A Painter of the Night live-action series was announced last year, and now, we have a casting announcement. One of the most iconic BL manhwas out there, with its gorgeous painterly art style and a traumatic story of love, imprisonment, and power, has created an all-time-beloved story.
Created, written, and illustrated by Byeonduck, Painter of the Night is primed for a resurgence after the release of the physical English localization from Seven Seas and when the new Kdrama short is released.
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What is Painter of the Night?
In the manhwa, Na-kyum is a young painter with an exceptional talent as an artist. Only his most profitable venture is selling erotic images he’s painted. Though he has published a few collections under a pseudonym, he decides to quit painting.
Then Seungho, a young nobleman known for his brutality, barges into his life. A hell-raiser notorious for his insatiable lust, Seungho forces Nakyum to become his private painter. However, the nights that await Na-kyum are beyond anything he could have imagined. The series has 129 episodes and one side-story and ran from 2019 to 2025.
What do we know about the Painter of the Night live-action?
JTBC shared an announcement that I never expected: a Painter of the Night live-action series is on the way. Korean broadcasting system JTBC announced that the adaptation has been picked up to be adapted into a short-form series. Casting auditions and pre-production are underway, and filming is scheduled to begin in June 2025.
The one catch to this live-action announcement is that the new drama will be produced in a short-form format, with each episode running approximately two minutes. While many K-Dramas thrive on adapting popular Webtoons like Business Proposal, Nevertheless, Sweet Home, Itaewon Classroom, and so many more, BL stories haven’t been shown the same kind of attention by studios, often being turned into feature films or into short-form adaptations. There is no information for the release platform and distribution format, nor the title’s content rating.
Still, that’s starting to change as manhwa’s rising success on the international stage. With beloved titles Cherry Blossoms After The Winter and Semantic Error leading the charge. However, the more mature titles that are Lezhin staples remain mostly untouched. While they may only be two-minute episodes, this announcement is exciting for those looking for more mature BL stories that push the boundaries of genre, drama, and expectations.
Painter of the Night Live-Action Cast
- Kim Kang-jae
- Ji Min-seo
What is the release date?
The live-action adaptation is currently in production and has no release date or release window as of right now since JTBC’s initial announcement of production beginning in 2025.
Where can I read the series in English?
The series is available to read digitally on Lezhin, a South Korean webtoon platform. This is the exclusive digital platform for the series. Additionally, Seven Seas Entertainment is currently publishing the series in English through physical editions. These physical editions are available online and in-store. It is rated MA and does contain explicit scenes between the protagonists, and should not be read by younger readers.
