Drama 'The 21st Century Crown Princess' Becomes Web Novel... Is This an IP Expansion Strategy's Reverse Flow?

The Hankyoreh observes a fascinating 'reverse flow' in South Korea's vibrant content industry: dramas are now serving as the genesis for web novels, challenging the long-established model where successful web novels and webtoons were adapted into screenplays.

The drama 'The 21st Century Crown Princess' (MBC) is at the forefront of this trend. Following its success, Kakao Entertainment is launching a web novel, 'The 21st Century Crown Princess in Royal School,' on KakaoPage. Notably, the drama's writer, Yoo Ji-won, is penning the web novel, which acts as a prequel, delving into the royal school days of the main characters and expanding the narrative universe beyond what the drama could cover. This strategic release, timed near the drama's conclusion, aims to capture viewer interest and convert it into web novel readership.

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Meeting familiar worlds and characters again in new forms like prequels or side stories is a meaningful strategy for expanding the IP lifecycle and diversifying touchpoints with fans.

This 'reverse expansion' is not an isolated incident. Similar strategies have been employed with other popular series. For instance, before the JTBC drama 'King the Land' aired, a webtoon adaptation was released, designed to broaden the world-building by including childhood stories and post-drama narratives. Likewise, the drama 'My Dearest' (MBC) had a webtoon developed concurrently during its planning phase, offering a parallel narrative experience.

From a South Korean cultural and industry perspective, this shift signifies a maturation of the intellectual property (IP) ecosystem. The Hankyoreh highlights that platforms like webtoon and web novel services are no longer just sources of original content but active collaborators in the planning and expansion of IP across various formats. This creates a synergistic cycle where visual media fuels literary content, and vice versa, extending the 'IP lifecycle' and deepening fan engagement. This strategy is crucial for maximizing the value of popular narratives in a competitive market.

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Expanding content into various formats is key to the IP value chain strategy, organically connecting music, story, and media businesses to create synergy.