Webtoon of one of the greatest classics of science fiction is among us. The digital platform Kakao Webtoon announced at the end of December the debut of the adaptation of the book Empire of the Ants by renowned French author Bernard Werber. The series, already available, promises to retell the story in 250 episodes under the direction of Korean creator Yong-hwe Kim, while aiming to conquer a younger and more global audience through the vertical digital comic format. Thus, a work that sold millions of copies worldwide gains new life in 2026, adapting to new forms of story consumption.
Originally published in 1991, Werber’s novel intertwines two fascinating narratives. On one hand, we follow the human Jonathan, who discovers a forbidden secret in his deceased uncle’s basement. On the other, we dive into the complex civilization of an ant colony under attack from a mysterious enemy. Over time, these plots intersect to reveal a much larger mystery. The webtoon adaptation, however, will not be a simple transposition. Creator Kim plans to reorganize the original structure, giving more emphasis to world-building and suspense in the early chapters, as well as expanding the characters’ emotional arcs thanks to the serialized format.
A Classic for the Digital Age
Bernard Werber himself showed great optimism about the project during a conference in Seoul last September. The author believes that turning Empire of the Ants into a webtoon is a powerful way to introduce the story to new generations. He highlighted that the narrative made for smartphones plays a crucial role in sparking young people’s interest in books and great stories. Therefore, this adaptation represents more than a novelty; it is a strategic effort to expand classic literary works into digital formats aimed at a global audience.
Despite the successful launch in Korea, there is still no official English version of the webtoon, let alone a localization for Portuguese. However, the movement of adapting major novels into webtoons and webcomics is only growing, setting an interesting precedent for the market. Thus, Brazilian fans of the author or of complex science fiction are keeping an eye out, hoping that the work’s popularity will boost its distribution here as well. After all, in a world where screens dominate attention, reviving a classic with new visuals and pacing may be the key to its immortality.
