As K-pop continues to thrive in the global music industry, one can only wonder how long this particular Hallyu Wave will last before it fizzles out against the shore. Though there is no clear end to the K-pop Hallyu Wave, some are speculating which wave might follow behind it. The trend is steadily increasing not only within South Korea but also in foreign countries.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the popularity of internet-based dramas has increased quite a bit over the last decade. Web drama series typically consist of at least 16 episodes lasting about 10-20 minutes each. Web drama were originally and somewhat still are intended for smartphone use but have extended to streaming sites for computer viewing as well.

Kang Youngman, the executive producer of KWeb Fest shared his thoughts on how Korean web drama could be the next big the to take the world by storm after K-pop.

"Korean Web series will be the next runner after K-pop," Kang said in an interview with Yonhap. "As K-pop drew worldwide popularity, Web series can possibly play a lead role in hallyu."

As web dramas continue to grow in popularity, the casts for these series have also drawn many foreign audiences. Korea's current top idol, EXO, had their own web series EXO Next Door earlier this year which brought in more than 10 million views.

Big name actors like Kim Woobin, Kim Yoo Jung, and Seo In Guk have secured spots in popular web and even idols like TVXQ's Yunho, ZE:A's DongJoon, and 4Minute's JiHyun have joined in. Some trending web dramas include "Love Cells", "EXO Next Door", "I Order You", and "About Love" along with many more. Even YG Entertainment jumped on the web drama bandwagon after the series "We Broke Up" starring 2NE1's Sandara Park began airing on June 29.

So why web dramas?

"Films go out of business if they fail to be put on screens," Kang said. "Web series are the opposite as they have different platforms. They can choose the audience by targeting social network services or online communities whose members may have interest in their contents."

Web dramas are also cheaper to produce yet have the impact of watching a full-length drama only condensed. As the world becomes more media and on-the-go oriented, web dramas and slowly becoming more suitable to rush schedules. Web dramas are perfect for those who don't have as much time to watch full TV dramas, commuters, and nearly everyone in between.

"Divorce Lawyers in Love" drama producer JSTop Entertainment will host KWEB Fest, a festival for web dramas in Seoul on July 30 and 31. KWEB Fest is currently the only festival in Asia dedicated to Korean web dramas. Check out the preview below!

For more information about KWEB Fest, visit the official website at kwebfest.com.

(Source: Yonhap News Agency)