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Kakao Creative Foundation Expands Workspace Support for Webtoon Creators
posted on by Wonhee Cho
The Kakao Creative Foundation, under Kakao Entertainment, the parent company of webtoon platform Tapas, has provided creative workspaces to 158 webtoon and content creators in partnership with the Korea Manhwa Contents Agency (KOMACON), the company announced September 1.
The program, which provides subsidized studios in Bucheon's Webtoon Convergence Cluster, aims to provide creators with stable environments to focus on their work while strengthening Korea's broader IP ecosystem. This year's beneficiaries include 49 creator teams, who will receive up to 75% of their studio rent covered for one year.
Launched in 2024, the workspace support initiative was met with an immediate positive response from creators. Last year, the program supported 21 teams (66 creators), fully covering their rent. Works produced from the program have already gained industry recognition, including The Great (Kakao Webtoon), which won the Minister of Culture Award at the 2024 Korea Content Awards. To date, creators at the center have developed more than 55 serialized webtoons, 10 web novels and webtoon stories, and eight animation projects.
Encouraged by this success, Kakao Creative Foundation expanded its budget this year by 40% and more than doubled the number of supported teams. Kakao sated the program has also refined its selection and renewal criteria to ensure fairness, sustainability, and inclusivity, covering not only commercial works but also non-commercial creative projects.
Sources: Kakao Entertainment's press release
