How Webtoons and Web Novels Are Revolutionizing Asian Dramas: A Deep Dive into IP Success

As content based on webtoons and web novels gains popularity on television, a clear virtuous cycle has emerged where the success of dramas boosts interest in their source material. This trend underscores how strategies centered around intellectual property (IP) not only drive viewership ratings and public buzz but also enhance production efficiency, establishing IP-based planning as a key strategy in the content industry.
The drama “Judge Lee Han-young” stands out as a prime example of this phenomenon. Adapted from a Naver Series web novel and later transformed into a Naver Webtoon, the series hit an impressive 11% nationwide viewership within just six episodes. Following its broadcast, downloads of the original web novel skyrocketed by 147 times compared to pre-teaser figures. Similarly, the webtoon’s viewership surged over twentyfold during the same period, demonstrating how the drama’s success directly fueled consumption of the original content.
tvN’s “Spring Fever,” another drama based on a web novel, showcases a similar trend. After its adaptation from web novel to webtoon and finally to drama, the original material saw a resurgence in popularity. In the two weeks following the drama’s January 5 premiere, webtoon views increased tenfold compared to pre-teaser numbers. This pattern highlights how the drama’s airing reignited interest in both the webtoon and web novel, expanding overall IP consumption.
Some projects have opted for a simultaneous launch strategy. “Beloved Thief” pre-released its webtoon a week before the drama aired, effectively capturing potential viewers. As the drama reached a 7% viewership after five episodes and climbed global platform rankings, the webtoon also experienced a surge in readership. This strategic linking of drama viewers and webtoon readers proved to be a winning formula.

The application of IP is now expanding beyond dramas into animation. Last month, Tving launched the animated series “Terror Man,” based on the eponymous webtoon. Industry experts note that this expansion of webtoon IP utilization from dramas to animation is significantly extending the lifespan and value of IP.
The driving force behind this expanding cycle is industrial efficiency. The Korea Creative Content Agency’s “2025 Content IP Transaction Status Survey” reveals that viewers are drawn to adaptations due to curiosity about differences from the original (38.4%) and passion for the source material (34.6%). This underscores the crucial role of original work recognition in securing initial viewership. For production companies, leveraging existing IP offers clear advantages. The survey indicates that 67.9% of broadcasting companies and 61.0% of film companies reported cost savings. Additionally, 71.4% of broadcasters and 60.9% of filmmakers noted reduced production times. These benefits stem from the ability to streamline the planning stage using pre-validated narratives and visual elements.
Industry insiders now view webtoon and web novel IP as vital assets that can simultaneously gauge commercial potential and operational efficiency, rather than mere supplementary materials. A content planning executive remarked, “As the symbiotic relationship between original works and their adaptations solidifies, IP-centric strategies have evolved from an option to a fundamental premise in content creation.”