How A Simple Thinking About Blood Type (혈액형에 관한 간단한 고찰) Pioneered K-Webtoon’s OSMU Success

A Simple Thinking About Blood Type ⓒPark Dong-seon

 

How A Simple Thinking About Blood Type (혈액형에 관한 간단한 고찰) Pioneered K-Webtoon’s OSMU Success

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The Rise of A Simple Thinking About Blood Type: From Blog to Webtoon Fame

Before A Simple Thinking About Blood Type (혈액형에 관한 간단한 고찰, aka 혈관고) became a webtoon phenomenon, it started as a humble blog series by artist Park Dong-seon in 2005. Gaining traction on Cyworld, it officially debuted on Naver Webtoon in April 2011, running for a total of 226 episodes.

The charm of 혈관고 lies in its humorous take on personality traits based on blood types—A, B, O, and AB—through endearing, anthropomorphized characters. While scientifically unproven, the blood type personality theory is deeply ingrained in Asian pop culture, making the webtoon widely relatable.

Japan’s Ketsuekigata-kun! – The First K-Webtoon Anime Adaptation

A Simple Thinking About Blood Type gained popularity beyond South Korea, particularly in Japan, China, and Taiwan. Japan, where blood type personality theories hold strong cultural significance, saw the potential in the webtoon and adapted it into an anime titled Ketsuekigata-kun! (血液型くん!).

Interestingly, Ketsuekigata-kun! was the first-ever K-webtoon to be adapted into a Japanese anime—a landmark moment in the cross-media evolution of Korean webtoons.

 

Ketsuekigata-kun!  (血液型くん!) ⓒPark Dong-seon

 

Blood Type Personalities in A Simple Thinking About Blood Type

• A-Type
  • Men: Meticulous, responsible, and perfectionist. Prefers order and avoids conflict.
  • Women: Kind, considerate, but sensitive. Dislikes loneliness and overthinks situations.
• B-Type
  • Men: Free-spirited, creative, and passionate. Can be impulsive and unpredictable.
  • Women: Expressive, confident, and curious. Has fluctuating moods and a strong sense of individuality.
• O-Type
  • Men: Charismatic leaders, goal-driven, and realistic. Overconfident at times.
  • Women: Outgoing, sociable, and enthusiastic. Loves attention but struggles to say no.
• AB-Type
  • Men: Logical, talented, and unpredictable. Switches between cool and passionate behavior.
  • Women: Intelligent, reserved, and independent. Hides emotions and avoids commitment.

 

You can find simple stories about AB-type man and B-type woman at https://x.com/seollena . ⓒPark Dong-seon

The Expansion of A Simple Thinking About Blood Type: OSMU Success and Challenges

Beyond its anime adaptation, A Simple Thinking About Blood Type successfully expanded into various media formats and merchandise, a strategy known as One Source Multi-Use (OSMU). Some notable ventures include:

• Print & Digital Books – The webtoon was published as a book series.
• KakaoTalk Stickers – 9 sticker packs featuring 혈관고 characters are still available!
• Character Merchandise – From plush toys to household items, 혈관고 products were widely sold.

However, due to political tensions between South Korea and China in 2016, planned projects in China stalled. Despite this, A Simple Thinking About Blood Type remains a significant example of K-webtoon globalization.

Check Out A Simple Thinking About Blood Type Merch on Redbubble!

Exciting news! A Simple Thinking About Blood Type characters are now available as adorable digital designs on Redbubble! You can find them on:

• T-Shirts
• Zip-Up Hoodies
• Mugs
• Stickers & More!

🔗 Visit Our Redbubble Store and grab your favorite A Simple Thinking About Blood Type merch today!

Final Thoughts

A Simple Thinking About Blood Type paved the way for K-webtoon globalization through its pioneering OSMU strategy. While it faced challenges, its adorable characters and relatable humor continue to resonate with fans worldwide. With new collaborations and fresh merchandise, the story of 혈관고 is far from over! 

 

We decided to actively utilize social media to expand the worldview of this work and make it widely known as an IP that more people can enjoy casually. With the author's consent, we decided too serialize the secondary work of A Simple Thinking About Blood Type, "A Simple Story About Type AB man and Type B woman" on X. You can meet this exciting story tonight on the X account Ketsuekigata san. Let's watch together to see what kind of synergy the media mix of this story and the cute designs that will be updated on Redbubble will create!

 

 

 

What’s your blood type? Do you relate to A Simple Thinking About Blood Type characters? Let us know in the comments!

A Simple Thinking About Blood Type @Park Dong-seon

 

📩 Collaboration Inquiries: tground@daum.net