Actor and co-founder of Asian Lead Love Stories (ALLS) productions Kevin Kreider (The Traitors) has announced a new WEBTOON to be released on May 23rd. Taejin: Legend of the Yang Metal is written by Nina Gee with contributing art by the artist Razz. The series will run for 50 episodes and will follow the story of a rebellious teenager named Taejin Choi after he pawns off a mysterious family heirloom talisman that leads to the awakening of his Yang Metal powers.
“Creating my own take on the classic superhero has been a dream of mine since I was a kid. I have been a fan of the genre for years, and to now have the opportunity to bring this new series to life with Razz, Nina, and our partners at WEBTOON has been thrilling,” said Kreider. “It was important to me to continue to expand Asian representation in entertainment and to spotlight that our identities are our special superpowers, and I can’t wait for readers to meet Taejin.”
The series takes a modern approach to superheroes inspired by Chinese astrology and lore using a Chinese astrological system known as Bazi. You can read more about it in the official press release below:
Los Angeles, Calif. (May 13, 2024) — Kevin Kreider (“Bling Empire”; “The Traitors”), actor and co-founder of Asian Lead Love Stories (ALLS) Productions, today announced that he will bring his first original webcomic to WEBTOON, the world’s largest digital comics platform. “Taejin: Legend of the Yang Metal” – Kreider’s first-ever webcomic and first on WEBTOON for artist Razz and writer Nina Gee – will be available exclusively to U.S. readers on WEBTOON on May 23.
A Korean American adoptee, Kreider is a passionate creative with an interest in spotlighting Asian stories in entertainment. Known for his recent roles on Netflix’s first all-Asian and Asian American reality show “Bling Empire,” and the second season of Peacock’s smash hit reality competition series “The Traitors,” this new WEBTOON series will mark Kreider’s first foray into comics. A lifelong fan of comics and superhero stories, his ambition to create his own comic book began at an early age when superhero stories became an outlet for him, but he often didn’t see himself represented on those pages.
“Taejin: Legend of the Yang Metal” will be a 50-episode webcomic following the rebellious teenager Taejin Choi after he pawns a mysterious family heirloom talisman, setting off a chain of events that awaken latent Yang Metal powers and lead him to fulfill his cosmic destiny, as he protects Philadelphia from evil. The series is inspired by the Chinese astrological system known as Bazi and presents a new, modern take on the traditional superhero. The first 3 episodes will be available May 23 with new episodes available every Friday.
“Creating my own take on the classic superhero has been a dream of mine since I was a kid. I have been a fan of the genre for years, and to now have the opportunity to bring this new series to life with Razz, Nina, and our partners at WEBTOON has been thrilling,” said Kreider. “It was important to me to continue to expand Asian representation in entertainment and to spotlight that our identities are our special superpowers, and I can’t wait for readers to meet Taejin.”
“Taejin: Legend of the Yang Metal” joins a roster of WEBTOON collaborations with some of the world’s biggest entertainment names and brands to reach Gen Z and build new fandoms online, maximizing their IP across new platforms and formats.
WEBTOON’s current and recent content collaborations include series and projects with names like Sydney Sweeney, HYBE artists BTS, TXT, and ENHYPEN, Lil Uzi Vert, Hayley Kiyoko, Ava Max, GAYLE, MAY-A, and others, and partnerships with marquee comic publishers like DC, Archie Comics, Marvel and many more.
