Naver Webtoon will debut “Maengjong,” a prequel spin-off expanding the supernatural world of Korean occult blockbuster “Exhuma,” on May 30.
The vertical-scroll series comes from Haemuri, the artist behind “Olgami,” known for its densely layered psychological portraiture, and is set before the events of the 2024 film. Its story centers on the high school years of shaman duo Hwarim and Bonggil – the characters brought to screen by Kim Go-eun and Lee Do-hyun – charting how the pair first came together. The title translates roughly as blind obedience without moral judgment.
The narrative begins when Hwarim, who has been concealing her identity following a childhood encounter with a snake spirit called Jin, crosses paths with Bonggil at their school. Haemuri will carry the distinctly Korean occult mythology of “Exhuma” into webtoon form, adapting it to the vertical-scroll format. “Exhuma” director Jang Jae-hyun participated in the project’s early concept review stage, according to a Naver Webtoon spokesperson.
Released in 2024, “Exhuma” drew some 11.9 million admissions and grossed $83.1 million in Korea, becoming the first Korean occult film to surpass 10 million ticket buyers and the country’s highest-grossing film of the year.
“It is meaningful that the spin-off story of ‘Exhuma,’ loved by many audiences, expands by meeting the new grammar of webtoon,” said Lee Hyeon-jeong, managing director of the film business division at Showbox, which distributed the film. “We hope it will be a fresh experience for both film fans and webtoon readers.”
“We are presenting ‘Maengjong,’ a new series capturing the appeal of the horror-occult genre, ahead of the full summer season,” said Lee Jeong-geun, Naver Webtoon’s Korea webtoon content leader. “With the high school story of Hwarim and Bonggil, who left a strong impression in the film ‘Exhuma,’ enhanced by Haemuri’s characteristic tense direction, we expect it will be a welcome work for genre fans.”
“Maengjong” launches on Naver Webtoon on May 30.
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