Exploring the success of webtoon-inspired Korean series like CJ ENM’s <Mask Girl> and <Doona!>, and their influence on global K-pop culture
<Mask Girl>, CJ ENM’s webtoon-based series, amassed 7.4 million views within two weeks upon its release on August 18 and quickly ranked top on Netflix’s global non-English language TV show charts. The phenomenon of the webtoon-based Korean series’ sweeping success is nothing new. For example, CJ-owned Studio Dragon’s romantic drama <Yumi’s Cells> (2021) nurtured a strong fandom on CJ ENM’s television network tvN and the streaming service TVING. But what makes <Mask Girl> so different, and what does it say about recent hit Korean Drama series trends?
Korean Webtoon-based Series and Their Cinematic Time and Space
<Mask Girl> stands out as a supremely well-made adaptation with its interconnected storyline, striking cinematography, and artistic direction. <Mask Girl>, as often done in the webtoon-based series, sheds light on marginalized individuals in society, provoking the viewer’s imagination. It particularly focuses on a self-effacing office worker named Momi who creates a nocturnal alter ego to perform as the streamer “Mask Girl.” An encounter with her obsessed fans derails her life.
Beyond the plot, the series’ artistically orchestrated content charms the viewer with vibrant sights and sounds. As filmmaker Yong-hoon Kim’s debut TV series, <Mask Girl> showcases a cinematic approach to space and time. The director’s decision to break this film-like series into three parts with three different actresses playing Momi gives depth to the character. Each episode of the series, named after one of the main characters, shows the world as seen and lived by each of them.
Traveling Through Decades With Korean Pop Songs
In stark contrast to the confining geometric patterns of the surrounding urbanscape and the cave-like apartment of her obsessed fan Joo Oh Nam, Momi gleams during her broadcasts as she dances to popular K-pop songs in neon outfits. Cannes Vulcan Award-winning Artistic Director Ryu Seong-hee’s thoughtful mise-en-scene brings to mind the majestic sets that she has worked on in the past, including Park Chan-wook’s <Decision to Leave> (2022/CJ ENM) and <The Handmaiden> (2016/CJ ENM).
Underneath the glamor of her shiny mask, we find Momi whose dream has only ever been to become a pop idol—a dream held back because of the way she looks. As we travel back and forth between the past and present, and between each character, we see how they converge. For both Momi and Joo Oh Nam, the computer screen is a portal through which to perform and exert power as a fabricated identity. The screen shining in darkness is a mirror that, underneath its bright light, reflects the uncomfortable truth of self-fabrication and fandom.
Korean Retro Music and Aesthetics Transcend Borders
Looking more closely, I would argue that the series’ memorable soundtrack, Y2K media aesthetics, and nostalgia towards the millennial pop culture transcend borders and entice viewers beyond Korea. The series dominated in the top 10 in 72 regions into its second week, including South Korea, Japan, Hong Kong, Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, France, Egypt, and Canada.
One of the main songs that Momi performs is originally by the legendary Kim Wan-sun (Dancing to Rhythm, 1987), who happens to star in a Korean music variety show titled <Dancing Queens on the Road> that aired on tvN just before the series’ release. This hit show features former top female solo singers who perform their songs in both nostalgic and refreshing ways. The enthusiasm that <Mask Girl> and <Dancing Queens> have generated are just a few examples of “retro” being back in style both in Korean pop culture and worldwide.
Chronicling the Evolution of K-pop: From Studio Dragon’s <Mask Girl> to <Doona!>
In <Mask Girl>, as we see Momi’s performances, we travel back to the past and revel in the glory of 90s pop culture. In a way, <Mask Girl> chronicles the evolution of K-pop and modern fandom at the intersection of reverence, obsession, and desire. It illuminates not the stars, but the dreamers who grew up consuming mass media and who in turn feed the imaginations of their fans with their own talent. <Mask Girl> points to the viewer’s desire to perform as their alter ego, away from reality.
Studio Dragon’s 2023 lineup further explores themes of K-pop culture, as in the newly released <Doona!>. Led by Lee Jung-hyo, who directed Studio Dragon’s international hit <Crash Landing on You> (2019), the series presents a seemingly unlikely romance between a pop idol and Wonjoon, a university student. <Doona!> features singer-turned-actor Suzy as a retired idol, whose stunning resemblance to the original webtoon character and her real self creates a powerful resonance.
Wonjoon asks, “What is Doona like as a pop idol?” Wonjoon stands for K-pop fans who dream about what their beloved celebrities are like in real life, underneath their masks. Since the release of the series, the performances of Doona and her fictional K-pop group “Dream Sweet” have become viral hits on the web, as fans support and even empathize with their idols on- and off-screen. Beyond <Doona!>, Studio Dragon’s new series <Castaway Diva> – launched in late October – comically traces the twisting paths of a wanna-be-diva reaching for her dream after escaping from an uninhabited island.
With a 2023 lineup boasting wide-ranging genres from action and thriller to romantic comedy and fantasy, CJ continues to delight, surprise and move viewers worldwide. CJ-backed content has become a K-drama powerhouse, expanding global audiences’ imagination of Korean pop culture and encouraging all generations to dream bigger.
