Kakao Entertainment debuted its Helix Curation system on April 29, rolling it out to all users on August 2. (Image courtesy of Kakao Entertainment)
SEOUL, Aug. 7 (Korea Bizwire) – Even the most ardent webtoon enthusiasts have likely experienced the frustration of searching for a new series to enjoy. With thousands of titles available on a single platform, finding one that suits one’s personal taste can be a daunting task.
Recognizing this challenge, South Korea’s leading webtoon and web novel platforms, Naver Webtoon and Kakao Entertainment, are now harnessing artificial intelligence (AI) technology to revolutionize content curation and recommendation systems.
According to industry sources, both companies have recently introduced AI-powered curation features on their respective platforms.
Kakao Entertainment debuted its Helix Curation system on April 29, rolling it out to all users on August 2. This AI-driven algorithm analyzes users’ purchase history and favorite works to customize the Kakao Page home screen with personalized recommendations.
The impact of this AI curation has been significant. In the three months following its implementation, Kakao Page saw a 96% increase in click-through rates (CTR) for the recommendation tab on its home screen. During the same period, CTRs for webtoon and web novel tabs rose by 42% and 138%, respectively.
Naver Webtoon launched its own AI recommendation feature on June 26. (Image courtesy of Naver Webtoon)
Naver Webtoon, not to be outdone, launched its own AI recommendation feature on June 26. This AI curation tool, developed by Webtoon AI, goes beyond traditional “popularity” or “latest” sorting methods.
It arranges content based on the likelihood of user interest, with potentially appealing works appearing at the top and less relevant titles pushed to the bottom.
This personalized approach allows users to easily discover new works by favorite authors, rediscover forgotten series, or find content similar to recently read webtoons.
Although only two months into its official implementation, Naver’s AI tool is already showing promising results.
Naver Webtoon has reported a significant increase in app visits and content views, particularly for previously unread works. The feature has also broadened the exposure of diverse titles, including new releases, to first-time readers.
A Naver Webtoon representative emphasized the mutual benefits of this system: “Users can more easily find works that match their tastes, while creators can reach readers likely to enjoy their content, regardless of overall popularity rankings.”
Kevin Lee (kevinlee@koreabizwire.com)
