While superhero movies own pretty much every American box office record, the comic books they’re based on have always been a niche interest in the US.
Webtoons, a digital comic format that originated in South Korea, are starting to make a splash outside of East Asia — and a big push for the American market, per the Financial Times.
… are digital comics meant to be read on a smartphone or computer. The technology originated circa 2003 as physical comic sales dwindled in South Korea.
The rise of the format has happened in lockstep with the country’s 2 leading platforms:
Both platforms allow creators to upload Webtoons for free, leading to a massive range of stories and titles. This variety, along with the ability to consume Webtoons quickly and on-the-go, has led to the format’s growing popularity in South Korea and beyond.
Critics wonder if South Korea’s “digital snack culture” will work with American audiences who have shown mixed feelings about short-form content.
On one hand, TikTok has 50m daily active users in the US.
On the other, Quibi, the short-form streaming platform, raised $1.75B only to shut down 6 months after launch when it struggled to hit subscriber targets.
… have already generated massive hits in the US across formats:
For its part, Naver Webtoon has 14m subscribers in the US, making up 17% of its total readership — a nice little niche already.