These top K-dramas ranked by IMDb were once all popular webtoons and either got their start on the webtoons.com site or other sites and platforms.

Much like how the MCU films are based on their original comics or how shows like The Umbrella Academy are based on written source material, K-dramas also fall into that category. In South Korea, WEBTOONS is a publishing portal launched by the popular search engine, Naver. But webtoons come up on different platforms, as well. Here is where a form of digital comics rose to fame and had people hooked.

As webtoons gained popularity amongst fans, it sparked the idea to do something more. There are many highly talked about K-dramas on streaming platforms that were first a webtoon and fans were more than excited to see their favorite comic characters come to life on-screen.

Update on April 8th, 2021 by Gabriela Silva: K-dramas have taken over streaming platforms due to their binge-worthy storylines of drama, comedy, romance, and action. Fans of Korean culture have also realized where many K-dramas get their inspiration from. Movies and television shows are inspired by popular novels and comics, and K-dramas are no different. WEBTOONS first brought to life beloved K-dramas characters on the hand-drawn pages of an online comic. Just as the webtoon gained online popularity, the K-dramas became just as popular amongst fans.

15 Rugal (2020): 6.4

Rugal can be found on streaming platforms like Netflix and it's amassed quite a viewership, despite its considerably low rating. Before coming to life on the small screen, it was first a webtoon created by Rel.Mae. The webtoon was created back in 2016 and was a hit.

The action/sci-fi webtoon was developed into a series that followed a cop looking for revenge after his family is killed. To make things interesting, the cop is recruited by the NIS and equipped with biotechnology, making him superhuman.

14 Lucky Romance (2016): 7.1

Lucky Romance is for any viewer looking for a cute and comical romance where the leading lady falls in love with her boss, but it's not the conventional love story. The original webtoon that was made in 2014 and the show is just as bright and colorful as the source material, but the 0n-screen version is a bit more dynamic.

The leading female character is obsessed with superstitions and fortune-telling. One day, a shaman tells her that to save her sister, she must sleep with a man born in the year of the Tiger. In blind faith, she goes on the hunt and meets a game developer who doesn't believe a word she says.

13 Love Alarm (2019): 7.2

The highly acclaimed and talked about K-drama, Love Alarm, first got its start online. Chun Gye-Young has created several other popular webtoons with Love Alarm being the first Netflix original. Fans got hooked on the young love story and the riveting love triangle.

The series also had a hidden message regarding society's reliance on social media and apps. The show follows a young school student who starts to use a popular love app that notifies her when someone who likes you is within a 10-meter radius. The show focuses on the relationship between the two main characters, but there's someone else harboring feelings, as well. The drama's popularity led to a second-season installment.

12 Sweet Home (2020): 7.4

Sweet Home became a must-watch K-drama on Netflix in 2020. It had everything fans were looking for in a riveting thriller of the world possibly ending. The drama also had a chilling storyline of monsters and survival. The apocalyptic horror series was first a Naver webtoon created by Kim Kan-Bi and Hwang Young-Chan.

The building tenants find themselves trapped inside one morning. They are unaware of what's going on outside but soon realize that humans are turning into grotesque and ravenous monsters. The tenants fight for survival not only from the outside but from themselves. A tenant can turn into a monster at any moment. The show centers around one title character along with the supporting stories of the other tenants.

11 Cheese In The Trap (2016): 7.4

Cheese in the Trap first premiered in 2016 but is often pegged as a popular K-drama for anyone looking for a good love triangle. The original webtoon it was adapted from was written by the user Soonkki. The webtoon amassed popularity and was developed into a K-drama.

The webtoon was published between 2010 and 2016. At the time of filming, the K-drama's ending isn't described in the webtoon, seeing as it wasn't complete yet. The show followed a university student whose life is turned upside down by the college's rich and popular guy. His kind demeanor makes her question his intentions.

10 My ID Is Gangnam Beauty (2018): 7.5

My ID is Gangnam Beauty is a K-drama that has everything from romance, battling insecurities, revenge, and drama. Written and illustrated by Gi Meng-Gi, the webtoon centers around a college student who makes a life-changing decision. For those unaware of Korean culture, "Gangnam beauty" is a derogatory term used for women who have altered their looks through plastic surgery. Gangnam is an area in Seoul famous for its surgery clinics.

The show follows a college student who has plastic surgery after being ridiculed in her youth for her looks. But she finds herself at the other end of hurtful comments when tagged as a "Gangnam beauty." It's a story of rediscovering yourself, self-esteem, and romance, as she re-meets a childhood classmate.

9 Backstreet Rookie (2020): 7.5

Backstreet Rookie is tagged as a rom-com that debuted in 2020. The drama is based on a webtoon from 2016 and 2017 titled Convenience Store Saet-byul and written by Hwalhwasan. The show starts with a prologue. Choi Dae-Hyun (Ji Chang-Wook) walks through an alley and encounters three teenage girls.

One girl becomes incredibly smitten with him and even kisses him. The K-drama then time jumps three years forward. As Dae-Hyun manages his family's convenience store, they need a part-time worker. In a twist of fate, the teenage girl from three years ago applies for the job.

8 Memorist (2020): 7.6

Based on a webtoon of the same name by Jae Hoo, Memorist became a top drama that aired in 2020 on tvN. The crime/mystery drama tells the story of the main character with the ability to read people's memories. With this ability, Dong Baek (Yoo Seung-Ho) solves crimes as a police detective.

A K-drama wouldn't be a drama without some turmoil. When a string of gruesome murders occurs, Dong Baek teams up with a criminal profiler to find the culprit. As they investigate, their troubled pasts surface, and the murders are much more complex than they imagined.

7 Hell Is Other People (2019): 7.9

If you're not looking for a romantic K-drama and instead want a thriller full of jumps and scares, then Hell is Other People would be a fun watch. The webtoon can also be found under the title, "Strangers from Hell." It was first illustrated and written by Kim Yong-Ki.

The psychological thriller centers around a young man in his 20s who moves to Seoul after getting a new job. He stays in a low-end apartment where he shares the bathroom and kitchen with other residents. As he stays there, odd occurrences begin making him suspicious and fearful of his neighbors.

6 Extraordinary You (2019): 7.9

Extraordinary You is a K-drama that was released in 2019 that is titled differently from its original webtoon. The webtoon is titled July Found by Chance and was published in 2018 and both have an interesting twist in their teen drama storylines.

The main character discovers that her life and the world they live in is a fantasy world in a comic. The comic writer gives her a mediocre fate of getting engaged to someone who hates her and she's expected to die soon. In a turn of events, she writes her own story to find her true love, but it comes at a cost. Fans will even be excited to see it's the first major drama for a popular K-pop idol.

5 Mystic Pop-Up Bar (2020): 8

Mystic Pop-Up bar has generated some buzz, as it's available to stream on Netflix for worldwide audiences. The webtoon is titled "Ssanggabpocha” by Bae Hye-Soo and was first published in 2016. The webtoon was then developed into a series and released in 2020.

The show follows three main characters whose lives are intertwined in the most mystical way possible. A rooftop bar that opens only at night is run by a mysterious food cart owner and she has a story to tell. Forced to live out a sentence for her past deeds, she must listen and help customers overcome their internal struggles. Alongside her is a young man with the ability to get people to confess and the manager of the shop who was once her past love.

4 The Uncanny Counter (2020): 8.1

Netflix's The Uncanny Counter had fans watching every episode for its action sequences, heartfelt story, and heartbreaking scenes. The webtoon the show is based on is titled under a different name, Amazing Rumor by Jang Yi. The show centers around a disabled teen who is given the opportunity to join the Counters.

The Counters are a group of individuals with supernatural abilities who fight evil spirits that escape the afterlife. Like many K-dramas, their stories are interweaved in ways they never expected and help each other find peace with their troubled pasts.

3 What's Wrong With Secretary Kim? (2018): 8.1

What's Wrong with Secretary Kim? is a K-drama that is a must-watch for steamy kissing scenes, attractive lead characters, comedy, and romance. The show is highly talked about and so is the webtoon it's based off. Created by Kim Myeong-Mi, the webtoon and K-drama follow a similar story.

A stoic, arrogant, and yet handsome VP of a major corporation is set to lose his trusted and dedicated secretary of nine years. Once hearing of her resignation, he comes to realize how much he needs her in his life. He goes into a spiral of attraction, feelings, and intense jealousy when it comes to her. Along the way, they fall in love but realize they knew each other all along.

2 True Beauty (2020): 8.1

True Beauty was a smash hit on streaming platforms when it debuted in 2020. The K-drama revolved around a young teenage girl who was always ridiculed for her appearance. When she gets the opportunity to switch schools, she decided to get a makeover.

Now bubbling with confidence, she becomes a popular beauty at school. The drama enthralled fans as it had a riveting love triangle between two former best friends who have feelings for the main character. The drama is based on a webtoon by Yaongyi. The creator expressed it was a dream come true to see her work be turned into a drama.

1 Itaewon Class (2020): 8.2

Netflix users and K-drama fans have heard plenty of the show Itaewon Class. It stars a familiar and popular Korean actor, Park Seo‑Joon, who's known for various popular K-dramas. Before it was a hit on-screen, it was a webtoon created by Kwang Jin. Fans will see many show scenes that mimic the webtoon.

Park Seo-Joon has a striking similarity to the webtoon's main character, especially his haircut. The K-drama is a story of struggle and trying to make it, mixed with drama and a bit of romance. Park Sae-Ro-Yi (Park Seo-Joon) was jailed for attempted murder but vows to make something of himself. Seven years later, he opens a restaurant bar, but his past life and conglomerate corporations threaten his future.

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