This Webtoon-Based K-Drama Cost 2.4 Million US Dollars Per Episode To Make... And Netflix Said Yes Anyway

The Korean Naver webtoon original Sweet Home — a five-star read about a boy battling a world that has turned monstrous with greed — built up an unbelievable amount of anticipation when its K-Drama-fication was announced in early 2019…

… because the beloved mega-hit TV producer Lee Eung Bok — of Mr. Sunshine, Descendants of The Sun, and Guardian: The Lonely and Great God — was revealed to be in charge of re-creating this fantasy-thriller series!

Producer Lee Eung Bok at the “Guardian: The Lonely and Great God” Press Conference

Since then, negotiations have been wild. The webtoon, mainly drawn in non-human “creature” form, would require a lot of graphics — and that meant money, money, money.

By December 2019, the K-Drama version of Sweet Home revealed the cast — after Netflix signed to feature it as one of its original series. Rookie-but-deserving actors like Song Kang…

… and Lee Do Hyun listed their names on the roster.

Reportedly, Netflix is investing about 2.4 million US dollars per episode in producing this series.

That greatly surpasses all of Netflix’s past pricey K-Drama production costs. 2019’s Arthdal Chronicles cost 2 million…

… Kingdom cost 1.6 million…

… and Mr. Sunshine cost 1.2 million US dollars.

With Netflix said to be expanding their global selection to attract more subscribers…

What’s also interesting to note is Netflix’s growing international profile: Crash Landing on You, Kingdom and The Platform are all South Korean originals. Data reveals that Netflix has been seeing a surge in new sign-ups in overseas areas affected by the coronavirus. More generally speaking, it is believed that while Netflix may have hit its saturation point here in the U.S., its unrivaled investment in international areas over the last several years will keep attracting new subscribers.

— Observer

… K-Drama viewers can’t wait for Sweet Home to premiere. No set date has been released, but it is believed to be sometime in late 2020.