'Exhuma' Prequel 'Maengjong' Debuts on Naver Webtoon May 30
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- Naver Webtoon will debut "Maengjong," a prequel vertical-scroll spin-off of the 2024 Korean occult blockbuster "Exhuma," on May 30, centered on the high school years of shaman duo Hwarim and Bonggil.
- Haemuri, the artist behind "Olgami" and known for densely layered psychological portraiture, is creating the series, which adapts the film's Korean occult mythology to the webtoon format.
- "Exhuma" director Jang Jae-hyun participated in the project's early concept review stage, per a Naver Webtoon spokesperson, indicating creator involvement beyond a standard IP license.
- The title "Maengjong" translates roughly as "blind obedience without moral judgment," a loaded thematic anchor for a horror-occult high-school prequel.
- "Exhuma" drew 11.9 million admissions and grossed $83.1 million in Korea, becoming the first Korean occult film to surpass 10 million ticket buyers and the country's highest-grossing film of 2024.
- Showbox managing director Lee Hyeon-jeong framed the spin-off as expanding the franchise for both film fans and webtoon readers, with Naver Webtoon's Lee Jeong-geun positioning it as a summer-season horror-occult entry.
Why it matters: For Naver Webtoon, a debut tied to Korea's top-grossing 2024 film — 11.9 million admissions and $83.1 million at the Korean box office — delivers a prestige horror-occult anchor heading into summer. For Showbox, the franchise extension monetizes a proven IP with director Jang Jae-hyun's concept-stage involvement signaling quality control rather than a hands-off license deal.
