‘Love Alarm’ Webtoon Adaptation Will Be Netflix’s First Original Korean Series

In its continued bid for international dominance, Netflix has announced its first original Korean series, Love Alarm, which is based on a webtoon by noted graphic novel author Kye Young Chon. Love Alarm tells the story of an app that alerts users if someone within 10 meters has romantic feelings for them, which leads to great disruptions in society. Love Alarm already counts a massive Korean fan base, according to Netflix.

The 12-episode series will premiere on Netflix in 2018, and will be produced by Jaemoon Lee through his newly-formed Hidden Sequence production company. Lee has also helped develop award-winning Korean dramas including Signal and An Incomplete Life. “We want Love Alarm, the TV series, to exhibit the liveliness and expression of emotions, with visual treatments that will reflect Ms. Chon’s vision when she created the story,” Lee said in a statement.

“It is an honor for Netflix to collaborate with a great storyteller like Ms. Chon and a visionary producer like Mr. Lee for our very first Korean original production,” said Erik Barmack, VP of international originals at Netflix. “Working together, we look forward to transforming this wildly imaginative story into a top-quality drama series for over 86 million Netflix members around the world.”

Netflix announced its first original French series, Marseille, in 2014, and its first original Italian production, Suburra, in 2015.