The Korea Times
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
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