How 'Secret Relationship' Webtoon Skyrocketed in Popularity After Live-Action Debut
Discover how North American viewership skyrocketed 12x—uncover insights, trends, and strategies driving this explosive growth!
Viewership in North America Grows by 12 Times
Kakao Entertainment announced on March 10 that the viewership and revenue of its webtoon Secret Relationship have surged following the release of its live-action drama adaptation on February 27.
© Kakao Entertainment
Significant Growth in Viewership and Revenue
According to Kakao Entertainment:
- In South Korea, views on Kakao Page and Kakao Webtoon increased fivefold within one week of the drama's premiere.
- Revenue from the webtoon tripled during the same period.
- In North America, the webtoon—available on Tapas—saw an astonishing 12 times increase in views and an eight times boost in revenue.
Despite concluding last year, Secret Relationship has experienced a resurgence in popularity as fans revisit the original story amid the drama's success. The data was measured by comparing the week before and after the drama's release (Pre-release: February 20–26, Post-release: February 27–March 5).
Streaming Success
The series has quickly gained traction on streaming platforms, ranking first in new releases in the U.S. region immediately after its premiere.
About the Series
Secret Relationship follows the intense romance between Da-on, who struggles to live an everyday life, and three men who are drawn to him. The cast features:
- Jun-seo Kim (WEi member)
- Sun-hyung Cha
- Jung-woo Cha
- Ho-young Kim
Adapted from the popular boys-love webtoon, which has surpassed 170 million views on Kakao Webtoon, the series was illustrated by McQueen STUDIO and concluded in 2023. The English version of Secret Relationship is available on Tapas.
Source: Kakao Entertainment