General Guidance for K-Culture Studies

A Webtoon is a term used to describe South Korean webcomics, or manhwa, that are published through online media platforms. The rise of high-speed internet at the end of the 1990s opened up new opportunities for amateur cartoonists to create and publish their work online, giving birth to the term.   In terms of genre, Webtoons are characterized by their vertically arranged images running from top to bottom, offering content creators more freedom in image layout, critical in telling a captivating story in comics.

They have gained immense popularity in South Korea and are produced, distributed, and consumed through Korean digital platforms such as Naver and Kakao.

Additionally, Webtoons have expanded globally, including ‘LINE Manga’ in Japan, ‘Dongman Manhua’ in China, and ‘webtoon’ in other languages such as English, French, Indonesian, Spanish, Thai, and German. Aspiring artists and cartoonists now find Webtoons an attractive platform to showcase their work.   Do you want to find out more about Webtoons?

Today’s lesson will cover three main topics:

1. South Korean digital media
2. Webtoons, South Korean webcomics
3. The platformisation of comic production   Our goals for today’s discussion are focused on the platformisation of Webtoon platforms.

Specifically, we aim to:

1. To understand South Korean digital media technology
2. To learn about the current state of South Korean comic culture
3. To explore the relationship between the growth of the platform economy and changes in comic production and consumption.   Don’t forget to watch the accompanying video for a more immersive experience.