Korean Webtoon Adaptations, ‘The Vanishing Act’ Lead 2027 Vertical Slate Unveiled by COL Group, V47 and Virtue Asia — SkimNews
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- COL Group, V47 Entertainment and Virtue Asia presented their 2027 vertical slate at Inside Microdramas in Singapore on Wednesday, in what organizers described as an upfront without precedent.
- CJ Group-developed Korean adaptations include “Idol Once Again,” a fantasy in which a washed-up idol travels back in time for a second shot at fame; “Genius Doctor Lee Mu-jin,” a popular-webtoon adaptation about a street fighter coached by the ghost of a brilliant physician; and “The Exclusive Secretary,” a web novel adaptation pairing a corporate heir with the secretary who lives with him amid a fight over family succession.
- The Vanishing Act, a COL Group and V47 original, is a mystery about a magician who disappears on air during the final of an international talent contest; other originals include “Fortune Chasers,” mixing scripted reality competition with thriller beats, and “1% Better,” a sports-and-fitness reality format pitting unlikely rivals against each other.
- COL Group is extending three FlareFlow hits — “Oops, I Married My Bestie’s Brother!,” “My Sweetheart’s a Gangster” and “From Janitor to Mrs. Billionaire” — through wider distribution, adaptation and commercial tie-ups, while leaving the form of those follow-ups unspecified.
- Story Engine, the new operating model pooling V47’s development and production, Virtue Asia’s cultural strategy and brand integration, and COL Group’s genre know-how and international distribution, lets brands move past product placement and sponsorship to become development partners, executive producers or financiers with a possible stake in the resulting IP; Virtue Asia CEO Lesley John said brands must earn a place within culture rather than interrupt it.
- FlareFlow has passed 52 million registered users, carries close to 7,000 short-drama titles and reaches viewers in upward of 200 countries and regions, topping all rights holders in TikTok’s short-drama revenue-share rankings for the first quarter of 2026.
- V47 Entertainment, formed by Virtue Asia and Goldfinch International to target MENA, Asia and Africa, says the model turns single productions into franchises; chair David Webster said brands joining development and financing must keep the story first.
Why it matters: FlareFlow’s 52 million registered users and first-quarter 2026 lead in TikTok’s short-drama revenue-share rankings give the three partners a distribution base spanning more than 200 countries and regions. For brands, Story Engine replaces passive placement with a funded role in development and a possible stake in the IP.
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