Manhwa and Korean web/novel translations?
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Hey all,
I'm sure as fellow novel lovers you might have at least come across manhwa (korean, full coloured animated comics)
And korean novels/web novels.
My question is, us there any chance of seeing some of these big hits being officially translated by j novel or if this has already been discussed?While I know that it's mainly Japanese content, I still don't want others to miss out on more quality content and seeing poor unofficial translations ruining the authors work loosing out.
Am i the only 1??
Any info on this??
Thanks
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Hello,
Unfortunately J-Novel Club does not publicly comment on any potential licensing decisions, until they are ready to be announced.
This topic has come up not too long ago, if you would like to read about how others speculated on the situation:
Thank you
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@bekkeybear
The major US publisher Yen Press has announced a few months ago multiple big Manhwa licenses. Currently is Solo Leveling their first Korean novel license. There will be definitely more in the near future.Seven Seas always do their monthly surveys in which you can suggest licenses. Due to demand they even made a sublabel for chinese danmei novels starting with three MXTX works. Manhwa and Korean novel are definitely possible.
Tappytoon, a hugely popular platform for Korean Webtoons platform, recently started to translate Korean webnovels and can be read only in the App for now.
Tapas is releasing even more Korean Webtoons since the start of their partnership with Kakaopage.
Manta is a newer Webtoon platform run by Ridibooks. They offer a monthly subscription service and some of the Webtoons are also free to read.
Line Webtoon platform does Korean Webtoons for free to read and pay-per-chapter.
Wordexcerpt started their own webnovel platform and are already releasing their works as ebook, audiobook and printed books (paperback and hardcover).
Wuxiaworld has been releasing some of their from chinese ans korean translated works as ebooks.
Meteor Strike Media released one Korean novel in digital and print format after reaching the Kickstarter goal and announced some new licenses this year but there hasn't been news yet.
There is the Webnovel App but the quality of the translations and editing varies widely.
Some of the above mentioned publishers have their made their webnovel translations available on Tapas and Tappytoon.
Added
Wattpad WEBTOON Studios Announces WEBTOON Unscrolled, a new Graphic Novel Imprint for Leading Digital Comics from WEBTOON -
@lotteliese thankyou xx
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@rahul-balaggan ty xx
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@rahul-balaggan ty x
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There's a few korean novels i'd love to see get official translations, they tend to do the whole villainess/revenge type stories better than Japanese authors.
I can see the licencing being an issue with the monetisation model Korean novels tend to have though. While Japan gets free webnovels as early drafts with potential licenced LN releases all the Korean ones seem to be pay per chapter first draft webnovels.
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@kurosov I made the discovery month ago, that some Korean webnovels do get edited to be sold as ebooks while printed editions are less common guessing the Google tl.
https://www.aladin.co.kr/m/mbrowse.aspx?CID=56555
For ex. Villains are Destined to Die
Another ex. Villainess turns the Hourglass -
Wattpad WEBTOON Studios Announces WEBTOON Unscrolled, a new Graphic Novel Imprint for Leading Digital Comics from WEBTOON
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211118005543/en/
Among the announcement are Korean and Original IPs are Tower of God and True Beauty.
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@lotteliese said in Manhwa and Korean web/novel translations?:
Wattpad WEBTOON Studios Announces WEBTOON Unscrolled, a new Graphic Novel Imprint for Leading Digital Comics from WEBTOON
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211118005543/en/
Among the announcement are Korean and Original IPs are Tower of God and True Beauty.
Wait, Cursed Princess Club is on this list! I was just thinking how would love to have it on my bookshelf!
It's my favorite thing on webtoon and I can't wait to see how it looks in print!
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https://www.wuxiaworld.com/announcement/read-wuxiaworld-merger-acquisiti
Wuxiaworld was acquired by Kakaoentertainment , which there will expand their scope of Korean webnovels and they have plans for Q3 2022 to look into licensing Japanese webnovels and Light Novels.https://radishfiction.com/stories/12219
KakaoEntertainment did acquire the serial-fiction platform Radish and of the first Korean romance webnovel is What's Wrong with Secretary Kim -
Update 07.11.22 on the status of the availability of official Manhwa, Webtoon and Korean Novels
The major US publisher Yen Press has announced a few months ago multiple big Manhwa licenses. Currently is Solo Leveling their first Korean novel license. There will be definitely more in the near future.
Seven Seas always do their monthly surveys in which you can suggest licenses. Due to demand they even made a sublabel for chinese danmei novels starting with three MXTX works. Manhwa and Korean novel are definitely possible.
Tappytoon, a hugely popular platform for Korean Webtoons platform, recently started to translate Korean webnovels and can be read only in the App for now.
Tapas is releasing even more Korean Webtoons since the start of their partnership with Kakaopage.
Manta is a newer Webtoon platform run by Ridibooks. They offer a monthly subscription service and some of the Webtoons a d Webnovels are also free to read.
Line Webtoon platform does Korean Webtoons for free to read and pay-per-chapter. Wattpad WEBTOON Studios recently announced WEBTOON Unscrolled, a new Graphic Novel Imprint for Original and Korean IPs.
Wordexcerpt started their own webnovel platform and are already releasing their works as ebook, audiobook and printed books (paperback and hardcover).
Wuxiaworld has been releasing some of their from chinese ans korean translated works as ebooks. By December 2021 Wuxiaworld was acquired by KakaoEntertainment which means more Korean webnovels. Also they look into licensing Japanese light novels and webnovels.
KakaoEntertainment had aquired the serial-fiction platform Radish this year as well. Their first title is What's Wrong with Secretary Kim and have more added on the Radish platform.
Meteor Strike Media released one Korean novel in digital and print format after reaching the Kickstarter goal and announced some new licenses this year but there hasn't been news yet. Furthermore they've three officially licensed webnovels available for reading on their website.
The Qidian Webnovel App but the quality of the translations and editing varies wildy and spending should be planned.
Tapas and Tappytoon host webtoons and webnovels from as sublicense from other publishers and their own titles.
Editio Publishing are currently selling their novels as digital-only releases for now on their own store and other stores. They specialise in women oriented works from Asia.
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Yen Press announced their new imprint IZE Press which dedicated to bringing Korean Webtoons in print and digital editions and already have announced multiple titles.
https://yenpress.com/2022/04/yen-press-announces-new-imprint-ize-press/
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@lotteliese Thank you for this list👍🏼
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Wattpad has started to release about 10 Korean web novels.
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A new publisher Editio Publishing that specilalize in eastern popular fiction and light novels, which are made for and by women, has started to publish their titles since July 2022.
Editio wants to publish empowering womens popular fiction and light novels from South Korea, Japan, Philippines and other Asian countries which are definitely untapped by English Western publishers.
So far there first novels are from South Korea which are:
The Villainess is the Heroine’s Biggest Fan
The Tyrant’s Etiquette Tutor
Ten Ways to Get Dumped by a Tyrant
More Than You Know
The titles are currently sold as ebooks on their own store and are available on other platforms as well. Print editions are planned for a later date as well their own reading platform.
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@Lotteliese said in Manhwa and Korean web/novel translations?:
Wattpad has started to release about 10 Korean web novels.
After the acquisition of Wattpad by Line Webtoon's parent company Naver, Webtoon launched its own YONDER reading App where webnovels can be read for free. Their lineup are made up of original English webfiction and Korean webnovels.
YONDER App is subjected to region locking on App stores.
