Romance 101 Webtoon Is Becoming a K-Drama: Hwang In-youp and Cho Yi-hyun to Star!
One of Naver Webtoon's most popular romantic comedies, Romance 101 (known in Korean as Bareunyeonae Giljabi), is finally being adapted into a South Korean live-action series. According to information shared by JTBC, discussions are underway for the lead roles with True Beauty star Hwang In-youp, All of Us Are Dead actress Cho Yi-hyun, and Younghoon from the group THE BOYZ. Although official contracts have not yet been signed, the possibility of these three names coming together has already created a huge wave of excitement on social media.
The story revolves around Jung Ba-reum, a university student who plans her life down to the second and lives with 'perfect' discipline. Ba-reum, who is very successful in her academic life but a complete novice when it comes to love, joins a programming club to pursue her crush, Shin Jae-hyun. However, there she meets Na Yu-yeon, with whom she doesn't get along well at first, but who will eventually become the center of her life. The webtoon reached over 800 million views worldwide with its sincere character development and non-toxic approach to romance.
This work, which won the grand prize in the 'Youth Romance Contest' in 2017 by author Namsoo, was previously adapted into a television series in Japan in 2023. However, fans have long been curious about what kind of production it would have in Korea, the homeland of the story. A sweet debate has started among fans regarding the casting, as the character Yu-yeon, expected to be played by Hwang In-youp, is described as the 'ideal campus crush' among webtoon readers. While some netizens think the actor has features that are too 'sharp' for this role, a large segment believes his charisma will bring a fresh breath to the character.
This adaptation will be the latest link in the chain of successful productions transitioning from the webtoon world to K-Drama screens. Romance 101 is not just a love story, but also a deep narrative built on the uncertainties of university years, bonds of friendship, and the process of self-discovery. With the finalization of the cast, the filming schedule and release date are expected to be clarified. If everything goes well, we might be ready to watch one of the most talked-about romantic productions of 2026.
