Kakao Entertainment announced on the 18th that it will release the main story of the globally popular web novel "Under the Sweet Gum Tree" and an unpublished side story on KakaoPage at 6 p.m. on the 19th.
On that day, KakaoPage will simultaneously release the completed main story and three episodes of the side story. "Under the Sweet Gum Tree," which has emerged as a global intellectual property (IP) during its serialization, is a romance fantasy web novel written by Kim Su-ji. The work has garnered worldwide popularity with its delicate writing style, emotionally resonant direction, and solid episodes. Published on Amazon in 2022, it ranked first in five countries, including the United States, and last year became the first Korean web novel to reach the New York Times bestseller list. Statistics have shown that the total time spent by readers during the serialization of "Under the Sweet Gum Tree" amounts to over 5 million years when converted into years.
"Under the Sweet Gum Tree" tells the story of the stuttering noble girl Maximilian (hereafter referred to as Max) who has endured abuse since childhood, and the humble-origin knight Lifthan. The narrative begins with Lifthan going on an expedition the day after their wedding and returning three years later as a renowned knight, depicting a love and devotion-based growth of the two that has captured a large audience. Notably, the unpublished side story being released now is a story fans have awaited since the conclusion of the serialization in December 2022, and it will portray Max and Lifthan's peaceful and joyful daily life set against the backdrop of Anatole, Lifthan's territory.
In addition, Kim Su-ji's new romance fantasy web novel "Forgotten Fields," sharing the same universe as "Under the Sweet Gum Tree," will also have its first episode previewed. "Forgotten Fields," which generated significant buzz immediately after the announcement of its writing plan, will center around the fateful romance and compelling episodes of two characters: the unfortunate princess Talia Roem Gertha, who was born from an affair, and the eastern nobleman Barkas Raedgo Shierkan. The first episode will be showcased at 6 p.m. on the 19th, followed by the exclusive serialization of "Forgotten Fields" on KakaoPage starting May 4.
To celebrate the launch of "Under the Sweet Gum Tree" and the preview of "Forgotten Fields" on the 19th, KakaoPage will greet readers with various events. First, for fans of "Under the Sweet Gum Tree," all episodes will be available for free for 24 hours, and events will be held where prizes such as luxury necklaces, scarves, and wallets will be provided to readers enjoying the work. Additionally, various cash and product events will take place, including giving all readers who appreciate all episodes a chance to win up to 100,000 cash.
The exclusively previewed new work "Forgotten Fields" will also provide key contents to readers who participated in the pre-event while offering a variety of prizes through a draw. Additionally, KakaoPage plans to continue an open event from the 20th for a week, providing a 50% discount on the borrowing of the "Under the Sweet Gum Tree" complete set and a 30% discount on the hard copies of Kim Su-ji's previous works, "The Ballad of Heiranuk" and "Crime of Crime."