Hit BL webtoon makes rare leap to web novel format
Kakao Entertainment announced that its hit webtoon "Secret Relationships" has been adapted into a series and a web novel, with the live-action series having premiered on various global streaming platforms on Thursday.
The webtoon "Secret Relationships," which has amassed 170 million total views since its release in 2020, weaves the journeys of four male characters, focusing on the feelings of character Jung Da-on toward the other men. The webtoon has been serialized on global stages, rolling out in six territories including North America and Japan ― via digital comic platforms such as Tapas and Piccoma.
Now reimagined as a 12-episode drama, "Secret Relationships" features rising stars Kim Jun-seo, Cha Seon-hyung, Cha Jung-woo and Kim Ho-young. The series, having premiered on Thursday midnight, is available on Watcha and several international streaming services, including FOD, iQIYI, GagaOOLala and Heavenly.
The series' soundtrack features a star-studded lineup and has gained significant popularity, with BTOB's Lee Chang-sub's "True Love" and Paul Blanco's "Careless I Love You" amassing 3.4 million and 580,000 views on YouTube, respectively.
In a rare reverse-adaptation move, the webtoon has also been transformed into a web novel, released on Feb. 14 under the same title.
The adaptation delves deeper into the narrative with expanded dialogues, monologues and additional episodes that were not fully explored in webtoon. The web novel is currently available on Kakao Page.
“Not only does the work have strong artistic merit, but it has also secured a solid fanbase ― and as such, the adaptation of the webtoon into drama and web novel formats is expected to further strengthen its intellectual property power,” a Kakao Entertainment representative stated.
“As successful cases of content based on Kakao Entertainment’s story IP continue to accumulate, collaborations with competitive production companies both domestically and internationally are increasing. This year, we will continue to create various opportunities to showcase the excellence of Kakao Entertainment’s IP,” the official added.
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