An Introduction To "A Compendium Of Ghosts": The Popular Historical Horror Fantasy Webtoon Getting A K-Drama Adaptation Soon

2022 is giving us some amazing K-Drama news so far, and a majority of them are confirmations and announcements of K-Dramas based on webtoons. The latest webtoon to be turned into a K-Drama is "A Compendium Of Ghosts" by author Lee Yul. Winner of the Korea Creative Content Agency Grand Prize in 2013, "A Compendium Of Ghosts" tells the untold story of ghosts and spirits in a truly one-of-a-kind way that is not only educational but also refreshing. These are ghost stories, through and through, and yet, they're not your run-of-the-mill night-time horror read. Instead, the webtoon delves deep into complex human emotions like grief, trauma, regret, shame, and so on and so forth, making it a truly compelling read.

The art style of this webtoon is absolutely breathtaking and adds to the immersion of the narrative. Each panel is as visually impressive as a painting in and of itself but what makes it even more impactful is the way it is packed with tension and suspense. The narration is extraordinary yet never overwhelming, and the balance of silence that speaks for itself and dialogue that hits hard is absolutely immaculate. It's no wonder that this is such a lauded work, both critically and commercially.

"A Compendium Of Ghosts" is a representative masterpiece of the Korean comic (manhwa) scene, and definitely deserves greater worldwide appreciation, which we hope will be achieved with the K-Drama adaptation.

The central protagonists of the story are SeJin and Sang, two very different individuals who are childhood friends. SeJin is a shaman's daughter who has supernatural vision, allowing her to see ghosts and spirits. She is 16 years old and does several odd jobs for a daily wage.

Sang, on the other hand, is taunted for being too cowardly. He admired huntsmen as a child, even more so because he was meek and faint-hearted. So, when he came of age, he left the village to become a huntsman and returned four years later. Now, he considers himself a competent huntsman who prides himself on his skills, even though he is still just a junior. However, with him returns a mysterious guest, one who SeJin senses to be much darker than you'd imagine - something not human.

SeJin reaches out to Sang and tries to inquire about strange happenings on the way, but he brushes it off, thinking it's just SeJin trying to scare him as always. He reasserts his machismo while his senior, DukChoon, playfully teases him about SeJin.  Realizing that the situation will only make her look strange, SeJin leaves quietly and decides to wait for Sang to seek her out.

As expected, later that day, an unnerved Sang runs to SeJin for help. Even though she chides him for being too loud, she quickly notices the spirit trailing him and instinctively, knows exactly what to do.

Needless to say, "A Compendium Of Ghosts" is a classic that you do not want to miss. If you want to learn more about Korean urban legends, myths, and folklore, this is the perfect webtoon for you. What's more is that "A Compendium Of Ghosts" has also been made into an RPG (role-playing game), which is now available on Steam!

The production of the K-Drama adaptation will be helmed by Studio Annic, and it will be directed by Kim SungSoo ("Save Me", "A Christmas Carol"). The drama is slated for release in the second half of next year. Until then, you can read "A Compendium Of Ghosts" in Korean (click here) and/or in English (1) (2).

Are you excited for "A Compendium Of Ghosts"? Who do you think should be cast in the main roles? Share your thoughts with Kpopmap in the comments section down below!