The Korean Webtoon phenomenon and its global spread

Abstract

The term webtoon comes from the composition of web and cartoon and it starts to be used in 2000. Based in some way on the popularity of paper comics in South Korea, Daum website launched a webtoon service in 2003 for the first time. This work analyses the peculiarities of the Korean webtoon, specifically its verticality, adapted especially to mobile phones, and its transmediality, which facilitates the adaptation of these comics to other formats such as movies, TV series, novels, games, animation, etcétera. A list of the numerous webtoon adaptations to various media is collected, as well as the more detailed explanation of one of the paradigmatic webtoon in Korea: Misaeng. Webtoon’s brief history in the domestic market and its vigorous expansion to the global market since 2013 (encircled within the popular Korean wave Hallyu) are explained. The strategies of the major webtoon companies (Naver, Daum, Kakao, and Lezhin) are brie? y shown. The near constant growth in all parameters studied shows the vitality of the webtoon industry already in the global market, also with numerous works available in Spanish language. By approaching webtoon´s authors and readers we aim to get a little closer to the phenomenon of webtoon and its success, especially among young people.