Operation True Love has been on Hiatus since March. Artist Dledumb announced on Naver Webtoon that the series will be pausing for approximately four months due to ongoing wrist problems, but it took longer than expected to heal. But now we have an official release date: October 2. Here is everything we know.
Operation True Love Hiatus: Key Details at a Glance
- Current Status: On hiatus
- Last Chapter (Naver): Episode 134, released March 14, 2026
- Last Chapter (WEBTOON Global): Episode 134, released March 19, 2026
- Reason for Hiatus: Artist’s wrist/joint issues
- Expected Duration: ~ 4 months
- Actual Duration: a little over 6 months
- Return Date: October 2, 2026
- Where to Read: WEBTOON
Operation True Love Official Return Date announcement
Artist Dledumb announced on her Naver creator profile that OTL will be back in October, because the recovery took longer than expected. Here is the translated announcement:
Hello, this is Dledumb.
I hope all of you readers have been doing well.
I had said that I would return after a four-month hiatus, but recovering my health took longer than expected, which delayed the start of my full-scale work.
Because of this, my return has unfortunately been pushed back a little further than the date I originally mentioned. 😭
<Operation: True Love> will return on Friday night, October 2.
I’m doing my best to make sure the return isn’t delayed any further, so I kindly ask for your understanding. ㅠㅠ
There are so many stories I can’t wait to tell you and so many scenes I want to show you. Please wait just a little longer. See you very soon!
Looking forward to the day we meet again…
– Dledumb
Why is Operation True Love on Hiatus again?
On March 14, 2026, Dledumb posted an announcement on Naver Webtoon explaining that she’s been dealing with wrist and joint problems that have made it increasingly difficult to keep up with the weekly release schedule. This is the translated announcement:
Hello, this is Dledumb.
This may come as sudden news, but Operation: Pure Love will be going on a temporary hiatus.
Due to ongoing issues with my hand joints, which I’ve mentioned a few times recently, it has become difficult to keep up with the weekly release schedule. I’ve decided that I need some time to recover.
As the story is gradually approaching its conclusion, I made this decision in order to deliver a more polished and complete ending. I would really appreciate your understanding. 😢
The hiatus is expected to last around four months. I will share another notice as soon as the return schedule is confirmed.
I feel sorry for making readers wait again, but during this break I will focus on recovery and preparation so I can return with a more stable release schedule.
Until I return, I hope everyone stays healthy and happy.
– Dledumb –
This Isn’t the First Hiatus
Dledumb already went on a long hiatus during Season 2 due to the exact same issue: her wrist. That break started in August 2024 (after Chapter 108 on Naver) and lasted almost a full year. At the time, she said she’d originally planned to return by June 2025, but her condition worsened, and the break stretched until August 29, 2025. If you want to know more, you can check out my article about the previous Hiatus after chapter 109.
When Will Operation True Love Return for international readers?
The official return date applies to Naver, the Korean platform. For international readers, that could mean a delay. It’s normal for the English and Korean releases to be out of sync because of the translation process, but there’s no fixed timeline or pattern I can give you. Sometimes a title returns on both platforms at once after a mid-season hiatus; other times the wait is much longer. With No Office Romance, English readers didn’t get the new chapters until more than seven months later. With a title as popular as OTL, that’s unlikely.
The release gap has also been small recently: Chapter 138 went up on Naver on March 20th and on the English WEBTOON app on April 17th – roughly four weeks apart. If they keep that up, English readers can expect the story to continue in late October. That said, my guess is that both versions will return simultaneously. That’s what happened with Childhood Friend Complex, and OTL is at least as popular.
What Happened in Season 3 So Far (Spoilers!)
If you need a refresher on where things left off, here’s a quick recap.
Season 3 picked up right after the long hiatus, and Eunhyeok, Su-ae and Dohwa reunited. Even Ra-im is still in the picture, but she slides into the story to make everyone mad a bit later. The love triangle in Operation True Love is still love triangling, now even more than ever, because the comment section is pretty torn. Dohwa confessed his feelings again, and Su-ae is torn between her heart – which is obviously still hung up on Eunhyeok – and Dohwa, who makes her feel loved and secure but apparently isn’t worth pursuing.
Oh, and one more thing: the whole love points system? Basically meaningless now. That plotline got tossed out the window pretty quickly in Season 3. Check out the worst-rated episode of Operation True Love for more details.
What to Read While You Wait
If you’re looking for something to read while you wait, here are a few recommendations:
- If you’re here for the love triangle drama, check out my list of modern romance manhwa recommendations.
- If you are tired of love triangles definitely read romance manhwa without a second male lead.
- If you love the high school setting, have a look at the best high school romance manhwa.
- And if you want something completed so you don’t have to deal with another hiatus, here’s my list of the best completed romance manhwa.
