Inklore Announces Two Major Manhwa Licenses at Anime Boston: Her Tale of Shim Chong and The Red Sleeve Are Coming
Inklore announced at its industry panel at Anime Boston 2026 that it has added two heavyweights of the manhwa world to its library. Penguin Random House's manga and webtoon-focused imprint will bring both the critically acclaimed Her Tale of Shim Chong and the The Red Sleeve (Otsomae Bulg-eun Kkeut-dong), which took the world by storm with its television adaptation, to readers in physical print. This move is seen as the latest step in Inklore's vision of connecting Far Eastern stories that have become popular in the digital world with collectors in the West.
Her Tale of Shim Chong, created by writer Seri and artist Biwan, stands out as a fascinating GL (Girls' Love) interpretation of a classic Korean folktale. Awarded "Manhwa of the Day" by the Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in 2018, the series tells the story of two women—a beggar and a wealthy bride-to-be—crushed under societal expectations who find solace and freedom in each other. Highly acclaimed for its art style, the work is known not only as a romance but also as a powerful critique of women's rights during that era.
On the other hand, The Red Sleeve is a name well-known to K-drama fans. Adapted from Kang Mi-kang's original novel, this historical romance is set during the Joseon Dynasty. The story centers on the poignant relationship between Seong Deok-im, a determined court lady who wants to live her own life, and King Jeongjo, who must prioritize his duty to his country over his love. Following the massive success of the drama adaptation that aired in 2021-2022, an English physical print of the manhwa version had long been requested by fans.
These announcements by Inklore are part of the publisher's strategy to strengthen its position in the industry. Founded in 2023 and debuting with hits like My Love Story with Yamada-kun at Lv999, Inklore aims to bring works that reach millions of readers on digital platforms (Webtoon, Tapas, Tappytoon) to shelves in high-quality volumes. During the panel, previews of other popular series such as Sora & Haena! and Eleceed were also shown, proving once again how ambitious the publisher's plans for 2026 and 2027 are.
For manhwa lovers, this licensing news means the opportunity to add the stories they love reading digitally to their libraries. Physical volumes of Her Tale of Shim Chong and The Red Sleeve are expected to be on shelves by late 2026 or early 2027. Especially for readers who value historical fiction and deep character development, these two series have already taken their place among the most exciting announcements of the year.
