Naver Webtoon's "Lore Olympus" to Be Animated by The Jim Henson Company for Amazon Prime Video

Over 1.8 Billion Views: The "Challenge Comics" Phenomenon in North America
Set for Global Release via Prime Video
A Decade of Naver Webtoon's Investment in Localization Bears Fruit

The English original webtoon "Lore Olympus," discovered by Naver Webtoon, will be reborn as an animated series on Prime Video.

On January 21, Naver Webtoon announced that "Lore Olympus," the flagship title of its English-language service, will be produced as an animated series for Prime Video and released in over 240 countries and regions worldwide.

This project will be co-produced by Webtoon Productions, under Webtoon Entertainment-the U.S. headquarters of Naver Webtoon-and the renowned American production company The Jim Henson Company. As The Jim Henson Company, best known for producing "Sesame Street," is presenting its first-ever adult animation, the project has attracted significant local attention since its planning stages.

The original "Lore Olympus" is a major intellectual property (IP) with over 1.8 billion cumulative global views. With its distinctive art style and vibrant colors, it offers a modern reinterpretation of the story of Hades and Persephone from Greek and Roman mythology, earning widespread acclaim. Recognized for its artistic merit, the series swept the three major U.S. comic awards-the Eisner Awards, Harvey Awards, and Ringo Awards-in 2022. Notably, it won the "Best Webcomic" category at the Eisner Awards, known as the Academy Awards of the comic industry, for three consecutive years through 2024.

This adaptation marks the culmination of Naver Webtoon's decade-long strategy to foster a creative ecosystem in North America. In July 2014, shortly after launching its English service, Naver Webtoon introduced "CANVAS," an amateur platform that brought Korea's "Challenge Comics" system to the local market. "Lore Olympus," created by New Zealand artist Rachel Smythe, was discovered through this platform.

Hollywood's interest continues to grow. In addition to "Lore Olympus," other titles such as "Lad Advice from the Great Duke of Hell" and "Stagtown," both originating from the 2018 contest, are currently being developed into film projects. Melissa Wolfe, Head of Animation at Amazon MGM Studios, stated, "We are delighted to present the fascinating work 'Lore Olympus' to audiences worldwide," adding, "Through our collaboration with Webtoon Productions and The Jim Henson Company, we will strengthen Prime Video's animation lineup."