Streaming service Rakuten Viki announced that its original Korean animated series The Painted Soul will debut on October 21, 2026 [2]. The 10-episode fantasy romance was co-produced with South Korean outfit Imaginus. It merges classic Eastern brush styles with machine tools tested during story planning [1]. All episodes stream on Viki across six global areas, including the Americas, Europe, Oceania, India, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia [2]. Viewers can watch for free with ads or pay for ad-free tiers [1].
Global Premiere Schedule
The October 21 launch brings The Painted Soul to Viki viewers across more than 190 countries [1]. Headquartered in San Mateo, California, Viki operates as a digital unit of Japan’s Rakuten Group. It currently reaches over 127 million users worldwide [2]. Viki shared this news ahead of the Asian Contents and Film Market at the Busan International Film Festival [1].
Subscribers won’t need a costly plan to stream the show [1]. Viki maintains an ad-supported free option with two paid tiers, letting people watch on browsers, mobile apps, desktop setups, and connected smart TVs. For viewers who prefer an ad-free experience, Viki Pass Standard and Viki Pass Plus unlock every episode without ad breaks [2]. Viki also runs entertainment news outlet Soompi [1]. A dedicated community of volunteer fans translates subtitles into dozens of languages, allowing overseas audiences across the Americas, Europe, and Asia to enjoy new Korean dramas without waiting months for licensed local dubs [5].
The autumn timing gives viewers a spooky supernatural romance right before Halloween. Viki hasn’t stated if all 10 episodes drop at once or roll out weekly [5]. In either case, the series streams solely on Viki across North America, Europe, Oceania, India, and Southeast Asia [2].
The Painted Soul Storyline
The tale follows spirit painter apprentice Yun Hwa. While restoring an antique scroll, she accidentally shatters an ancient ward and frees Seol Jin, a mysterious man imprisoned inside the painted silk for fifty years [1, 2]. Danger surrounds him. Legend warns that anyone who meets his gaze faces a grim fate, yet Yun Hwa feels drawn to him as she tries to separate fear from romantic affection [1].
Promotional stills released by the team tease dangerous trials beyond the central romance. One scene depicts wolves attacking Seol Jin in a snowy mountain forest, while another shows Yun Hwa resting quietly in bed beside a pet bird. These moments combine folk art motifs with modern pacing to build steady narrative tension across all 10 episodes, ensuring that the fantasy elements complement without overshadowing the central mystery [4]. Because Seol Jin’s deadly gaze threatens every person he encounters in the wild, their bond develops under constant peril. Yun Hwa must also unravel the mystery behind the painting to discover who originally trapped him inside the silk half a century ago. Danger follows them constantly [1].
Viki expects this visual style to attract young drama lovers. “Our fans have told us they want more animated content, and they’re going to love The Painted Soul, a fantasy romance with a visual style unlike anything else on Viki,” Viki chief content officer Hong Jaehee said [1, 2]. Hong said this fantasy series is just the beginning of Viki’s broader animation rollout [1].
Creative Team and Studio Roots
Director Choi Junbae oversees the series [1]. He previously helmed the 2021 serial killer thriller Mouse and the 2023 action-comedy Stealer: The Treasure Keeper for South Korean cable channel tvN [5]. Moving from live-action sets into animation gave Choi new creative freedom. He can stage complex folklore realms and ghostly encounters across ancient Korean settings without the physical limits of soundstages, heavy camera rigs, or practical visual effects [3].
Seoul studio Imaginus was founded in December 2021 by Choi Jinnie, who previously served as chief executive officer of CJ ENM unit Studio Dragon [1]. Backed by nearly $40 million in private funding, Imaginus is now preparing for an initial public offering on the stock market. It operates as a creator collective [3]. The team previously produced the live-action romantic comedy Cinderella at 2AM, which also streams for global viewers on Viki [1].
Imaginus views original animation as a fresh growth path [3]. “At their core, our team of artists always wants to tell the most compelling stories,” said Imaginus chief creative officer Lee Hyunjung [2]. Lee said new software tools allowed artists to enrich their storytelling without sacrificing creative control [1].
Developing The Painted Soul Animation
Imaginus incorporated artificial intelligence into early concept planning for The Painted Soul instead of treating automation as a simple post-production shortcut [6]. Creative teams used machine tools to explore color palettes, generate rough character drafts, and test scene pacing during script revisions, giving directors a clear visual preview of each episode before starting costly full animation. This digital setup helped human artists experiment rapidly without inflating studio costs. Human artists led the process. Imaginus insists that software must serve writers and illustrators instead of replacing skilled studio talent [3].
The use of machine tools in Korean animation mirrors rising tech adoption across Asia. Some commercial studios faced fierce criticism over automated labor—as seen when Felix Film revised its AI job listing following an online animator backlash—but Imaginus restricted its tools to early ideation [3]. Creative head Lee Hyunjung said these methods helped the crew enhance storytelling in meaningful ways [2]. Viki hasn’t revealed the specific software programs used during production [5].
AI tools help mid-sized studios handle ambitious animated projects. Drafting background art for a 10-episode fantasy saga normally demands months of manual labor, but machine ideation shortens early layout cycles. That speed gives boutique animators a viable way to compete on a global scale [3].
Viki Streaming Strategy
Rakuten Viki’s turn toward original co-productions answers major changes in its catalog licensing. In December 2025, Viki’s longstanding licensing partnership with KOCOWA, a joint venture formed by South Korean broadcasters KBS, MBC, and SBS, officially came to an end after years of shared distribution. Viki lost over 40,000 hours of television from its catalog. Instead of paying inflated fees to renew third-party rerun licenses, Viki chose to fund proprietary intellectual property. Outside distributors can’t take those rights away [3].
Original animation appeals directly to Viki’s core audience. Viewers from the Millennial and Gen Z generations make up roughly 63% of total users on the service. These younger demographics show strong demand for romance and fantasy stories, but intense competition from streaming giants like Netflix and Crunchyroll makes non-exclusive licensing risky for mid-sized platforms. Exclusive co-productions solve that problem. They give fans a compelling reason to maintain active Viki accounts [3].
The series also tackles an export puzzle for South Korea’s animation sector, known locally as aeni. Domestic cartoon production in Korea grew by 16.5% in early 2025, but overseas exports dropped noticeably during that same window [3]. By placing The Painted Soul on a global service reaching 127 million users across 190 countries and territories, Viki provides South Korean animation studios with an immediate bridge to international viewers [2]. The October debut will test how worldwide audiences respond to AI-assisted Korean animation [3].
- ONLINE NEWS Ramachandran, N. (2026, October 9). AI-assisted animated K-drama ‘The Painted Soul’ from ‘Mouse’ director sets Rakuten Viki launch. Variety. [Article Link]
- PRESS RELEASE Rakuten Viki. (2026, October 9). Rakuten Viki and Imaginus to co-produce new animated K-drama, The Painted Soul. Cision PR Newswire. [Article Link]
- ONLINE NEWS Lidman, S. (2026, October 9). The Painted Soul: How Rakuten Viki and Imaginus are redrawing K-animation. BriefGlance. [Article Link]
- ONLINE NEWS Parlevliet, M. (2026, October 9). The Painted Soul series to debut on Rakuten Viki. Vital Thrills. [Article Link]
- ONLINE NEWS Adams, I. (2026, October 9). Viki’s animated K-drama The Painted Soul premieres Oct. 21. Pirates & Princesses. [Article Link]
- ONLINE NEWS Yomimono. (2026, October 19). Rakuten Viki sets October 21 debut for AI-assisted The Painted Soul. Yomimono. [Article Link]
