Sanho Kim, the cartoonist behind ‘Rayphie’ and the focus of the HelloWorks documentary ‘Korea’s First SF Cartoonist Sanho Kim and the Return of Rayphie.’
Koo Yong-nam, HelloWorks’ chief executive.
The Seoul-based studio HelloWorks will unveil its strategy for reviving the 1959 comic ‘Rayphie’ as worldwide intellectual property, beginning with a documentary about its creator Sanho Kim, at the Global Stage Hollywood event on October 3.
If K-culture broke through because of BTS and ARMY, then a Korean superhero animation that combines taekwondo with K-culture and K-pop could find a response as a new genre”— Koo Yong-nam, CEO, HelloWorksLOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES, CA, UNITED STATES, September 27, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — LOS ANGELES, CA — HelloWorks, a Seoul-based studio specializing in short-drama and AI-generated content, will introduce its initiative to resurrect ‘Rayphie’ (라이파이)—often hailed as Korea’s earliest science-fiction comic—as a worldwide IP venture at Global Stage Hollywood (GSH). The presentation takes place Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026, at the TCL Chinese Theatre, 6925 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood.
Sam Woo, who heads HelloWorks’ Los Angeles office, will give the talk titled ‘Rayphie: The Revival of Korea’s First SF Comic and a Global IP Business’ at 1:05 p.m. PT during GSH’s Korea session, dubbed ‘Korean Entertainment Tech Companies Going Global.’ This two-hour event, conducted in both Korean and English, is organized by K-EnterTech Hub in collaboration with GSH.
A hero from 1959 returns
Rayphie was created by cartoonist Sanho Kim (김산호) and ran as a serial in Korea from 1959 to 1962, spanning four installments and 32 volumes. Readers who grew up in 1960s Korea still vividly recall the character. Kim later relocated to the United States and contributed to Charlton Comics from 1969 to 1976; the comics database Lambiek records over 300 of his works. Apart from a 2003 reprint and a brief AI-generated video in 2025, no new Rayphie installment had appeared since 1962.
HelloWorks is focusing on the originator first. The firm is producing the documentary ‘Korea’s First SF Cartoonist Sanho Kim and the Return of Rayphie,’ with principal photography slated for the last quarter of 2026 and a broadcast goal of the second quarter of 2027. Animation and other formats are envisioned once recognition is built.
“We have to do the IP contract first,” said Koo Yong-nam (구용남), HelloWorks’ chief executive, clarifying the company will not market the property internationally until rights are solidified.
Koo sees potential for a Korean superhero in a landscape already familiar with K-pop and Korean dramas. “If K-culture broke through because of BTS and ARMY, with K-pop and K-culture combined, then a Korean superhero animation that combines taekwondo with K-culture and K-pop could find a response as a new genre,” he remarked.
From script development to short drama
Koo launched HelloWorks in August 2018. The team initially crafted scripts in emerging genres for CJ ENM over four to five years before pivoting to short-form drama as the theatrical market contracted. Its short drama ‘Wife’s Letter of Resignation’ (아내 사직서) reached 11th among new releases on ReelShort, and its ‘K-Short Drama AI’ work was showcased at GAMFF 2026. The company maintains an office in Mapo, Seoul, and a U.S. office in California that partners with local promoters and venues for K-pop events.
HelloWorks employs generative AI in production but is cautious about its self-description. “When you work with AI these days, you see far too many companies coming out as AI production studios,” Koo said.
Beyond the United States, HelloWorks is building VR K-pop concert content in Vietnam, has entered an MOU with a Chinese partner to jointly produce five short dramas, and is preparing programming for K-Channel 82, a Korean-content channel targeting U.S. viewers.
The Korea session at GSH
Following a welcome from GSH executive producer Douglas Montgomery—a 17-year veteran of international distribution at Warner Bros.—the HelloWorks presentation will be followed by a reaction from Artem “Tommy” Petrov, co-founder and CEO of CopySight AI, addressing rights verification for AI content built on existing IP.
Millennial Works, which operates the AI theme-park platform SPACE:V and the AI content kiosk ANYMOMENT, will then discuss scaling AI-driven IP experience spaces overseas, with feedback from Anisa Abeytia, head of AI innovation at HumaAI.
Two fireside chats start at 2:05 p.m. The first, ‘AI and Rights,’ examines how Korea’s AI Basic Act labeling requirements for generative AI stack up against U.S. conditions. The second, ‘Korean Entertainment Tech Companies Going Global,’ brings together Samseog Ko (고삼석), distinguished professor at Dongguk University; Montgomery; Kunhee Park (박근희), former head of Wavve Americas; and Sam Woo to explore routes into the U.S. market and what it takes to revive a classic IP like Rayphie. The session wraps at 3 p.m. with audience Q&A and a group photo. Jung Han, CEO of K-EnterTech Hub, will act as moderator.
About Global Stage Hollywood
Global Stage Hollywood is a film festival held at the TCL Chinese Theatre, presenting films from Japan, Korea, China, Taiwan, and other parts of Asia. The 2026 edition runs Oct. 2–4, kicking off with a red-carpet gala premiere. At the 2025 festival, the Korean film ‘Florence’ (피렌체), directed by Lee Chang-yeol, won best picture, best director, and best screenplay.
About HelloWorks
HelloWorks is a Seoul-based creative studio founded in 2018 that develops and produces short-form drama, AI content, and K-pop performance content for global platforms. It operates a U.S. office in California.
About K-EnterTech Hub
K-EnterTech Hub is a media and business platform covering the intersection of Korean entertainment and technology. It organizes the Korea session at Global Stage Hollywood and connects Korean content and tech companies with partners in the U.S. market.
Event details
Korea Session: Korean Entertainment Tech Companies Going Global
Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026, 1:00–3:00 p.m. PT
TCL Chinese Theatre, 6925 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood, CA 90028
Jung Han
K-EnterTech Hub
+1 812-837-7424
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