Webtoon is an online comic that started in South Korea. Renowned for their distinctive storytelling techniques, rich artwork, and diverse genres, these engrossing visual narratives have become a cultural phenomenon. So don’t be surprised there are many Korean dramas whose storylines are adapted based on Webtoons.
Today there are many top-rated K-dramas that were first popular webtoons and started on webtoons.com or other sites and platforms.
Some of the best K-drama adaptations of webtoons are very close to the source material. However, this is not always the case, as some digressions are necessary for narrative reasons. Here are the best K-dramas based on webtoons that you must watch!
Best Korean Dramas Based on Webtoons
1. See You in My 19th Life
See You in My 19th Life is the latest K-drama adapted from the Webtoon entitled “See You in My 19th Life” by Lee Hye.
Tells about Ban Ji Eum, a girl who has extraordinary abilities. He could recall memories from all of his past lives. He even repeated his reincarnation for nearly a thousand years and lived his life diligently.
After her previous life was disrupted by a tragic accident, she decides to reconnect with the people from her past life in her current life. Ban Ji Eum also decides to find a man named Moon Seo Ha, whom she met at the age of 18.
On the other hand, there is also Yoon Cho Won, a landscape architect and younger brother of Yoon Joo Won, whose life was shattered after the death of his older brother.
When Yoon Cho Won met Ban Ji Eum by chance, he saw his older sister Ban Ji Eum and wondered about Ban Ji Eum’s identity. This Korean drama was released in 2023 and has 12 episodes. You can watch it on Netflix.
2. Itaewon Class
Park Sae Roy is a man who was expelled from school for punching a bully at his school. His life is also turned upside down after learning that his father died in an accident.
Even so, he doesn’t believe it was an accident and investigates the case with his friends. He found an irregularity in the company where his father worked.
Meanwhile, he also followed in his father’s footsteps by opening a pub food business called “DanBam” in Itaewon. Park Sae Roy, along with his manager and staff, strive for success and reach greater heights.
This is one of the best Korean webtoon dramas available on Netflix. It was released in 2020 with 16 episodes. This tv show stars Park Seo Joon, Kim Da Mi, and Kwon Na Ra.
3. True Beauty
“True Beauty” is a Kdrama romantic comedy inspired by the webtoon of the same name by Yaongyi. It tells the story of a high school girl, Lim Ju Gyeong, who becomes a famous beauty after mastering the art of make-up from YouTube.
Once she turned into a goddess due to her makeup skills but would rather die than show her bare face to anyone.
The only boy who sees her without makeup is Lee Su Ho, a boy who is attractive and handsome but is cold because of his dark past.
This drama stars Cha Eun Woo, Moon Ga Young, and Hwang In Yeop. It was released in 2020 with 16 episodes and you can watch this K-drama on Apple TV.
4. What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim
This series revolves around Lee Young Joon, a narcissistic man who works as vice president of a company run by his family. He is a typical person who is very concerned with himself, so he hardly recognizes the people around him.
Lee Young Joon has a capable and patient secretary named Kim Mi So who has been tied to his side and works diligently for 9 years without romantic involvement.
But now, Kim Mi So wants to manage his life & focus on himself so he decides to resign from his job.
When he spoke to his boss Lee Young Joon, there was a funny misunderstanding. After 9 years of their truly working relationships, can it now develop into something more?
This is one of the best Korean dramas based on Webtoons titled “Kimbiseopa Wae Geureolgga” by Jung Kyung Yoon. It was released in 2018 with 16 episodes and this tvN original drama is available on Netflix.
5. Nevertheless,
This Kdrama from Webtoon tells the story of Park Jae Eon, a man who dated the date wasted time but liked to tease. Even though he was friendly and cheerful about all, he did not pursue others.
Park Jae Eon is a master “push-and-pull” that is not bound by emotion. Jae Eon draws a strong line between himself and others and does not express how he feels.
But when Park Jae Eon meets Yoo Na Bi, he wants to cross the line. Yoo Na Bi is a Wnaita who wants to date but doesn’t trust love.
That’s because of the bitter experience with his first love, he does not believe in fate anymore. But when he met Park Jae Eon, he had a magical effect on him who challenged Na Bi’s decision to remain alone.
The drama stars Han So Hee and Song Kang. It was released in 2021 with 10 episodes and is available on Netflix.
6. The Tale of Nokdu
Tells the story of Jeon Nok Du, a man who lives on an island with his father and brother. He is smart and good at playing swords. But because he was a child, his father did not let him study or go to the mainland.
One day, his father and older brother were attacked by a group of female killers. Jeon Nok Du chases one of the killers to the capital. During that time, Jeon Nok Du met Dong Ju who was in his mission.
At that time Dong Ju wanted to shoot the king with his arrows, but Jeon Nok Du saved him from the problem. Meanwhile, the killer Jeon Nok Du chased to go the widow’s village.
To find out who and why his family was attacked, Jeon Nok Du disguised himself as a woman and entered the widow’s village. There, he met again with Dong Ju.
This is one of the best Korean romance dramas whose storyline is based on Webtoons titled “Nok Du Jeon” by Hye Jin Yang. It was released in 2019 with 32 episodes. You can watch this K-Drama historical with a happy ending on Netflix.
7. All of Us Are Dead
Set in a secondary school which is a zero point for the Zombie virus outbreak. The storyline follows the story of the students who are trapped there and have to survive or turn into one of the infected zombies.
This Korean drama was adapted from a webtoon of the same name by Joo Dong Geun and is available on Netflix. It was released in 2022 with 12 episodes.
8. Extraordinary You
Eun Dan Oh is 17 -year -old middle school student from a rich family who suffers from a lifetime heart condition that inevitably means he will not live through his teenage years.
However, when Eun Dan Oh realized that he experienced a long gap in his memory too, he came to an unhappy realization of other factors in his life: he was a character on the Korean webtoon and all his actions were estimated by artists who pulled him.
Even worse, he found him just a supporting character in the cast. With his new understanding of the world he inhabited, he was determined to find true love in his own plot line and avoid the author’s plan for his character by utilizing the flashboard he could see.
This is one of the best Korean dramas based on Webtoons titled “July Found by Chance” by Moo Ryoo. This was released in 2019 with 32 episodes. You can watch it on Netflix.
See Also: Extraordinary You Review and Ending
9. The Uncanny Counter
In addition, there is a K-Drama titled The Uncanny Counter which is inspired by a webtoon with title “Amazing Rumor” by Jang Yi.
This tells the story of a devil hunter named Counters who came to earth with the guise of being an employee in a noodle restaurant to capture the evil spirits who have returned to earth in pursuing eternal life. This series was released in 2020 with 16 episodes. You can watch it on Netflix.
10. My ID Is Gangnam Beauty
This series tells the story of Kang Mi Rae, a girl who was once disturbed because of her appearance. As a result, he became insecure and careful around others.
But Mi Rae decided she wanted a new start from intimidation and got plastic surgery to change her face. When he started university, he met Kyung Suk.
They are friends from high school. Kyung Suk is a handsome man who sees the person they have inside and not the outside and then interested in Kang Mi Rae.
This is one of the best Korean dramas based on Webtoons of the same name was released in 2018. It has 16 episodes and is available on Netflix.
11. Sweet Home
Sweet Home is a Korean webtoon drama that tells the story of Cha Hyun Soo, a man who moves into a new apartment after the death of his family in an accident.
But his quiet life is soon disrupted by strange occurrences that start happening in his apartment, and all over Korea. When people start turning into monsters, Hyun Soo and the other residents try to survive. The series was released in 2020 with 10 episodes. You can watch it on Netflix.
12. Love Alarm
It tells about the Love Alarm mobile app which is made to find out someone who likes you when they are within 10 meters of you, the alarm for the app rings. The app also shows how many people like you, but doesn’t reveal specific details about who likes you.
Kim Jo Jo is a beautiful and smart high school student. He seems like a cheerful person, but his parents died when he was young.
Since the death of his parents, Kim Jo Jo has lived with his aunt’s family. Living there was not easy for Kim Jo Jo. He also didn’t download the app because his phone wasn’t new enough.
Meanwhile, Hwang Sun Oh is a popular male student at the same high school as Kim Jo Jo. He is the son of a rich family, but he is not loved by his parents.
Hwang Sun Oh has a best friend named Lee Hye-yeong and he likes Kim Jo Jo. Hwang Sun Oh wanted to know if his friend really liked him, so he kissed Kim Jo Jo.
It was released in 2019 with 8 episodes. You can watch one of the best Korean dramas based on Webtoons on Netflix.
13. The Sound of Magic
The series’ storyline follows the story of Yoon Ah Yi, a high school student who supports herself and her younger sister by working part-time jobs.
She doesn’t know where his parents are. Because debt collectors used to kick his father out of the house and then his mother also ran away.
Despite his poor financial situation, Yoon Ah Yi manages to get close to the top of his school academically. Yoon Ah Yi himself wants to grow up soon and have a stable job.
His classmate Na Il Deung competes with Yoon Ah Yi for the highest score, but they start to have feelings for each other.
One day, Yoon Ah Yi meets magician Lee Eul at an abandoned amusement park. He performs magic shows for people who believe in magic. He is a mysterious person and he comforts Yoon Ah Yi who tells him that he believes in magic.
This K-drama is adapted from a webtoon with title “Annarasumanara” by Ha Il Kwon. It was released in 2022 with 6 episodes and is available on Netflix. This tv show stars Ji Chang Wook, Choi Sung Eun, and Hwang In Youp.
14. Tomorrow
Choi Joon Woong is a man who is looking for a job, but it is difficult for him to get hired. One night, he witnesses a man trying to end his life and decides to stop him.
He then becomes acquainted with the grim reapers Koo Ryeon and Im Ryoong Gu, who are members of the crisis management team. Their goal is to prevent people from committing suicide.
After Joon Woong falls into a coma and becomes half human and half spirit, he is hired by the grim reaper company as the newest member of the crisis management team.
This K-drama based on a Webtoon is available on Netflix. It was released in 2022 with 16 episodes.
15. Kingdom
Soon after the King of Joseon succumbed to smallpox, rumors about his death started. The Cho clan, clan of the pregnant Queen and her father, Chief State Councilor Cho Hak Joo, declared the Crown Prince a traitor.
Questioning the circumstances surrounding the King’s death, the Crown Prince and his bodyguard, Moo Young, set out to find Lee Seung Hui, the last healer to treat his father.
But the two of them end up trapped with Doctor’s Assistant Seo Bi and a mysterious man named Young Shin in a village ravaged by a terrible disease.
The Korean series from Webtoon was released in 2019 and has 6 episodes. You can watch it on Netflix.
16. My Roommate Is a Gumiho
It tells the story of Shin Woo Yeo, a handsome and intelligent writer, who is actually a 999-year-old nine-tailed fox. In order to become human, he collects human energy in a bead.
One day, Lee Dam’s drunken friend, a university student, falls asleep in Woo Yeo’s expensive car. Meanwhile, Lee Dam struggles to take his friend away but is short on manpower.
Woo Yeo then tries to help him, but Woo Yeo’s bead accidentally falls out of his mouth, and Lee Dam accidentally swallows it.
The bead can be in the human body for no more than 1 year and after that, the bead will break inside the human body causing the person to die.
Not wanting to lose his chance to become human, Woo Yeo explains their predicament to Lee Dam and suggests living together until they find a solution. Lee Dam, who has never had a girlfriend in his life, now lives with Shin Woo Yeo.
This is one of the best Korean dramas based on webtoons. It was released in 2021 with 15 episodes. You can watch this K-drama on Amazon Prime Video.
17. Strangers from Hell
Yoon Jong Woo is a young man in his 20s who moves from the countryside to Seoul after his college friend Jae Ho offers him a job.
While looking for a place to stay, he comes across Eden Gosiwon, a cheap hostel that shares a kitchen and bathroom with the other residents.
He is not happy with the quality of the place or the abnormal inhabitants there, such as his next-door neighbor Seo Moon Jo, a charismatic dentist.
Nevertheless, Jong Woo decided to stick around for 6 months until he had enough money to move out. However, mysterious incidents begin to occur in the apartment, causing Jong Woo to start to fear the residents of the apartment.
The series stars Im Siwan and Lee Dong Wook. It was released in 2019 with 10 episodes. You can watch one of the best Korean Webtoon dramas on Netflix.
18. Island
Island is a Korean drama adapted from the Webtoon of the same name by Yoon In Wan and illustrated by Yang Kyung Il.
It tells the story of Won Mi Ho the only daughter of his father who runs the Daehan Group. His arrogant and selfish attitude caused him to make a big mistake which finally made his father angry and banished him to Jeju island.
There, he is assigned to work as a high school ethics teacher. Unbeknownst to him, the island is a place where crime roams freely. He meets other people on the island and together, the characters join forces to live.
This drama has 2 seasons with a total of 12 episodes. It was released in 2022 and is available on Amazon Prime Video.
See Also: Island K-Drama Review and Ending Explained
That was the list of the best Korean dramas based on famous and popular Webtoons. Thanks for reading this article, have a nice day!
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