English webtoon “Lore Olympus” (Image courtesy of Naver Webtoon)
SEOUL, Feb. 26 (Korea Bizwire) – This year marks the 10th anniversary of webtoons making significant strides in the global market. Naver Webtoon began offering English services in 2014, introducing the digital comic format to international readers more accustomed to traditional print comics and translating a variety of Korean webtoons for a broader audience.
Beyond merely translating existing content, Naver Webtoon has been actively nurturing webtoons created by local artists. Foreign platforms have been instrumental in discovering amateur webtoons, which are then translated into multiple languages for distribution in Korea or other countries.
Among the success stories is the English webtoon “Lore Olympus,” which has led Naver Webtoon to spotlight other potential hits such as “unOrdinary” from North America, “My Senpai is Annoying” by a Japanese artist, and “Pasutri Gaje” from Indonesia.
“Lore Olympus,” created by New Zealand artist Rachel Smythe, stands out as one of the most successful foreign-authored webtoons. It has won prestigious awards in the comic industry, and with over 1.3 billion views, it continues to top popularity charts, capturing both critical acclaim and a broad readership.
Naver Webtoon is on the lookout for the “next Lore Olympus,” turning its attention to works like “My Senpai is Annoying” from Japan, discovered through its amateur platform Indies. The webtoon was ranked third in the “Next Manga Awards” in Japan in 2021 and was later translated into Korean in 2022.
“UnOrdinary” is another English webtoon poised to follow in the footsteps of “Lore Olympus,” having already amassed over 1.2 billion views and published in print in English last year.
“My Senpai is Annoying” is set to be released as an animation in Japan through Fuji TV this year. (Image courtesy of Naver Webtoon)
Despite the continued popularity of Korean webtoons abroad, Naver Webtoon’s investment in local talent is aimed at broadening the reader base, as local webtoons can capture cultural nuances and themes that resonate more deeply with regional audiences.
Local webtoons also tend to adapt well into other media forms in their home countries. For example, “Pasutri Gaje” is currently airing as an Indonesian drama, and “My Senpai is Annoying” is set to be released as an animation in Japan through Fuji TV this year.
Naver Webtoon views the cultivation of local talent and creation of a diverse webtoon ecosystem as essential for sustaining the medium’s popularity beyond a fleeting trend or niche interest.
Korean webtoons serve as a “seed” for this ecosystem, attracting initial readers and inspiring local creators to produce works that cater to their own cultural and emotional landscapes, fostering a cycle of growth and diversity in the webtoon community.
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
