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WEBTOON Expands Creator Programs
Company also launches residency initiative in 2026
― WEBTOON announced plans on December 11 to significantly expand its Creator Programs in 2026, introducing new monetization options, educational initiatives, and in-person support designed to help creators build long-term careers on the platform. The expanded programs will roll out throughout 2026 and include improved monetization tools for CANVAS c...
Korea's Internet Self-Regulatory Body Introduces New Guidelines for Webtoons, Web Novels
Guidelines outline standards, review procedures for identifying hate speech, inappropriate expressions within narrative content
― The Korea Internet Self-Governance Organization (KISO) announced on December 12 that it has established new self-regulatory guidelines for story-based digital content, including webtoons and web novels. KISO is a non-governmental, industry-led self-regulatory body compris...
4th Manhwa-Based Live-Action Tazza Film Enters Production as Franchise Finale
Film follows gambler who finds success in poker business as he reunites with former close friend who once took everything from him
― CJ ENM, one of the biggest entertainment production companies in Korea, announced on December 15 that filming has begun on Tazza: Beelzebub's Song, the fourth and final installment in the long-running manhwa-based live-action film series Tazza. The film follows Tae-you...
Channel A Confirms January 17 Debut for Live-Action Webtoon-Based Series Positively Yours
Poster also revealed for romantic comedy that begins with 1-night stand, unexpected pregnancy
― Korean cable network Channel A unveiled on December 15 the main poster for its upcoming live-action series Positively Yours, spotlighting the provocative chemistry between leads Jin-hyuk Choi and Yeon-seo Oh. Positively Yours is scheduled to premiere on January 17 at 10:30 p.m. KST. Adapted from the popul...
Netflix Releases Main Trailer for Webtoon-Based Live-Action Series Cashero
Trailer highlights superpowered characters
― Netflix released on December 11 the main trailer for Cashero, an upcoming live-action series based on the webtoon of the same name. The trailer opens with Sang-woong and Min-sook reacting in shock as banknotes scatter and coins fall whenever Sang-woong uses his powers. After suddenly gaining a supernatural ability, Sang-woong reacts with disbelief, saying...
Webzen to Develop Strategy Game Based on Tyrant of the Tower Defense Game Webtoon
Webtoon series depicts protagonist's struggle for survival through intense battles
― Korean game developer Webzen announced on December 10 plans to develop a new strategy game based on the popular webtoon series Tyrant of the Tower Defense Game. The company signed an IP licensing agreement with Naver WEBTOON to develop and operate a game based on the series. Development will be handled by Webzen's s...
Girls Band Cry Anime Gets Webtoon Adaptation
Webtoon adaptation aims to introduce series to broader global readership
― A.Tempo Media, a webtoon production and publishing company in Korea, unveiled a webtoon adaptation of the hit anime series Girls Band Cry at Korea's Animation & Game Festival (AGF) on December 5. The anime's official website had announced the webtoon on December 3. The webtoon adaptation aims to introduce the series to a broa...
Topco Media Plans to Release AI-Animated Adaptations of its Adult Webtoons Globally After 1st Work Sees Strong Results in Taiwan
Company runs Toptoon English webtoon service
― Topco Media, the Korean parent company for the webtoon platform Toptoon, reported on December 2 strong commercial performance for its first AI-produced adult animation series Office Romances Are Strictly Forbidden, demonstrating returns estimated at around five times the original webtoon production cost, following its initial release in Taiwan. Based on...
K-pop Girl Group FIFTY FIFTY Releases Song for Operation: True Love Webtoon
Song for high school romance webtoon launched on December 2
― K-pop group FIFTY FIFTY performed the latest original soundtrack song for the webtoon Operation: True Love. The track, titled "Oops, My Bad," launched on December 2 on major music streaming platforms. Operation: True Love, created by webtoon duo kkokkalee and Dledumb, has maintained a strong readership since its launch in April 2022. WEBT...
Taxi Driver Webtoons Viewership Surges as Season 3 of Live-Action Adaptation Debuts
Weekly views for sequel webtoon Taxi Driver: Recall jumped by roughly 64 times
― Kakao Entertainment stated Friday that the webtoon Taxi Driver is seeing a major boost in readership following the November 21 premiere of the third season of the live-action adaptation. According to the company, weekly views for the sequel webtoon Taxi Driver: Recall on KakaoPage jumped by roughly 64 times in the week ...
RIDI Pulls BL Web Novel After Allegations Story Mirrors Career of e-Sports Legend Faker
Public outcry over using real person's achievements in adult fiction caused removal; author issues apology
― Korean webtoon and web novel platform RIDI suspended sales of the newly published boys-love (BL) novel Crazy Dog Hunts the Tiger only a day after its release on November 24, following accusations that the story closely mirrors the real-life career of the world-famed professional gamer known a...
LINE Manga Launches Webtoon Grand Prix 2025, With Grand Prize Offering 10 Million Yen & Serialization
Submission window runs from November 21 through February 15
― LINE Manga has opened submissions for the LINE Manga Webtoon Grand Prix 2025, a contest designed to discover new webtoon talent. The event offers total prize money of up to 10 million yen (about US$64,000) and guarantees publication and global distribution for the grand prize work. Winners will receive serialization rights on LINE Manga, ...
Naver WEBTOON Marks 20th Anniversary With Special Tribute Series
bumbae, Seok Cho draw commemorative webcomic titled 20th Anniversary Masterpiece Theater
― Naver WEBTOON is celebrating the 20th anniversary of its Korean service launch with a series of user appreciation events, beginning with a commemorative webcomic titled 20th Anniversary Masterpiece Theater. The platform officially opened in December 2005. The first episodes of the special series were released ...
KOCCA Hosts Content IP Market With Expanded Focus on Webtoon IP
Event highlights how webtoons are increasingly adapted into games, live-action series, films
― The Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA) and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism hosted the "Content IP Market 2025" event from November 25 to 27 at COEX in Seoul, bringing together webtoons, characters, story, and entertainment companies to explore global licensing and adaptation opportunities. N...
WEBTOON Partners With Paris Opera on New Ballet-Themed Original Webcomic
30-episode story follows young Korean dancer in Paris Opera's corps de ballet
― WEBTOON Entertainment announced on November 21 it is teaming up with the Paris Opera to release a new original webcomic, Secret d'une Étoile (Secret of a Ballerina), launching in France on November 28. The project marks WEBTOON's first collaboration between a French illustrator, StillUnderworld, and a Korean writer, Hone...
HYBE Launches Webtoon Dark Moon: Two Moons Globally
New series serves as sequel to DARK MOON: The Blood Altar
― HYBE, the Korean entertainment giant known as the management company for BTS, announced on Wednesday that its webtoon DARK MOON: Two Moons will launch globally on November 28. The new series is a sequel to DARK MOON: The Blood Altar, which has recorded more than 200 million views worldwide. The sequel will be released through WEBTOON in Nor...
Lezhin US Webtoon Platform Adds Comment Section
Company also launches user engagement event
― Lezhin Comics on November 18 introduced a full comment section on its platform, allowing readers to respond to episodes with comments and participate in scene-based discussions using a new “page stamp” function. According to the company's announcement, the feature is available on both series landing pages and individual episodes. Users can reply to other...
KOCCA Expands Support for Webtoon-Based Games
Google Play supports overseas marketing, platform promotion; Naver Webtoon provides IP
― The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA) outlined the achievements of the second phase of the Global Webtoon Games program and discussed plans for a third phase during G-STAR 2025 at BEXCO in Busan on November 14. The initiative, run in partnership with Google Pla...
Bride of the Water God Manhwa Returns After 11 Years With New Sequel Series
New series follows ordinary high school student So-ah who begins having dreams about her past life
― Kakao Entertainment announced on November 19 that a sequel of the Bride of the Water God manhwa will begin serialization on Kakao Webtoon on November 29. Bride of the Water God tells the story of Habaek, the god of the river, and So-ah, a human woman offered to him as his bride. Created by author Mi ...
Demon Slayer, Scarlet, Chainsaw Man, ChaO, More Anime Films Confirmed Eligible for 2026 Oscars
Colorful Stage!, 100 Meters, Dragon Heart, Lost in Starlight, KPop Demon Hunters also eligible
― The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced the films eligible for consideration for the 2026 Oscars in the Animated Feature, International Feature, and Documentary Feature categories on Friday. Among the 35 titles eligible for the Animated Feature category, the anime films and Japanese medi...
Korean Appeals Court Sentences Operator Behind NunuTV, OKToon Piracy Sites to 4.5 Years in Prison
Appeals court serves harsher sentence than initial 3-year term issued by lower court
― The Daejeon High Court's Criminal Appeals Division on November 13 sentenced the operator behind the illegal streaming site NunuTV and the webtoon piracy site OKToon to four years and six months in prison for copyright infringement. The sentence was harsher than the initial three-year term issued by a lower court i...
Jaedam Media to Release French Webtoon Selection in Korean in 2026
Initiative commemorates 140th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Korea, France
― Jaedam Media, a Korean webtoon publisher, announced on November 17 it will publish Korean-language versions of French webtoons selected through a public contest organized by the Embassy of France in Korea. The works will be distributed on the company's platform, Jaedam Shortz. The program, titled the FrenchToon...
Lezhin Entertainment Launches New Webtoon-Based Music Project Group
SPAKLZ features characters from 14 Lezhin webtoons
― Lezhin Entertainment announced on November 19 that it will debut SPAKLZ, a new music project group built around its popular webtoon franchises, on November 25. The initiative marks the company's first attempt to merge webtoon character universes with a season-greeting concept and expand them into music, bringing characters from multiple titles tog...
An Hour of Romance Webtoon Confirmed for Live-Action Adaptation
Story follows 2 people who begin swapping souls for exactly 1 hour each day
― The webtoon series An Hour of Romance is being adapted into a live-action series. According to Korean entertainment media outlet OSEN, actor Hye-sun Shim is currently reviewing an offer to lead the series. TappyToon describes the story of Myeong-mi Kim's original webtoon: Jooahn and Dojin couldn't be any more different at ...
My Daughter is a Zombie Film Wins Top Audience Award at Blue Dragon Film Awards
Webtoon-based feature was nominated in 7 major categories
― The live-action film My Daughter is a Zombie, based on the webtoon of the same name, won the Top Audience Award at the 46th Blue Dragon Film Awards on the November 19. Blue Dragon Film Awards, often compared to the Oscars in South Korea, are one of the country's most prestigious film honors. Established in 1963 and known for spotlighting bo...
Studio N Apologizes After The Remarried Empress Live-Action Series' Costume Prop Causes Controversy
Viewers point out medal worn by Ji-hoon Ju in still resembled Nazi German Long Service Award
― The upcoming Disney+ original series based on The Remarried Empress webtoon, set for release in the second half of 2026, became embroiled in controversy immediately after releasing its first stills. Disney+ unveiled the images on November 13 during its “Disney+ Originals Preview 2025” event in Hong Kong. T...
WEBTOON to Co-Produce 10 Animated Series with Warner Bros. Animation
Projects include adaptations of The Stellar Swordmaster, Hardcore Leveling Warrior, Down to Earth
― WEBTOON announced November 12 that it plans to develop a slate of animated projects in partnership with Warner Bros. Animation (WBA). The companies intend to enter into a co-production agreement covering 10 WEBTOON titles for global distribution. The collaboration marks a major expansion of WEBTOON En...
Korean Government to Conduct Industry-Wide Survey on Webtoons
Survey covers 7 areas, 61 indicators including company revenues, workforce data, overseas expansion, more
― According to the Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA) and industry sources on November 9, the Webtoon Industry Status Survey recently received approval from the Ministry of Data and Statistics, marking the first time that data on the webtoon industry will be managed as part of the government'...
Daejeon Hosts 2025 University Webtoon Championship
November 14-16 event features exhibition of student works from webtoon departments across Korea
― The Korean city of Daejeon announced on November 11 that it will host the 2025 University Webtoon Championship at the Daejeon e-Sports Arena from November 14 to 16. The event features an exhibition of student works from webtoon departments across the country, with 48 outstanding pieces selected for awar...
Webtoon-Based Live-Action Series Judge Han-Young Lee Confirms January 2 Debut
Story follows corrupt judge who time-travels 10 years into the past
― Korean broadcasting network MBC announced on Wednesday the live-action series Judge Han-Young Lee, based on a popular Korean web novel and webtoon with over 22 million combined views, will premiere on January 2, 2026. Judge Han-Young Lee follows a corrupt judge who time-travels 10 years into the past and uses his second chance to ...
Live-Action Portraits of Delusion Series to Debut on Disney+ in 2nd Half of 2026
1st still photos revealed
― Disney+ has released the first photos for Portraits of Delusion, its upcoming live-action series based on the webtoon Delusion, confirming a second-half 2026 premiere. The newly revealed images feature Suzy and Sun-ho Kim in their lead roles. Suzy portrays Jeong-hwa Song, faithfully matching the character's look from the original webtoon, including the short black hair, p...
Crossed Hearts Announces Print Release of 'Darling, Why Can't We Divorce?' Webtoon
Ongoing series began serialization on Kakao Webtoon in 2024
― Publisher Crossed Hearts officially announced on Wednesday the print release of Darling, Why Can't We Divorce?, a webtoon adaptation of So-hee Cha's 2021 web novel. Illustrated by Studio Inus, the series began serialization on Kakao Webtoon in 2024 and continues to run. Crossed Hearts describes the series: When Ophelia Lizen wakes up in t...
Live-Action Dear X Series Release Drives Surge in Original Webtoon Readership
Webtoon's views increased 17-fold between November 6–12 compared to week before teaser video was released
― Following the release of the live-action series Dear X on November 6, interest in the source webtoon has surged as viewers revisit the original work, drawn by discussions about the show's high fidelity to the comic. According to Naver WEBTOON on November 13, the webtoon's views increased 17-fo...
Solo Leveling to Debut as Ice Musical in Seoul This December
Show will feature solo, ensemble performances by current, former members of S. Korean national figure skating team
― The hit webnovel and webtoon Solo Leveling is being adapted into an ice musical titled Solo Leveling on Ice, scheduled to run from December 24 to 31 at the Mokdong Ice Rink in Seoul. The production reimagines the franchise as an action performance musical on ice. Chae-yeon Kim, a memb...
Musical Marli Adapted into Webtoon Ahead of Stage Premiere
Musical follows 18-year-old former child star who enters body of her doll
― A webtoon adaptation of the original musical Marli, titled Marli's Special Day Better Than Yesterday, began serialization on Friday through Naver WEBTOON's UGC platform Challenge Comics, producer Jooda Culture announced on Thursday. The musical follows Marli, an 18-year-old former child star who enters the body of her doll, ...
Manta Comics' Under the Oak Tree Webtoon to Return with Season 5 on November 22
Upcoming season will complete storyline from Book 1 of original web novel
― Manta Comics announced on November 5 that its hit series Under the Oak Tree will return for Season 5 on November 22. The webtoon last concluded its fourth season in March. The upcoming season will complete the storyline from Book 1 of the original web novel. The novel itself ends with Book 2, whose final English volume was r...
The Remarried Empress Live-Action Series to Debut in 2nd Half of 2026
Production showcases royal palace settings filmed across Korea, Czech Republic, Germany
― Disney+ confirmed on Thursday the live-action series of The Remarried Empress webtoon will be released in the second half of 2026. The company held its “Disney+ Originals Preview 2025” presentation on the morning of November 13 at the Cinderella Ballroom in the Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel Conference Center. A tr...
The Horizon Webtoon Wins Award at Italy's Lucca Comics & Games
Eisner-nominated work follows young boy who meets girl in sea of dead bodies
― Webtoon The Horizon, created by Ji-hoon Jeong (penname JH), has been honored with the Yellow Kid “Book of the Year” award at Italy's Lucca Comics & Games festival, webtoon company Ultra Media announced on November 14. Lucca Comics & Games is one of Europe's largest comic and gaming events, held annually since 1966. The Ho...
Naver WEBTOON Holds 2-Day Wellness Program for Creators
Pilot program brought together 27 creators, more than half of whom had completed their 1st series
― Naver WEBTOON held a two-day wellness retreat for creators who recently completed their webtoon series as part of its creator support initiative "WEBTOON With." The program took place from October 29 to 30 and aimed to help artists recover emotionally after finishing long-term projects. This pilot pro...
Live-Action Series The Dream Life of Mr. Kim Boosts Webtoon Views 30-Fold
Webtoon gets 10-episode side story depicting Mr. Kim's early years as new employee
― The popularity of the live-action series The Dream Life of Mr. Kim has led to a sharp increase in readership for its original webtoon. Naver WEBTOON reported on Friday that between October 25 and November 7, the webtoon's views increased by more than 30 times compared to the two weeks preceding the release of the sh...
Institute of North Korean Studies Releases Webtoon Adaptation of Eun-kyung's Diary for Free
Original book depicts daily life of North Korean high school girl
― Eun-kyung's Diary, often referred to as the North Korean version of Anne Frank's The Diary of a Young Girl, has been adapted into a webtoon and is available for free. The Institute of North Korean Studies (INKS) in South Korea announced that a webtoon depicting the daily life of a North Korean high school girl will be distributed th...
Webtoon Platform KTOON to End Service on December 31
Platform's 12-year run ends as competition in Korean webtoon industry continues to intensify
― KTOON, a Korean webtoon platform that launched in 2013 under the name Olleh Market Webtoon, will officially end its service on December 31, 2025. The company announced that the decision was made due to changes in the business environment. Starting November 1, new user registration and Berry (in-app currenc...
Crime Noir Webtoon I Am a Sinner Confirmed for Live-Action Adaptation
Story depicts 2 men's partnership, betrayal in lawless city filled with money, drugs, violence
― Korean entertainment media outlets confirmed on October 29 that a live-action adaptation of I Am a Sinner, based on the Kakao Webtoon series by author Imugi, is in the works. Actors Seo-joon Park and Tae-goo Um will lead the cast. Set in the 1980s, the crime noir series follows “Paeng-i,” a man who rises...
The Pinkfong Company Unveils Children's Animated Series Kikipuppup Co-Produced with Japan's TBS
Kikipuppup centers on emotions, relationships through comedic storytelling
― The Pinkfong Company announced on October 30 that it will release its new intellectual property (IP) Kikipuppup, an animated series co-produced with Japanese broadcaster TBS Television. Kikipuppup is the company's next-generation IP following Pinkfong, Baby Shark, Bebefinn, Sealook, and Moon Shark. The project premiered glo...
Webtoon-Based Live-Action Thriller Series Dear X to Premiere on November 6
Show will have simultaneous release in South Korea, 18 countries across Asia-Pacific region
― The upcoming live-action series Dear X will release its first four episodes on November 6 at 6:00 p.m. KST on TVING, a Korean streaming platform. Dear X is a melodrama thriller that follows Ah-jin Baek (You-jung Kim), a top star who has built her success by stacking and trampling over the scars of her child...
Crossed Hearts Licenses Mai Ando's 'You're Way Too Cheeky, Chigaya-kun!' Manga
Company also licenses Dodo's The Abandoned Villainess Became A Zombie Korean novel series
― Crossed Hearts, a new California-based global English publisher, revealed on Wednesday that it has licensed Mai Ando's You're Way Too Cheeky, Chigaya-kun! (Namaiki sugiru yo, Chigaya-kun) manga, for a planned release in May 2026. Crossed Hearts describes the story: Ever since the day they met, no matter how ma...
Romantic Comedy Webtoon 'I'm Not a Guy!?' Gets Live-Action Adaptation
Series centers on gender-bending office romance between murder suspect, former special force officer
― Korean entertainment media outlets reported on October 24 that the romantic comedy webtoon I'm NOT a Guy!? is set for a live-action television adaptation. Actors Si-wan Im and In-ah Seol are in talks to star in the adaptation, based on the web novel and webtoon series of the same name. The series c...
World Webtoon Festival Attracts More Than 200,000 Visitors
Festival held on October 19-22 brought together creators, companies, fans
― The 2025 World Webtoon Festival event held from October 19 to 22 in Seoul attracted about 210,000 visitors. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST) organized the event and the Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA) hosted the event, which aimed to solidify South Korea's status as the birthplace of webtoons and to s...
Fantagraphics Launches New East Asian Comics Imprint Takumigraphics, Which Will Re-Release Wandering Son Manga
New imprint to publish Korean artist Yudori's Lovers of the Empire graphic novel
― Fantagraphics announced on Thursday that it is launching a new imprint for East Asian comics titled "Takumigraphics." While the imprint will initially focus on manga, the imprint also plans to release comics by authors from Korea, China, Singapore, Taiwan, the Philippines, and other Asian countries. Takumigraphics will...
Webtoon-Based Live-Action Taxi Driver Show's Season 3 Premieres on November 21
New teaser trailer released
― Korean broadcasting company SBS will premiere the third season of its series Taxi Driver on November 21, continuing the popular revenge-driven storyline based on the webtoon of the same name. Taxi Driver follows the secretive taxi company Rainbow Transport and its driver Do-gi Kim, as they deliver revenge on behalf of victims whom the justice system has wronged. The ser...
Old Man's Dream Webtoon Gets Stage Play Adaptation in 2026
Story follows art studio owner who meets elderly woman getting her portrait painted
― Won-dal Baek's webtoon Old Man's Dream will be adapted into a stage play set to premiere at the LG Art Center Seoul U+ Stage from January 9 to March 22, 2026. The story follows Bomhee, who runs a small art studio, and her encounter with Chunae, an elderly woman who comes to have her own portrait painted. Their meet...
New Korean-Animated Family Series Somacguffin: Click! World Adventure Premieres on November 9 on EBS
Story follows family who win world travel prize, embark on adventure across several countries
― Korean educational broadcasting studio EBS and Sandbox Network, a Korean MCN company, will jointly release a new family animation series titled Somacguffin: Click! World Adventure. The series will debut on November 9 at 11:55 a.m. KST on EBS 1TV. The 13-episode (26-segment) series marks a shift for EBS fr...
Netflix Adapts Jaehoo's Webtoon Granny Into Live-Action Series
Granny explores themes of justice, loss, vengeance through eyes of unlikely protagonist
― Netflix is developing a live-action adaptation of the webtoon Granny, which was serialized between 2019 and 2022. Tapas has released a completed official English version of the webtoon, and it describes the story: Jung Sookja's grandson, Gwon Yonghee, is her entire world. But everything comes crashing down afte...
Web Novel, Webtoon The Congressman Sends My Condolences Set for Live-Action Adaptation
Original novel gained widespread popularity for its mix of political satire, fantasy
― The hit Korean web novel The Congressman Sends My Condolences, written by Hyun-bin Kim, is being adapted into a live-action series. The original novel ran from 2021 to April 2024, gaining widespread popularity for its unique mix of political satire and fantasy. The story follows Young-jin Goo, a six-term National ...
Webtoon No Home Gets Stage Musical Adaptation This November
Award-winning series centers on 2 youths forced to live together in abandoned, haunted dormitory
― The webtoon No Home will be reimagined as a stage musical, set to run from November 26 to December 28 at Seoul Forest Theater in Korea. Based on the webtoon of the same name created by Wanan, which ran from 2018 to 2024, No Home earned widespread acclaim for its heartfelt portrayal of youth, family, an...
Webtoon-Based Live-Action Series The Dream Life of Mr. Kim Debuts on Netflix on October 25
Series follows middle-aged man who loses everything he once valued
― The webtoon-based live-action series The Dream Life of Mr. Kim will debut on Netflix on October 25. Netflix began streaming a clip from the series on Thursday. Based on the best-selling novel by Hee-gu Song and its webtoon adaptation, the series follows a middle-aged man who loses everything he once valued and embarks on a journey ...
WEBTOON to Shut Down its Fan Translation Service in November
Company cites growing difficulty of maintaining, evolving service for shutdown
― WEBTOON Entertainment announced on September 25 that it will officially discontinue its Fan Translation Service on November 26 PDT, ending support for the community-based platform that allowed fans to translate webtoons into multiple languages. According to WEBTOON, the decision was made after “careful consideration,” c...
Webtoon-Based Live-Action Web Series Newbies to Premiere on October 27
Youth romance story depicts awkward, heartfelt experiences of 20-year-olds
― The upcoming live-action web series Newbies, based on the webtoon of the same name by Yeo-reum Shin, will premiere on October 27 at 9:00 p.m. KST on the YouTube channel KBS Daese-nam. Newbies is a youth romance story that depicts the awkward yet heartfelt experiences of 20-year-olds as they navigate love, dreams, and friend...
5 Winners Announced for 2025 'Today's Korean Comics' Awards
The Unbelievable Cinema was recognized in print category, while other 4 winners were webtoons
― The Korea Cartoonist Association and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced the five winners of the 2025 “Today's Korean Comics” awards on October 22. The honored works are Yard for Two, Rhythm and Baseball, The Long Way of the Warrior, The Unbelievable Cinema, and On the Way to Meet Mom. A...
K-pop Girl Group ILLIT's Original Webtoon Summer Moon: The Quprids Gets Global Release
Magical girl series launched in U.S. on October 20
― K-pop girl group ILLIT's original webtoon Summer Moon: The Quprids is expanding beyond Korea to six global regions, including the United States, Japan, Taiwan, Thailand, Indonesia, and France. According to HYBE, localized versions of SUMMER MOON debuted on WEBTOON's global platforms. The series launched on October 20 in the U.S., Taiwan, and Thail...
Mirae's Antique Shop Wins Grand Prize at 2025 World Webtoon Awards
Jury President's Award was presented to Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint
― The 2025 World Webtoon Awards, now in its second year, celebrated the best webtoon creations from around the world, strengthening Korea's position as the birthplace of webtoons. Roughly 1,400 titles competed for this year's honors, while 26 were nominated in September. At the awards ceremony held on October 22 at Lotte Cinema Wo...
Action Webtoon Terror Man Gets Animated Series Adaptation in January
Webtoon follows high school student who possesses ability to foresee disasters
― TVING, a Korean streaming platform, announced on October 16 that it will exclusively premiere the original animated adaptation of the webtoon Terror Man in January 2026. Based on the webtoon of the same name, Terror Man follows Jungwoo, a high school student who possesses the ability to foresee disasters. To save as man...
2025 World Webtoon Festival Opens in Seoul
World Webtoon Festival Awards to honor 10 titles on Wednesday
― 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 g...
Solo Leveling: Ragnarok English Print Edition Announced at NYCC
Print edition will arrive in June 2026
― Ize Press confirmed at New York Comic Con on Saturday the official English-language print release of Solo Leveling: Ragnarok, the long-awaited sequel to the New York Times-bestselling series. Set years after the original, Ragnarok follows Sooho Sung, the son of protagonist Jinwoo Sung, as he discovers his powers and confronts the legacy left by his legendary ...
Solo Leveling Manhwa, Jujutsu Kaisen, More Manga NYT September Bestseller List
The 13th volume of Chugong and DUBU's Solo Leveling Korean webcomic ranked at #1, and the 27th volume of Gege Akutami's Jujutsu Kaisen manga ranked at #3 on The New York Times' monthly Graphic Books and Manga bestseller list released in early September. The manga on this month's list include: #3 — Gege Akutami's Jujutsu Kaisen volume 27 #7 — Tatsuya Endo's Spy x Family volume 14 #8 — Yukinobu Tats...
Korean Gov't Official: Webtoon Piracy Cases Surge Eightfold in 4 Years, but 91% of Takedown Requests Fail
Webtoon category now accounts for 77% of all content-related takedown requests
― Takedown requests of unauthorized overseas distribution of Korean webtoons has risen nearly eightfold from 48,452 cases in 2020 to 393,038 in 2024, according to data released on October 1 by Rep. Sol Son of the National Assembly's Culture, Sports, and Tourism Committee. Despite the surge in enforcement efforts by the Ko...
Korean-Animated Film Bad Girl: Run Hani to Open in Theaters in Korea on October 7
Film is based on popular Korean comic from 1980s
― The Korean-animated film Bad Girl: Run Hani is set to open nationwide in Korea on October 7. The film is based on the late Jin-joo Lee's original comic, first serialized in Treasure Island magazine in 1985 and later adapted into a hit television animation in 1988. To mark the 40th anniversary of its serialization, the new theatrical version updates ...
Kakao Entertainment Rolls Out Free AI Short-Form Video Tool for Webtoon Creators
Technology automatically selects key webtoon scenes, transforms them into short clips of around 40 seconds
― Kakao Entertainment has launched a new artificial intelligence tool that allows webtoon creators to convert their comics into short-form videos. The company announced on October 1 that, since September 29, it has been offering the “Helix Shorts AI Agent” to creators free of charge. The techno...
Naver Webtoon Launches US$70,000 Monthly Reward Program for Short-Form Video Feature 'Cuts'
Naver Webtoon to roll out "Cuts Fund Share" program starting in November
― Naver Webtoon announced on October 2 that it will offer creators a total of approximately US$70,000 (100 million won) in monthly rewards to boost its new short-form animation service, Cuts. The initiative was unveiled at the “Cuts Creators Day” event held at Naver's Green Factory headquarters in Seongnam on October 1. Around ...
Laftel to Premiere Webtoon-Based Animated Series Dragon Girl on October 3
Series follows rebellious daughter of the Dragon King who flees arranged marriage to forge her own destiny
― Laftel, the anime-focused streaming platform in Korea, will release its new original animated series Dragon Girl on October 3. Based on the webtoon of the same name created by by Olso, Dragon Girl follows Yongman Kim, the rebellious daughter of the Dragon King, who flees an arranged marriage ...
Hero Killer Webtoon Gets Animated Adaptation in Partnership with France's ADN
Series follows woman determined to take revenge on "heroes" after one kills her sister
― Korean webtoon IP production company Jaedam Media announced on October 1 that it has signed a contract with France-based Animation Digital Network (ADN), both an animation production studio and streaming platform, to develop an animated adaptation of the Hero Killer webtoon. The agreement was finalized at the 20...
New English Publisher Crossed Hearts Reveals 3 Manhwa Licenses, License of Why Raeliana Ended Up at the Duke's Mansion Novels
New Japanese manga, Korean webcomics, Asian novels publisher plans to debut 30+ series in 2026
― Crossed Hearts, a new California-based global English publisher, has announced the worldwide English-language print launches of three Korean manhwa titles: Baroness Goes on Strike, From a Knight to a Lady, and The Archduke's Adopted Saint. Each series will debut in premium full-color print editions with b...
Red Velvet's Joy Returns to Acting With Webtoon-Based Live-Action Series One-of-a-Kind Romance
Story follows romance between ordinary girl, top actor
― SM Entertainment confirmed on September 30 that K-pop girl group Red Velvet member Joy is set to make her acting comeback after four years, and will star in the upcoming live-action series One-of-a-Kind Romance, which is based on the webtoon of the same name. The new series will mark her first live-action series role since 2022. Actor Hyun-jin...
Ye-eun Shin Confirmed to Co-Star in Live-Action Adaptation of Webtoon Endurance Doctor
Series follows plastic surgeon-turned-public health doctor assigned to remote island
― Actress Ye-eun Shin has been confirmed to co-star in the upcoming live-action adaptation of Tae-pung Kim's Endurance Doctor (Jonbuh Doctor) webtoon. The series is set to premiere in 2026. Endurance Doctor tells the story of Ji-ui Do (played by Jae-wook Lee), a plastic surgeon-turned-public health doctor assigned t...
Smilegate Launches Game Development Event with Naver Webtoon
7 teams will receive gift certificates, opportunity to present their work at indie game exhibition
― Smilegate Future Lab, the educational arm for one of the biggest Korean gaming developers, announced on September 24 that it has begun recruiting creators for “Beaver Jam with Naver Webtoon,” a game development event where participants will create original games inspired by popular webtoon series. Th...
Netflix Considers Multi-Season Order for Trauma Code: Heroes on Call Live-Action Series
Platform considers greenlighting 2 new seasons to be produced simultaneously
― According to report from Korean entertainment media OSEN on September 23, Netflix is reviewing the possibility of producing both Season 2 and Season 3 of its live-action medical series Trauma Code: Heroes on Call simultaneously. A source from Netflix Korea told the outlet, “We're grateful for the interest in Trauma Code: ...
Tappytoon, K-pop Group NEWBEAT Collaborate on Music Video for BL Webtoon Bullet Time
Music video features NEWBEAT's debut track "Flip the Coin"
― Contents First, the company behind the global webtoon platform Tappytoon, announced a collaboration with K-pop boy group NEWBEAT for an exclusive animated music video based on the boys-love webtoon Bullet Time. The video debuted on Friday and integrates NEWBEAT's debut title track "Flip the Coin" with visuals from the cyberpunk webtoon. Bu...
Man and Woman on Aside Webtoon Gets Short-Form Live-Action Adaptation
Show targets release in 2nd half of 2025
― Korean media production company K Wave Media announced on Thursday it has begun production on a short-form live-action series based on the popular Naver Webtoon Man and Woman on Aside, created by Tae-ho Go. Co-produced with MetaUniverse, the series is directed by Yoo-yeon Lee, known for youth romance projects including Best Mistake. The adaptation will comp...
Live-Action Adaptation of Spirit Fingers Webtoon to Premiere on October 29
Series also unveils main poster featuring lead actors Ji-hu Park, Jun-young Cho
― The live-action series adaptation of the webtoon Spirit Fingers will premiere in Korea on October 29 exclusively on TVING, a Korean streaming platform. Ahead of the release, the production unveiled the main poster featuring lead actors Ji-hu Park and Jun-young Cho. Han Kyoung Chal's webtoon series, which has garnered o...
Webtoon-Based Live-Action Netflix Series Chicken Nugget Nominated for International Emmy Award
Winners will be announced on November 24 in New York
― The International Academy of Television Arts and Sciences announced the nominees for the 53rd International Emmy Awards on Saturday, and the Netflix original series Chicken Nugget, based on the webtoon Fried Chicken by Ji-dok Park, has been nominated in the Comedy category. Starring Seung-ryong Ryu and Jae-hong Ahn, Chicken Nugget follows a fath...
Millie's Library Launches Webtoon Service, Expanding Subscription Storytelling Platform
Platform launched exclusive webtoon adaptation of popular romance web novel Slave of Palace
― Millie's Library, a leading Korean subscription-based reading platform, officially launched its webtoon service on September 23, further expanding its ecosystem of “subscription story content.” The move follows the introduction of “Millie Story” in June, which added web novels and audio web novels to the pl...
Sperman, The Worst Villainess, More Webtoons Get Short-Form Live-Action Adaptations
Series will use vertical-format, short-form style; The Worst Villainess debuts on September 30
― Naver announced on September 16 that several of its top-rated webtoons will be adapted into short live-action series in collaboration with content studio STUDIO X+U. The two companies produced eight short-from series in total, four of which are based on popular Naver Webtoon titles, such as The Worst Vil...
Naver Webtoon Launches Anti-Drug Awareness Series Death Point
Ministry of Food and Drug Safety in Korea partners with Checkpoint webtoon creators for new series
― The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety in Korea has partnered with Song Ga and Eunso, the creators of the webtoon Checkpoint, to produce a new webtoon titled Death Point aimed at raising awareness about drug misuse. The series premiered on Naver Webtoon on Friday. Death Point is an action thriller spin...
Korean Lawmakers Launch Bipartisan Webtoon Caucus
Inaugural ceremony for "National Assembly Members Who Love Comics and Webtoons" caucus will be held on September 25
― A new bipartisan caucus dedicated to supporting Korea's comics and webtoon industry will officially launch in the National Assembly this month. The Manhwa Webtoon Association General Federation announced that the inaugural ceremony for the “National Assembly Members Who Love Comics a...
K-pop Girl Group NMIXX to Release Webtoon to Promote 1st Full Album Blue Valentine
Webtoon will be released in multiple episodes alongside album teasers
― NMIXX, a K-Pop girl group from JYP Entertainment, will release their first full-length album Blue Valentine on October 13, marking their comeback after seven months. JYP Entertainment unveiled a detailed teaser schedule on September 16 through the group's official social media channels. A key feature of the promotion is NMIXX's ...
Korea Content Agency Accelerates Global Webtoon Expansion with New IP Support Project
Supported title Maron Marquis topped KakaoPage's overall webtoon rankings for 3 consecutive days after debut
― The Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA) — under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism — announced on September 2 that it will push forward with the “2025 Global Webtoon IP Production Support Project,” aiming to accelerate the overseas expansion of K-webtoons. The initiative is alrea...
'Bon Appétit, Your Majesty' Live-Action Series Ranks #2 on Netflix's Global Non-English Shows List
Time-traveling gourmet romance series based on web novel, webtoon debuted on August 23
― The historical fantasy-romance series Bon Appétit, Your Majesty has quickly risen to the top of Netflix's official Tudum rankings, claiming the No. 2 spot in the Global Non-English Shows category with 7.5 million views for the week of September 1-7. The show also ranked at #2 for the week of August 25-31, and at...
2025 Webtoon Trend Conference to Spotlight Globalization of Webtoons
This year's theme of "Webtoons Go Global" will highlight global expansion of K-webtoons, their growing role in transmedia adaptations
― The “2025 Webtoon Trend Conference,” an event examining the current state and future of the webtoon industry, will be held on September 24 at 2:00 p.m. KST at the Webtoon Convergence Center in Bucheon. The Korea Manhwa Contents Agency (KOMACON) and Bucheon City will...
Naver Webtoon Revises Comment Policy Following Backlash Over Author Identities
Change also retroactively applied to comments posted before June, exposing authors' nicknames on older posts
― According to Korean trade media outlet Chosun Economy, Naver Webtoon has quietly revised its comment system after a month of criticism over revealing authors' nicknames in past comments, which led to accusations of opinion manipulation. In June, the platform changed its comment display form...
Netflix Confirms Production of Korean-Japanese Crime Series Road, Based on 2002 Manhwa
Road follows investigation of gruesome cross-border serial murder case
― Netflix announced on September 11 that production has been confirmed for its new crime thriller series tentatively titled Road, with actor Seok-gu Son (A Killer Paradox) set to star. The streaming giant also revealed the main cast and production team behind the project. The upcoming show is based on the 2002 Korean-Japanese col...
Controversial 'Suk-yeol Yoon Train' Cartoon to Return at Bucheon International Comics Festival After 3 Years
Cartoon became flashpoint of political controversy when it was 1st exhibited in 2022
― The satirical cartoon Suk-yeol Yoon Train, which sparked controversy in 2022 for its portrayal of former Korean President Yoon and his wife, will return to public exhibition at the Bucheon International Comics Festival for the first time in three years. 尹 풍자한 '윤석열차' 부천국제만화축제서 다시 전시https://t.co/C02unXQi3a pic.twitte...
French Novel Empire of the Ants to Be Adapted Into Korean Webtoon
Novel juxtaposes human, ant societies to explore survival, evolution, social structures
― French author Bernard Werber's bestselling novel Empire of the Ants will be reimagined as a webtoon, marking the first time the globally acclaimed IP has been adapted into the format. At a press conference in Seoul on September 3, Werber said, “Webtoons are an important medium to reach younger generations throug...
Kakao Creative Foundation Expands Workspace Support for Webtoon Creators
Program supported 21 teams (66 creators) last year, fully covering their rent
― 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 ...
Naver Webtoon Brings Slam Dunk Manga's New Edition to Digital for 1st Time in Korea
New Edition compresses narrative for pacing; features all-new, full-color illustrated covers
― Naver Webtoon announced that Takehiko Inoue's legendary basketball manga Slam Dunk New Edition debuted digitally in Korea for the first time on August 29 on Naver Webtoon and Naver Series. Slam Dunk New Edition was first released digitally in Japan in June. The series is available on Naver Webtoon as a lim...
Topco Media Announces AI-Based Short-Form Animation Service for Webtoons
Launch is scheduled for later this month
― Topco Media, the parent company for the Korean webtoon platform Toptoon, announced on September 3 that it will introduce short-form animation services for webtoons using its proprietary AI technology. According to the company, the new service is designed to maintain collaborative structures with creators while providing subscribers with an enhanced immersiv...
26 Titles Nominated for World Webtoon Awards
List includes The Uncanny Counter, Study Group, ELECEED, Lookism, Get Schooled, Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint
― The Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism and the Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA) announced September 1 the 26 webtoons nominated for the 2025 World Webtoon Awards. The nominated webtoons, including three manga, are: The Uncanny Counter ELECEED Study Group Lookism Get Schooled Om...
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