“A scene from Naver Webtoon’s newly launched short-form animation service ‘Cuts’ (Image source = Naver Webtoon capture)
SEONGNAM, Sept. 15 (Korea Bizwire) — Naver Webtoon has launched a new short-form animation service, “Cuts,” marking its first foray into building a platform for entirely new content rather than simply expanding its vast library of webtoon intellectual property.
Speaking at Naver’s Green Factory headquarters in Seongnam, south of Seoul, Kim Hyo-jung, the company’s chief product officer, said animation would be central to “the next 10 years” of webtoon development. While webtoons remain the core, she noted, “we cannot stick to one format when audiences are increasingly consuming video.”
Unlike traditional TV episodes or feature-length films, Cuts is designed for bite-sized storytelling. Each piece runs no longer than two minutes, aligning with the habits of younger audiences accustomed to TikTok, Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts. The name itself draws from the basic unit of webtoons—the “cut”—and also mirrors the brevity of titles in other short-form platforms.
To build momentum, Naver is recruiting creators through its “Cuts Creators” program, even reaching into university classrooms to encourage aspiring animators and designers. A revenue-sharing model is in development to reward popular content makers. “We’re not dictating what quality looks like,” Kim said. “Instead, machine learning will connect users with content they’re most likely to enjoy.”
Naver plans to expand Cuts beyond Korea to North America and Japan, both crucial markets for animation and short-form video. “Korea has an abundance of playful, inventive creators,” Kim added. “We believe if we empower individuals to make their own content, the ecosystem will grow naturally.”
The move reflects Naver’s strategy to keep pace with global shifts in media consumption and to ensure webtoon culture evolves alongside the fast-expanding world of short-form video.
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
