Webtoon creators in South Korea are now emerging as some of the highest-paid professionals in the creative industry. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, Jul. 8 (Korea Bizwire) – In a remarkable shift from the traditional image of struggling comic artists, webtoon creators in South Korea are now emerging as some of the highest-paid professionals in the creative industry.
Some star webtoon artists are even purchasing buildings in Seoul’s affluent Gangnam district and driving sports cars, signaling a dramatic change in the financial landscape for digital comic creators.
According to recent data submitted by Webtoon Entertainment to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the top 100 creators on their platform earned an average annual income of $1 million (approximately 1.38 billion won) last year.
Given that Webtoon Entertainment, the parent company of Naver Webtoon, is the world’s largest webtoon platform, these top 100 creators can be considered the industry’s elite.
The number of artists earning over $100,000 (about 140 million won) annually has been steadily increasing. In 2023, 483 creators reached this income level, up from 429 in 2022 and 372 in 2021, showing a growth rate of over 10% each year.
For professional artists contracted with Webtoon Entertainment for regular serialization, the average annual income stands at $48,000 (about 66 million won).
Even amateur artists on platforms like Canvas, Webtoon’s North American amateur platform, can earn substantial amounts. For instance, Alice Oseman, creator of the popular series “Heartstopper,” receives financial support from about 18,000 readers through Patreon, a U.S.-based creator support service. Estimations suggest Oseman’s monthly income could range from $18,000 to $90,000.
Webtoon Entertainment has also introduced its own support system called “Super Like” on Canvas, allowing readers to directly support their favorite artists. The company plans to expand this feature to North American original works in the second half of this year and is considering introducing it in Korea next year.
Besides direct support, artists earn from paid previews, intellectual property (IP) expansion including video adaptations, and advertising fees. IP expansion through secondary businesses has become particularly active recently.
Since 2013, over 900 web novel and webtoon IPs have been adapted into other media, including about 100 video adaptations and 70 game adaptations.
A Webtoon Entertainment representative stated that a total of $2.8 billion (about 3.8 trillion won) had been paid to creators from 2017 to last year, emphasizing the company’s role in creating a market where creators can generate substantial revenue.
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
