Prominent webtoon creator Taejun Pak, best known for international hits like Lookism and Viral Hit, has made a significant artistic departure with his latest project. Released on Kakao's Piccoma digital platform on August 16, his production company The Grimm Entertainment launched Inked—a new fantasy comic rendered in Japanese. Shifting away from the vertical, full-color format that defines modern webtoons, Inked is presented in black-and-white with traditional horizontal reading orientation. The release marks a major milestone for Pak, who noted that creating a traditional manga fulfilled a long-cherished personal ambition.
A Dark Fantasy Rebellion
The narrative introduces readers to a unforgiving world threatened by monstrous entities called Tattoos. When an enslaved youth named Rok comes under attack by these vicious creatures, he takes a drastic step to survive by branding himself with the Mark—the ultimate source of the monsters' supernatural force. Reborn as a empowered fighter known as a Marker, Rok begins a dangerous quest to overthrow Emperor Yujin and tear down the oppressive Clof Empire.
Expanding Transmedia Reach
The debut of Inked continues a busy period for The Grimm Entertainment, which manages major franchises including Manager Kim alongside Pak's signature works. Notably, Viral Hit recently expanded into both an anime series and a Japanese live-action adaptation. The company's reach is poised to grow further following Kakao Games' announcement of a corporate partnership with The Grimm Entertainment to develop and publish video game adaptations based on their comic catalog.
