Reality and webcomic world collide in 'W'

A poster for MBC drama "W," starring Han Hyo-joo, left, and Lee Jong-suk / Courtesy of MBC

By Park Jin-hai

Webcomics succeeded in invading the small screen as MBC romance thriller "W," starring Lee Jong-suk and Han Hyo-joo, became the talk of the town.

The new drama, which premiered July 20, has put the brakes on the lead held by the KBS romance drama "Uncontrollably Fond," overtaking the show starring Kim Woo-bin and Bae Suzy in viewer ratings among dramas in the Wednesday-Thursday prime time slot last week.

"W" caught the eyes of drama fans who wanted something different, while its much-hyped rival "Uncontrollably Fond" is crippled with a plot rehashing all kinds of K-drama cliches and tropes ― including secrets of birth, incurable diseases and misfortunes surrounding families of the lead characters ― despite its star-studded cast.

"W" goes back and forth between the real world and another dimension, the world of the webcomic, also known in Korea as webtoon. There are many dramas based on webcomics, but "W" attempts to engage with the medium in a more dynamic way with fresh ideas and exuberant imagination.

Doctor Oh Yeon-ju in the real world (played by Han) unexpectedly tumbles into an animated realm called "W" where she meets Olympic gold medalist and media mogul Kang Chul (played by Lee). The two worlds begin to clash as they interact with each other.

The drama topped viewers' ratings in its third episode aired on July 27, which garnered a record 12.9 percent of viewers, surpassing the 8.6 percent of "Uncontrollably Fond," according to Nielsen Korea. Its fourth episode also maintained the top spot with the same 12.9 percent.

It also had a lead over its rivals in the Content Power Index, an index provided by CJ E&M and Nielsen Korea reflecting overall interest in media content such as internet news subscription rankings, direct search rankings and social media buzz.

In the fourth episode, Kang Chul realizes that his world is not real and when the cartoonist ― Oh's father ― tries to kill him, Kang defies the creator's intention with his own will and decides to come out into the real world.

"W" is the brainchild of screenwriter Song Jae-jung, who is acclaimed for her apt time-slip works in dramas including the 2013 hit sci-fi romance "Nine: Nine Time Travels." Song's storytelling skills make this somewhat farfetched plot crisscrossing reality and fantasy fit for a fast-paced drama.

Although the drama is not based on a real webcomic, fans are calling for bringing the webcomic used as a prop in the drama to be released as a full-blown series.

"Unlike other screenwriters who reproduce successful characters in similar patterns, Song stands out in creating distinct characters in each work," said culture critic Jung Duk-hee. "She has the ability to stay one step ahead of predictable plots and make great twists."

Another critic Kong Hee-jung said, "With her signature time-slip writing, she can make use of the expanded time range and with it she may also be able to bring more diverse life stories to the drama."

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