[INTERVIEW] Korean webtoon finds new audience in India, creator eyes global reach

The Korean webtoon “Here We Go Again” by Go Eun has found a new audience in India, with a locally produced adaptation released Friday.

Available on JioHotstar, one of India’s major streaming platforms, “Love Always” was directed by Madhumita Sundararaman and stars Indian actors Gouri G Kishan, Ramzan Muhammed, Jayaprakash and Jayasudha.

The series is the first adaptation of a Korean webtoon in India. The original work ran on Kakao’s webtoon platform between 2015 and 2017, and garnered more than 200 million views.

The Korea Times spoke with the webtoon artist about the adaptation and her hopes for the global reach of Korean comics.

Go said she learned around 2020 or 2021 that her work was being adapted for Indian audiences.

“My first reaction was like, ‘Wait, my work is getting adapted? Really?’ Then came, ‘In India?’ I was fascinated, but also dumbfounded,” Go recalled.

“Here We Go Again” is a romantic fantasy about a married couple who, after spending 60 years together without love, are given the chance to turn back time and become young again. The experience allows them to revisit their relationship and learn to understand each other better.

Asked why she thought her work had been selected for an Indian adaptation, Go pointed to the centrality of familial relationships to the story.

“The strong emphasis on family in my work may have played a role,” she said.

The webtoon portrays three generations of a family living under one roof, reflecting values that Go believes may resonate with Indian audiences.

“Those values still had a place in Korea a decade ago when I worked on it. I’m not sure if I can say the same today. But that aspect might have struck a chord in India, where, from what I understand, those values still have a place in society,” she said.

For Go, the medium has been a lifelong interest. She grew up reading comics and drawing, often turning experiences from her school days into her own illustrated stories.

“It came naturally, as I often developed a plot about my school life and made my own version of comics when I was young,” she said.

In her 20s, she drew for an animation company. After winning an award while working there, she decided to leave the company and pursue a career as a full-time artist.

She has since established herself as a webtoon creator, focusing largely on romantic fantasy — a genre she said best suits her interests and strengths.

“It’s because that’s what I like the most and can do best. I tried other plots and drawings, but I didn’t like it. After all, it was clear to me that I wanted to do what I liked to do most,” she said.

Go said she is currently preparing a new series.

As Korean webtoons continue to reach readers beyond the country’s borders, Go sees considerable room for further international growth. She hopes the medium will find a wider global audience, much as Korean popular music and films have gained international attention.

“For K-pop, the film ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ served as a moment, I believe. I think a similar thing can happen for the webtoons,” she said.