#NewsBytesExplainer: What are webtoons? Korean digital comics sensations going global
While Japan has taken the world by storm with its mangas, South Korea is rapidly expanding its cultural influence through webtoons. Formed with a combination of "web" and "cartoon"—webtoons are digital comics designed to be read seamlessly on smartphones. K-pop and K-dramas aside, webtoons are now considered the new phenomenon in the ever-rising Hallyu wave. Let's understand why webtoons are a trend to read/watch.
History of webtoons and how they took over the internet
According to Dal Yong-jin—the author of Understanding Korean Webtoon Culture—the first webtoons appeared in the late 1990s as individual creators started uploading their comics on personal web pages. It was only in 2000 that webtoons truly gained popularity with the Korean public. Notably, Chollian—an internet service provider—played a pivotal role by launching its webtoons portal. Soon after, internet giants Daum and Naver followed suit.
More than 89M monthly active users worldwide read webtoons: Data
Presently, numerous webtoon publishers exist globally, with the majority based in Korea. With more than 89M monthly active users worldwide, the largest and most renowned webtoon publisher website is WEBTOON (known as Naver WEBTOON in South Korea). According to their data, the publisher has managed to tap into the Gen-Z and Millennial groups, with about 75% of its readers belonging to these age demographics.
What led to the rise of webtoons in Korea?
The webtoon's easily consumable format has contributed immensely to its popularity. What is called a "snack culture,"—a term used in Korea to describe the trend of consuming media in short bursts—providers offered webtoons designed to be read in under 10 minutes on smartphones. This accessibility contributed immensely to webtoons' popularity, not only for readers but also for creators, who can upload their comics immediately.
Why Korean government is promoting webtoons?
The Korean government is reaping the benefits of the Hallyu wave with its ever-growing content and pop-culture industry. This aside, the government also aims to promote the growing webtoon industry and envisions them as a medium for One Source Multi Use (OSMU). Interestingly, with an estimated worth of $153.5M in 2014—as reported by the Korean Ministry—the webtoon industry in Korea continues to flourish.
Why do webtoons make great TV series?
It goes without saying that as K-dramas gained immense international popularity, K-creators became more aware of favoring safer and more appealing narratives. On the other hand, the webtoon industry continued to embrace innovative and daring stories. Given an inexhaustible supply of stories that have already proven their popularity within the platform, webtoons have become a valuable resource for local TV channels and networks.
What are some of the famous K-dramas based on webtoons?
Many webtoon-based K-dramas have gained significant popularity, making it challenging to narrow down only a few standout titles. This list includes True Beauty, What's Wrong with Secretary Kim, My ID Is Gangnam Beauty, My Roommate is a Gumiho, Clean With Passion For Now, and The Tale of Nokdu. These dramas have consistently secured Netflix's top global rankings, some even claimed the number one spot.
Here is a list of Korean films based on webtoons
Beyond K-dramas, webtoons have proved to be a rich bank of content for Korean movies, too. Films such as Inside Men and The Along with the Gods franchise have successfully adapted webtoons into full-length feature films. Further, movies aside, Money Game made its debut as a YouTube series and later became the first Korean webtoon to be adapted into an American reality show.
