La ricezione internazionale delle web sosŏl: esplorazione delle prospettive dei lettori

Web sosŏl, characterized by a distinctive versatility, are emerging as an influential force in the South Korean national literary landscape. The wide adaptability of these digital novels has further contributed to their expansion to a global level. Translation platforms, both official and unofficial, along with publishing houses, have responded to this growing demand by translating the most popular web novels into English. This article aims to explore the reasons for this success from the point of view of non-Korean readers, investigating reactions, both positive and negative, and focusing on ways of interpreting the content of Korean products aimed at non-Korean consumers. The analysis material includes English-language reader comments on Under the Oak Tree by Kim Suji and Solo Leveling by Ch'ugong, which are web novels that have received the greatest distribution and success worldwide, enough to be printed and published by Yen Press. To explore the receptive perspective of international readers in the context of Korean web sosŏl, reception theories, qualitative approach and discourse analysis are used. The article contributes to the sociological study of the reception of digital literary products in a global context, providing across-cultural approach.