Kakao Entertainment will release "21st Century Princess in Royal School," a web novel set in the same universe as MBC's Friday-Saturday drama "21st Century Princess," on KakaoPage. The web novel, which covers the main characters' school days, is expected to strengthen the company's IP value chain.
Kakao Entertainment announced on May 13 that it will release the web novel "21st Century Princess in Royal School" on KakaoPage on May 16. The web novel will feature untold behind-the-scenes stories from the MBC Friday-Saturday drama "21st Century Princess," which premiered on May 10. Notably, Ji-won Yoo, the writer who won the MBC drama script competition with "21st Century Princess," will personally write the web novel, maintaining consistency with the drama and enhancing immersion.
The drama is set in a 21st-century constitutional monarchy Korea and depicts the romance between Seong Hee-joo (played by IU), a chaebol heiress who is a commoner by status, and Prince Lee An (played by Byeon Woo-seok), a prince who cannot possess anything despite being the king's son. The web novel will cover episodes from the main characters' time at the Royal School and will be serialized in 30 chapters.
Viewers can glimpse into the past stories of major drama characters, including Seong Hee-joo and Prince Lee An, as well as Prime Minister Min Jung-woo (played by Noh Sang-hyun), who was Prince Lee An's personal attendant, and Queen Dowager Yoon Yi-rang (played by Gong Seung-yeon), who keeps Prince Lee An in check to protect the royal family. The release is timed around the drama's finale to ease fans' sense of loss.
This web novel is also drawing attention as a synergy example of the IP value chain across media, music, and story businesses. Kakao Entertainment not only co-produced the drama with MBC but also handled the production and distribution of the original soundtrack. The OST features artists from Kakao Entertainment and SM Entertainment, including WOODZ, KiiiKiii, hrtz.wav, and RIIZE, adding significance to the project.
To celebrate the release of the drama and web novel, KakaoPage is running a pre-notification registration cash event until May 16. Through this event, five special illustrations for the web novel produced by Rok Media will also be unveiled.
