Webtoon's Studio N CEO Highlights the Growing Influence of Webcomic IP in Western Entertainment
Studio N's CEO, Mikyung (Michelle) Kwon, is actively working to establish webcomic intellectual property within the Western entertainment landscape. Despite the company's notable successes, including Emmy nominations and record-breaking box office figures, Kwon notes that persistent education is necessary to familiarize international development executives and distributors with the potential of webcomic adaptations. Each new triumphant project significantly eases this ongoing endeavor, paving the way for broader recognition and investment in this burgeoning content format.
Kwon's advocacy for webcomics is grounded in both structural and creative arguments. She points to Webtoon Entertainment's vast user base, approximately 160 million monthly active users, as a direct source of pre-existing and measurable fan engagement. This robust ecosystem provides Studio N with a continuous stream of promising intellectual property. Kwon asserts that mobile, vertical comics have emerged as the standard comic format for a new generation, offering visually rich narratives, often spanning multiple seasons and story arcs, complete with established fanbases. This unique combination, she believes, creates an ideal foundation for developing successful franchises.
The studio's achievements underscore this potential. "Chicken Nugget," a Netflix series produced by Studio N, garnered an Emmy nomination in the comedy category at the 2025 International Emmy Awards. In 2025, their film adaptation "My Daughter Is a Zombie," based on a Webtoon title with over 500 million global views, became Korea's highest-grossing film of the year and the third highest overall. Other successful adaptations include "True Beauty" on Crunchyroll, "Vigilante" on Disney+, and Netflix series such as "The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call," "Sweet Home," and "The 8 Show." The second season of "Bloodhounds" is also set to premiere on Netflix.
Studio N's latest venture, "The Legend of Kitchen Soldier," co-produced with CJ ENM's Studio Dragon and inspired by a Webtoon title boasting over 650 million global views, is having its world premiere at Series Mania. Kwon views this premiere as both an introduction to the market and a concrete demonstration of their creative vision. The series, starring Park Ji-hoon, tells the story of a military recruit whose life changes dramatically due to a virtual quest system that transforms him into a legendary army chef. It will be available on TVING as an original series later this year.
Kwon explains that the "N" in Studio N signifies "Next," reflecting their mandate for genre-blending and innovative storytelling. She highlights the unique premise of "The Legend of Kitchen Soldier" as an example, contrasting it with traditional military films by emphasizing its virtual quest element. Similarly, she points to the Emmy-nominated "Chicken Nugget," a series about a character who turns into a chicken nugget, as another instance of the fantastic, creative, and unexpected narratives they are keen to introduce to the global entertainment market. The selection of titles for adaptation involves a careful balance of platform data and fundamental creative considerations. Kwon stresses that compelling storytelling remains central to their decisions, ensuring that adaptations honor the original webcomic's narrative universe and satisfy existing fans.
Kwon is also attuned to the broader cultural impact of Korean content. She observes the recent success of "KPop Demon Hunters" at the Oscars, which brought K-pop to the Academy Awards for the first time, signaling the immense growth of K-content. She suggests that continued success will translate into greater receptiveness from Western partners, as the inherent fan engagement from their platforms consistently propels their projects to achieve global viewership and recognition.
