Korean Webtoons Make Their Way to Screen: A Look at Studio N’s ‘Bloodhounds 2’, ‘The Legend of Kitchen Soldier’, and ‘The Remarried Empress’
Studio N, the production label behind the hit series Bloodhounds, is poised to unveil a new season of the Netflix drama. The company will also showcase a screening of The Legend of Kitchen Soldier at the upcoming Series Mania festival, alongside the anticipated launch of their largest project yet, The Remarried Empress, set to debut later this year on Disney+. Additionally, an adaptation of the popular webtoon Gosu is currently in development with Toei.
Studio N benefits from its affiliation with Webtoon Entertainment, the parent company owning the Webtoon and Wattpad platforms. David Madden has described how Webtoon Productions in Los Angeles is tapping into web comics and web novel intellectual property (IP), and Studio N is similarly focused on introducing Korean-language content to an international audience.
“One of the goals of our company is IP adaptation, so we are not just going to focus on The Legend of the Kitchen Soldier,” said Mikyung (Michelle) Kwo, addressing her mission at Series Mania.
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The Remarried Empress, set to launch on Disney+, promises to be Studio N’s most ambitious production to date. With a star-studded cast including Shin Min-a, Ju Ji-hoon, Lee Jong-suk, and Lee Se-young, it is a live-action adaptation of a widely celebrated webtoon. The fantasy narrative unfolds in a realm filled with emperors and empresses, adorned with grand castles and opulent costumes.
Studio N boss Mikyung (Michelle) Kwo
Kwo emphasized the significance of the webcomic, stating, “It is a very famous web comic series and one of the largest IPs that we have. It’s similar to Bridgerton, but the eastern version. Everyone will have traditional costumes, and there will be kings and queens. It’s a little different from the traditional Korean history that you’re used to.” The series is filmed in both Korea and the Czech Republic.
In regard to adapting a romantasy web comic into a live-action format, Kwon noted the studio’s intention to closely mimic the original artwork, especially concerning costumes. “We wanted to maintain the attire the characters wore in the web comic, and Disney+ bought into this idea,” she explained.
Prior to The Remarried Empress, Studio N will launch Season 2 of Bloodhounds on April 3. The first season followed two young boxers, portrayed by Woo Do-hwan and Lee Sang-yi, as they encountered a notorious criminal. “In Season 1 the two young characters come out with a lot of action scenes, and the same can be expected in Season 2,” Kwon said, announcing that popular singer Jung Ji-hoon will return as the season’s villain.
At Series Mania, The Legend of Kitchen Soldier was selected for a special screening, with the festival remarking, “Rarely does a drama embrace such freedom and a gonzo joy.” This series features Park Ji-hoon as a young recruit aspiring to be a legendary army cook, based on a webtoon that has garnered 650 million global views.
Kwon described the narrative as a coming-of-age story. “It is a coming of age story of a kitchen soldier,” she clarified. “Park Ji-hoon starred in The Man Who Lives With the King, a movie that was released in Korea in January. It became so popular, and this is his next project to be released. We can enjoy some ripple over effects from the success of that film.”
Looking to the future, Studio N is collaborating with Toei on an adaptation of the Korean webtoon Gosu, well-known for producing iconic animated series like Dragon Ball and One Piece. “We are co-developing this together right now,” Kwon said. “We’ve developed a pilot, and now we’re in the process of finding a platform. I think we’ll be able to release this in the next two years.”
