The webtoon titled ‘Geukrakwangsaeng’ (Easy Passage into Eternity) saturates every aspect, from its title to characters and theme, with Buddhism. (Image courtesy of KakaoPage)
SEOUL, Nov. 13 (Korea Bizwire) – Religion and webtoons form an unusual pairing. Traditionally, religion is associated with solemnity and reverence, while webtoons are known for their light and humorous nature.
However, in recent times, an increasing number of webtoons have ventured beyond merely borrowing the concepts of religious values, delving directly into religious doctrines, gods, and faith.
According to the webtoon industry, three major religious denominations—Protestantism, Buddhism, and Catholicism—are making diverse attempts, including the direct production of webtoons, establishing webtoon platforms, and featuring webtoons in church bulletins.
When discussing religious webtoons, the majority of notable works are centered around Buddhism. Due to Buddhism’s deep roots on the Korean peninsula, it serves as a primary setting in Korean fantasy genres, blending seamlessly with traditional folktales, folk religion, and Taoistic elements.
A notable example is Eccl Toon, which positions itself as a webtoon channel with Christian values. (Image courtesy of Eccl Toon)
A prime example of this phenomenon is the webtoon ‘Along with the Gods,’ which garnered significant popularity and was adapted into a movie.
In contrast to the past, where webtoons predominantly incorporated the colors and values of Buddhism, today’s webtoons often make the spirit of Buddhism their central theme.
The webtoon titled ‘Geukrakwangsaeng’ (Easy Passage into Eternity) saturates every aspect, from its title to characters and theme, with Buddhism. Another webtoon, ‘Sehwa, the Road to Go with the Flow,’ uses a temple as its backdrop, portraying scenes where individuals with a sense of hurt gather to share a temple meal.
These webtoons have collectively amassed views of 5.93 million and 2.02 million, respectively, on KakaoPage.
As Buddhism-themed webtoons gain popularity, the Buddhist community has not only actively embraced them but is also directly participating in their production. The Cultural Corps of Korean Buddhism, in collaboration with the webtoon artist Kim Botong, has been showcasing the webtoon ‘Walking Into the Temple’ on KakaoPage since last year.
‘CUM Toon’ by cartoonist Jung-5, who creates Catholic-related Instagram webtoons, has been serialized in the Busan District Catholic Community’s youth bulletin since November 2022. (Image from Jung-5′s social account)
In the Protestant community, what stands out is the existence of webtoon platforms. A notable example is Eccl Toon, which positions itself as a webtoon channel with Christian values. Another Christian content platform, ‘God People,’ offers a variety of webtoons, primarily focusing on single-panel comics or short comic essays.
The Catholic community embraces webtoons in a different format, publishing a webtoon featuring the everyday life of young Catholics through the Catholic church bulletin. ‘CUM Toon’ by cartoonist Jung-5, who creates Catholic-related Instagram webtoons, has been serialized in the Busan District Catholic Community’s youth bulletin since November 2022.
J. S. Shin (js_shin@koreabizwire.com)
