Have you heard of the rom-com series, “A Business Proposal”? It feels like everyone’s seen it, but did you know the show is based on a web novel from Kakao Entertainment? The web novel business is super dynamic, and to learn more we invited Brie, Edie, and Kane from the Web Novel Production Team. Here’s a rundown of our discussion. 

Q. What does a web novel producer do?

Brie: Basically, we manage all the processes that go into publishing a web novel. We have a big team of talented people, including writers, illustrators, platform operators, and even readers who give us feedback. One of our jobs as producers is to bridge everyone together for smooth collaboration.

Q. What’s the typical day of a web novel producer like?

Kane: In the morning, I handle lots of day-to-day management and prep for the schedule in the afternoon, including manuscript reviews, meetings, and emails. Then, I spend my afternoon doing what I prepared for in the morning.

Brie: Things can get pretty dynamic when a launch date is set because you’ve got a hard deadline and you need to take care of the needs of authors and all your partner companies. 

Q. What’s the best part about your job? 

Edi: I love seeing our content enjoyed by people. A few days ago, I saw my neighbor reading a novel that I helped to publish. It was really rewarding. 

Brie: You can also experience how creators work as you review drafts and share feedback with the author. I love that part of it because it can really feel like you’re sparking some part of the author’s imagination.

Q. What’s it like being a part of the Web Novel Production team? 

Brie: It’s a lot of fun, especially because we all enjoy web novels. We have once-a-month meetings with web novel merchandisers, giving us a chance to discuss what’s on KakaoPage. Merchandisers and producers often have different perspectives on the same content, so it’s fun to hear diverse opinions. 

Kane: I enjoy that part of the work as well. I’ve also learned that talking about market trends and helpful tips with my colleagues helps widen my perspective.

Q. Do you have a favorite project?

Edi: The most memorable project for me was an IP collaboration with a gaming company. The novel was created based on the survival game, Eternal Return. It was a lot of fun.

Brie: My main area is romance and fantasy romance novels. For many years, my fellow producers and I have been working towards creating new materials and ideas for this genre, and last year we were able to launch several fantasy romance novels with survival and military elements, which is pretty cool. 

Q.  What skills are required to be a web novel producer?

Edi: Anyone who loves web novels and understands various sub-cultures is welcome. Bonus points if you know the current web content market trends. I also think it’s important to have perspective, creativity, and the ability to keep an even keel during discussions when we’re not seeing eye-to-eye on content.

Kane: That’s so true. Being a web novel producer is many things. We’re managers, producers, creators… We need to be able to analyze the content as well as negotiate and plan. Someone who can stay focused and always keep their eye on the ball – that’s who we’re looking for. 

Q. What’s the best part about being a Krew member on the Web Novel Production team? 

Brie: Well, something that I really treasure is working directly with an author, especially if it’s someone you have read previously and really like. It’s also fun to see how content gets transformed into other types like webtoons and videos.

Q. Any advice for aspiring web novel Krew members?

Edi: If you love web novels and webtoons and you have a passion about creating a wide variety of content for the online world, then our novel production team might be the right place for you. We want to see that passion come out, and our market is growing. 

Kane: Exactly, there is so much opportunity, and being passionate is a great starting point.