What’s the most popular style on the market? It’s in all probability “Romantasy,” a mixture of romance and fantasy that’s sweeping the guide world and topping the cellular webtoon charts.
Tapas is without doubt one of the most-read webtoon platforms for romantasy webtoons and webnovels in N. America. Little surprise, on condition that Tapas is the English sister app/platform to S. Korea media large Kakao Entertainment‘s Kakao Page and Kakao Webtoon and affiliate to Piccoma, respectively some of the most popular webtoon/webnovel platforms in S. Korea and Japan respectively. One look at Tapas’ foremost Spotlight web page will provide you with a touch of romantasy’s dominance in this area. With their flowy, colourful hair, attractive and extremely detailed attire, and their equally attractive male leads subsequent to them, there’s so many heroines or villainesses featured on Tapas’ dwelling screens, ready for readers to find their tales.
To solidify their spot as the house of romantasy much more, late final yr Tapas introduced True Love, a contest for love webnovels. It wasn’t solely for romantasy tales – entries have been accepted in 5 genres: modern, fantasy, historic, LGBTQ+, and erotic – however there’s fairly a little bit of romance in the successful tales, which isn’t any shock, given the massive curiosity in prose romantasy. Open to US residents, the submissions to the Tapas True Love webnovel contest have been judged on their variety of views acquired, and the quantity of Tapas readers who opted to subscribe to every collection, together with the standard of the story, grammar and syntax, and their potential for long-term serialization.
The winners have been introduced on Valentine’s Day, and the authors of every successful collection will obtain a minimum-guarantee contract of $10,000 USD. Given that there are 15 winners in this contest, the mixed prize pool of $150,000 USD makes it one of many largest contests in the business. The contest began in October 2023, and acquired 264 entries — so competitors was fairly fierce for these 15 successful tales.
“Our goal is to invite U.S. writers to experience the thriving digital storytelling model already established in Korea in which both the medium of the web novel as well as the profession of the web novel creator have already been legitimized as an integral part of a burgeoning industry, said Kristianna Lee, Director of Content Management and Novels Growth at Tapas. “What I love about the webnovel as a medium is that it democratizes storytelling by removing the pressure to appeal to the mainstream, allowing each creator to focus on the story they want to tell.”
Lee says Tapas may have extra contests centered on different story genres in the longer term, so preserve an eye fixed out for that, aspiring authors!
Here’s the winners from the Tapas True Love webnovel contest:
I Didn’t Ask to Marry You, Male Lead! by AKG
(Romance Fantasy, Drama)
Paloma Beaumont by no means lived the charmed life everybody thought she did. Her useless mom hated her, her devoted father was lifeless, and her stunning sister Adora was the apple of society’s eye. Then she fell out a window.
Now she’s caught residing the lifetime of Lady Irina Lis, the favored and magnanimous daughter of a Duke, and the unlucky bearer of a familial curse. Trouble is: Irina’s household and her prickly fiance, Duke Einar Rinne, know she’s an imposter. And Duke Rinne isn’t impressed. Einar could appear like a male lead from Paloma’s favourite romantic fantasy novels, however he hasn’t bought the angle to match. Besides, she didn’t ask to marry you, Mr. Male Lead!
The Prince and the Pirates by Yourpersonalprince
(BL-Boys Love, LGBTQ+, Romance Fantasy)
The mer-prince Castian needs nothing greater than to flee the seas. A cope with a sea witch lastly grants him his want—however with a catch. In return for his human legs, he should spy on the notorious pirate captain Valentine.
As Cas comes onboard Valentine’s ship, he finds each the crew and its mysterious captain have secrets and techniques of their very own. Cas is decided to uncover them and stay human, however issues develop sophisticated when the prince finds himself falling for the pirate he’s spying on.
Prince of Fire and Ash by Leveret Moreau
(BL-boys love, Romance Fantasy, Romance)
Markus was raised because the inheritor to the masters of dragons, the noble Eliseo household. He was anticipated to be the best lord in his household’s lengthy historical past… till Markus returns from the dragon nest with no pair, and the burden of his household title falls on the reluctant shoulders of his wild sister.
Katrina needs nothing to do with the compelled pleasantries of the Aristocracy, however she will be able to’t flip down an invite from the crown prince himself. Everything he thought he knew has been swiped out from below his toes, however Markus remains to be positive of 1 factor: he loves his sister, and he’ll do something to make her comfortable.
When he takes her place, the very last thing Markus expects is to search out himself concerned with the infamously chilly, half-elf captain of the royal guard. Markus can’t assist the love which grows as he involves know the person. Embroiled in royal politics in the capital, a shocking revelation adjustments the course of his life, and Markus finds he has extra to fret about than his heart- as a result of the destiny of the empire lies in his fingers.
Respectfully Yours, by Danni
(LGBTQ+, Romance, Slice of Life)
Charles Aughtly can’t cease desirous about Lucas Sawyer and his attractive Doc Martens. But he’s the inheritor to Aughtly Co–destined to take over his father’s firm and reside a lifetime of luxurious and heteronormativity. He can’t like a boy, that’s not a part of his father’s plan.
Lucas Sawyer has every thing discovered: his sexuality, his future, his grades, and all of the shallow folks attending his faculty (sure, even Charles Aughtly, who hates his guts). The solely factor he doesn’t know is his gender–and the id of the nameless, closeted classmate who has been emailing him, which is rather more urgent. But when on-line meets actuality, their secrets and techniques may both be their solace or their downfall.
The Mafia’s Nanny by Suleidy Merced
(Romance, Drama, Thriller/Horror)
Lex Biagini is the top of the Italian Mafia. He is thought to be chilly and ruthless. His title is feared in each nook of Chicago. People whisper that he bought worse after his spouse died throughout childbirth. His son Hunter is now 4, and he has fired each nanny who has taken care of Hunter. Cassie Walker is operating away from a future that has been decided for her by her father. She thought Chicago could be her freedom. That is till she is on her final greenback and a day from turning into homeless.
What occurs when Lex decides that Cassie is Hunter’s new nanny? Will Cassie meet his expectations or be one other fired nanny?
(*15*)
The Seventh Date by KG Brightwell
(BL-Boys Love, LGBTQ+, Romance)
When faux courting results in actual emotions… Theo is usually a little overprotective of his youthful sister; he has chased away anybody who has a lot as checked out her. Then he meets Lex, the new new child in faculty who looks like ultimate boyfriend materials. Just to make certain, Theo means that he and Lex go on a collection of six “trial dates.” Only then will he permit Lex to ask his sister out.
It doesn’t take many dates for Theo to understand that Lex is strictly the form of particular person he would select for his sister: a standup man who’s a number of enjoyable to be round. Unfortunately, Theo enjoys his dates with Lex a bit of an excessive amount of. He isn’t so positive he needs at hand Lex over to his sister when the six-date trial interval is over.
Hail To The Saintess! by Xula Von Ziegel
(Romance Fantasy, Action Fantasy, Drama)
Going from an orphanage to a brothel business was the lifetime of Diana. After realizing that her boss was dishonest together with her on his personal spouse, and having to undergo an abortion on her first baby, she decides to finish all of it.
However, she wakes up in the physique of Fantasia Everdeen, the youngest daughter of Marquis Everdeen of the Proscotti Kingdom. Married off to the king of the neighboring kingdom, Alabastrum, on the age of sixteen below the guise of peace; Fantasia had nothing however a lifetime of struggling. Can Diana flip it throughout and again at her enemies?
Summoned: Familiar of the Dark Magician by Rachel Ashton
(Romance Fantasy, Action Fantasy)
Ennette is summoned to a different world she acknowledges from a romance novel she was studying—however she doesn’t find yourself because the heroine, the villainess, or perhaps a plucky sidekick. Instead, she’s trapped in a well-recognized contract as a result of a summoning spell gone improper! And the caster? Seventeen-year-old Maziar Kreeth, the nugatory son of the Grand Wizard of the Northern Tower and the person who will in the future change into the principle villain of the story!
Can Ennette navigate her troubled life together with her new grasp and keep away from her dying flags lengthy sufficient to search out her manner dwelling? Or will she be compelled to reside a life she by no means imagined as she learns the reality behind her summoning and the secrets and techniques of the story she remembers?
Bondage by GiveMeThatBread
(BL-Boys Love, Drama, Slice of Life)
Minwoo Kim is the textbook definition of a hypocrite. He works as a choreographer with military-like strategies for Seoul’s largest leisure firm whereas secretly collaborating in banned avenue dancing.
His top-ranked crew, SCORPIO, had simply completed crashing an aristocratic occasion with their flash mob. All went based on plan as Minwoo escapes from the authorities…till his id is found by one of many get together’s visitors – a fairly boy with baby-pink hair!
Minwoo’s firm assigns him to SATURN, the present era’s hottest rookie boy group, to follow the difficult choreography for his or her upcoming album, “Bondage.” Much to his horror, their foremost dancer is none aside from his cotton candy-haired downfall, aka Yejun Sang.
Whispers and Shadows by Mariehallwrites
(Romance Fantasy, Action Fantasy)
My title is Blue. No final title. Why, as a result of I’m a half-breed in a world the place that’s not accepted. I’ve needed to struggle tooth and nail to even be acknowledged because the bastard daughter of the dominion’s third prince Dameon. The world views his recognition of me as generosity, however they don’t know the reality.
In Demonia, legend speaks of a lethal murderer recognized solely as: Whispers and Shadows. Only two folks know the murderer’s id. The third prince and me. Why, as a result of I’m Whispers and Shadows. Father’s “benevolence” comes at a worth. My full loyalty, it doesn’t matter what’s requested to win him the throne. The plan was executed flawlessly and in return for my years of sacrifice, my reward was my homicide. By his personal fingers. Father thinks he’s gotten away with the right crime. But one thing far larger and extra mysterious than he has pulled me again from dying’s chilly embrace, returning me years in the previous. I alone know the recollections of the longer term that’s in retailer for us all and, now, I’m now not daddy’s little pet. I’ll get my revenge. I’ll make him pay. I’ll make all of them pay…
Free Radical by AmourAccompli
(BL-Boys Love, LGBTQ+, Romance)
Andie met his fated mate when he was younger sufficient to consider not simply in future and happily-ever-afters, but additionally in the Easter Bunny. From the minute they met in a heated dispute over a plastic egg filled with jelly beans, Andie Dahl and Jake Rivera knew they have been an ideal pairing. Just like in a fairy story, their childhood friendship grew into real love. Just like in a fairy story, they have been by no means aside. Just like in a fairy story, they pledged to remain collectively eternally and joined themselves in a declare bond that may final for so long as they lived. And then Jake broke Andie’s coronary heart and deserted him.
And then, in the future, accidentally… Jake finds Andie once more. Can Jake show himself after making a mistake that injured his mate, physique and soul and disadvantaged him of the flexibility to make his goals come true? Can Andie be persuaded to offer Fairy Tales and Happily Ever Afters a second likelihood?
Iron Blood Bride by PixxiePink
(BL-boys love, Fantasy, Action Fantasy)
The household disappointment, Osmond has at all times been too “emotional” to ever be a correct Monster Hunter. Stuck as a lowly web page, cleansing gear and pouring ale for his victorious siblings. Until the Wild Hunt arrives at their door and it is just Osmond who stands in their manner.
The Unseelie Prince affords him a selection. He turns into the only survivor of his household – lastly capable of earn his personal glory as a Monster Hunter, or he accepts a life cut price with the prince – tossing away his humanity. Osmond doesn’t hesitate. Though he needs the prince specified precisely what he needed with him, as a result of someway Osmond has ended up because the Unseelie Prince’s bride-to-be!
Onabi Hex by A. Carson
(BL-Boys Love, Science Fiction, Romance Fantasy)
What Eiko thought was a enjoyable trick to impress the opposite children destroyed his life. He noticed no hurt in displaying his classmate the blue mild that danced by way of his fingers. As the information unfold, dad and mom discovered, and Eiko was taken away to an establishment for youngsters with particular abilities.
Some are labeled as healers, manipulators, and shifters, however Eiko is one thing else. The power coursing by way of his physique, if left unharnessed, may flatten a constructing. So, he’s stored remoted and is strictly punished for any indicators of disobedience. The authorities sees him as the last word asset—the Onabi.
Serving the Undying King by Twoony
(BL-Boys Love, Romance Fantasy, Drama)
Foster Laywell kissed his old flame and misplaced him to a raging fireplace in the identical night. Over a decade later, a stranger knocks at Foster’s door claiming not solely is his old flame alive, however he’s Sylas Sarraze, the Undying King, a cursed creature ruling the neighboring kingdom with an iron fist. Sylas is on a damaging path and this stranger hopes the return of a primary love could cease the king from destroying himself and the dominion in the method.
Foster takes the big danger of forsaking his dwelling to take care of Sylas’ each want, however the shy boy Foster cherished is lengthy gone. Sylas is standoffish, impolite, downright deplorable, and infuriated by Foster’s presence. But Foster quickly learns there’s extra to Sylas’ boorish temper than initially suspected, and Sylas could come to study that Foster is hiding rather more than anybody thought attainable.
My Husband’s Divorce Attorney by TheFlyingBookworm
(Romance)
After twenty years of marriage, Tiffany bought divorce papers for Valentine’s Day. Finally launched from a lifeless marriage, she units to the duty of re-establishing her new life however finds a shock alongside the best way.
The return of an previous flame that she has been burned on a number of too many occasions reappears at the very best, and worst, attainable time. And he simply so occurs to be her husband’s divorce legal professional.
Just as a reminder, these successful tales are prose/webnovels, and NOT webtoons/comics, though a number of have character backstory and guides, on condition that a number of world-building goes into the fantasy finish of romantasy.
These high 15 winners aren’t the one tales spotlighted as a part of Tapas’ True Love webnovel contest. You can learn these successful tales, and take a look at the remainder of the Top 50 tales at Tapas’ True Love Contest web site.
While not but a family phrase in N. America, webnovels are vastly common in Asia, particularly in S. Korea. They’re the supply materials for lots of webcomics, animated and reside motion TV collection in S. Korea. Kakao Entertainment, Tapas’ mother or father firm, has produced greater than 1,200 webcomics based mostly on common internet novels, together with such worldwide hits as fantasy-action collection Solo Leveling, which debuted as a webnovel by Chugong, and is now a vastly common webtoon collection, with each the Solo Leveling novels and graphic novels printed by Yen Press / Ize Press, and the Solo Leveling anime collection now streaming on Crunchyroll.
Other webnovels which were tailored into profitable webtoons and TV dramas embrace modern romantic comedies like A Business Proposal, and What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim?, that are each obtainable as graphic novels from Ize Press, with drama collection streaming on Netflix and Hulu, and The Beginning After the End, an action-fantasy webnovel collection by TurtleMe on Tapas that additionally has a webtoon adaptation.
Web novels are additionally a rising style for Tapas, with plans so as to add greater than 200 internet novels by the top of the yr — some will probably be common S. Korean titles translated into English, whereas others will probably be new, unique tales by worldwide authors, together with many from US and Canada. Check out Tapas’ webnovels to find your subsequent favourite learn or go to their Creators web page to study how one can submit your webnovel tales to be printed on Tapas.
[Merve Giray and Deb Aoki contributed to this report.]
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