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 franchise's games.
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Source: PR Newswire
