[WEBTOON] Bringing Japanese Webtoons to the World: The Global Success of The Reason for the Twin Lady's Disguise

Isekai: A Genre Detached from Cultural Norms and the Secret to Its Global Success

In The Reason for the Twin Lady’s Disguise, the protagonist, Rinalee, who was executed due to a conspiracy by the tyrant crown prince Dylan, returns to the world three years prior. In her second life, she decides to disguise herself as her twin brother, Liam, and enroll in Fortis Academy. This otherworldly school love story depicts a cross-dressing lady who must never be found out and a crown prince who cannot be honest with his feelings.

Q: Are genres like “isekai” and “lady” gaining strong reactions overseas?
Yumeka Sawada: I believe isekai stories are more easily accepted in international markets because readers perceive them as something entirely separate from the culture and norms of their own countries, unlike more contemporary stories.

From that perspective, I think the story’s focus on romance, similar to shojo manga, and the strength of the characters have left a fresh impression on readers both in Japan and abroad, contributing to the success of this work.

Q: Why do you think this series is loved globally?
Yumeka Sawada: Compared to traditional isekai reincarnation webtoons, this work focuses entirely on romance and heart-fluttering moments. The characters are not perfect, and their strengths also double as their weaknesses, which makes them endearing to readers. I feel that readers have come to love these imperfect characters because they relate to them.

MONA: I think the appeal lies in the fast-paced story, the charm of the characters, and the strong cliffhangers at the end of each episode that make readers want to continue. This is likely something universal.

Additionally, I believe the readability—the balanced text density, clear dialogue placement, and the ease of understanding the scenes—contributes to its global appeal. The structure is designed with readability in mind, which is another reason I believe The Reason for the Twin Lady’s Disguise has been loved worldwide.

Q: With this success, do you feel that domestic webtoons are now ready for serious international expansion? What challenges remain in further raising awareness?
Yumeka Sawada: Achieving this first milestone with a domestic webtoon has given us confidence, and as an editor, I now feel an even stronger desire to deliver interesting works to readers around the world.

I personally love both traditional horizontal manga and webtoons, but I see them as entirely different entities in terms of origin, audience, monetization flow, and character structure. I believe that identifying the specialized aspects of each and incorporating them into domestic webtoons as a hybrid form is a strategy editors must adopt. This mindset, I think, connects to the future prospects of domestic webtoons.

Two Years of Devotion to the First Serialized Work—The Series Concludes After 100+ Episodes

Q: After two years of serialization, the main story concluded this July. How do you feel about completing a work that spans over 100 episodes?
MONA: The biggest feeling is relief—"I'm glad I was able to finish it." This work was so enjoyable that even I, as a reader, was completely absorbed in it. For my first serialized work, I had the privilege of being in charge of something that was so much fun, and I absolutely loved the characters of The Reason for the Twin Lady’s Disguise. Being able to continue drawing these beloved characters for over 100 episodes made me incredibly happy. I’m filled with gratitude for the readers, the production team, my family, and everyone who supported me throughout this journey.

Q: As the line artist, were there any points you struggled with?
MONA: Unlike the type of manga where I create both the story and the art myself, the process here involved taking the characters created by the original author who had no visible form yet and bringing them to life as the characters of this story through my line art. I may have struggled the most with carefully dedicating time to this process.

Q: It sounds like there are unique challenges in a divided production style.
MONA: I felt a huge responsibility, knowing that the characters I drew would represent the work. I knew that I couldn’t compromise on anything and spent a lot of time on this. For even the slightest expression or movement, I constantly questioned, "Is this really the best way to portray this character?" or "Would this expression better show the character's individuality?"

Q: What was the most captivating aspect of this work for you?
MONA: As soon as I saw the words “cross-dressing” and “twin siblings” in the protagonist's setting, I was immediately drawn in and felt like it was a work filled with everything I love! These two elements were something I had adored since childhood, so I was genuinely surprised when this story landed in my lap. I couldn’t help but think, "Is this a dream?" and "If it’s not a dream, this might be a destined work for me..."

Q: You recently started the serialization of the "Gaiden" (side story), correct?
MONA: In the "Gaiden," we are introduced to Dylan and Rinalee's twin daughters, Olivia and Alyssa. Now 16 years old, they develop romantic feelings for the middle-aged Kyle and Leach, and the key point is how they will navigate this age gap in their love lives.

Additionally, the children of other couples from the main story will also appear here and there, so I hope readers will enjoy that as well.

Source : ORICON NEWS