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2025 World Webtoon Festival Opens in Seoul
posted on by Wonhee Cho
The 2025 World Webtoon Festival is taking place in Seoul from October 19 to 22 to celebrate Korea's position as the birthplace of the global webtoon industry. The event will conclude on Wednesday with the World Webtoon Festival Awards ceremony at Lotte Cinema World Tower.
Now in its second year, the festival aims to strengthen Korea's global leadership in webtoons while fostering pride among creators and industry professionals.
The Chronicle of Webtoons, a special six-part exhibition at the Lotte World Ice Rink, features screenings of webtoon-based animation works such as Maru the Shiba and Dragon Girl, as well as live drawing sessions, autograph signings, and a “Live Dubbing Show” by voice actor Nam Dohyung. Major companies, including NAVER WEBTOON, Netmarble, and Wacom, are also participating with interactive showcases.
At Lotte Cinema World Tower, a talk concert series brings together the original creators of webtoon-based hits like Terror Man, Shark, and Itaewon Class to discuss their adaptations into other media. The festival is also hosting screenings of Dotori Cultural Center and the awards ceremony for the University Cartoon & Webtoon Contest.
Besides the main festival, a webtoon pop-up store is open from October 16 to 26 at Lotte World Mall, where 12 participating companies are showcasing and selling a variety of merchandise based on webtoon properties.
The World Webtoon Awards will offer 11 prizes across multiple categories, including the Grand Prize and Jury Chairman's Award.
This year's finalists include:
- The Uncanny Counter
- Myst, Might, Mayhem
- Shidome no Otto (The Fourth Husband)
- Like Mother, Like Daughter
- Maru Is a Puppy
- Mirae's Antique Shop
- Tears on a Withered Flower
- Father, Unrivaled
- Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint
- Get Schooled
This year's ceremony will present a newly established Readers' Choice Award, based on fan votes collected from October 1 to October 21.
Sources: YNA (Soon-hyun Lim)
