Netflix to Adapt WEBTOON Entertainment’s Webcomic Sensation "Viral Hit"

The live-action series will premiere worldwide exclusively Thursday, May 28th on Netflix

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TOKYO — WEBTOON Entertainment Inc. (NASDAQ: WBTN), a leading global entertainment company and home to some of the world's largest storytelling platforms, today announced that the original LINE Manga WEBTOON series Viral Hit will be adapted into a live-action series of the same name premiering worldwide Thursday, May 28 on Netflix. The original webcomic hit written by Taejun Pak and illustrated by Kim Junghyun currently has over 2.2 billion global views on WEBTOON.

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View Netflix's teaser trailer for the series HERE.

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The series follows Kota Shimura (Ouji Suzuka), a bullied high school student struggling under the weight of his mother’s medical bills and constant abuse from school bullies. His life couldn’t be more bleak… Until one day, an opportunity suddenly falls his way. When a fight with a classmate is accidentally streamed online and goes viral, Kota realizes that fighting can be a profitable venture. He starts a streaming channel and begins to claw his way out from the pits of despair.

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Viral Hit was selected as a "Jury Committee Recommendation" in the Manga Division of the 25th Japan Media Arts Festival hosted by the Agency for Cultural Affairs and was also adapted into an anime series in 2024.

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About Viral Hit (Netflix)

Based on: the WEBTOON Series Viral Hit Taejun Park, Kim Junghyun

Directed by: Hideki Takeuchi

Written by: Yuichi Tokunaga

Producers: Naoto Inaba, Shigeji Maeda

Planning Production: MYRIAGON STUDIO Inc.

Production Company: RAKUEISHA

Produced by: Netflix

Cast: Ouji Suzuka, Ai Mikami, Araki Sugou, Mieko Harada, Nana Asakawa, Takuro Osada