Korean webtoon company launch services in France
K-webtoon market popularity grows globally, and each year, more and more webtoons are produced with increased readership worldwide. A survey was conducted in different countries in 2021, where 40% of the respondents stated that webtoons are very popular.
The South Korean webtoon industry had its sales to 1 trillion won ($843 million) in 2020. At the time, the web-based Korean comics market locally reached 1.05 trillion won in the same year, which has increased by $64.6 from the last year, according to the Korea Creative Content Agency. Since 2017, this was the first time in any industry that the annual sales exceeded the 1 trillion won threshold.
As there is a South Korean webtoon market growth, webtoons are increasingly looking overseas to find success. There are many mobile applications to read webtoons, and consumers can easily access them. On the other hand, South Korean agencies are the ones who implement the webtoon content export to other countries.
Naver Webtoon, an online platform for digital comics run by Korea's leading portal operator Naver, in March announced its plan to establish its European unit, Webtoon EU, in France within the first half as a test bed to target the European content market, industry data showed.
The company started its French-language service in 2019, as well as Spanish in the same year and German in 2022.
Kakao Entertainment, a subsidiary of Korean internet and entertainment giant Kakao, has entered the French webcomics market through Kakao Piccoma, its Japan-based webtoon subscription service. It set up the European unit of Piccoma Europe in France in September last year and officially started the French service in March.
NHN, a Korean online game developer and entertainment firm, launched its English-language online web cartoon service, Pocket Comics, in France in January. Insiders said the Korean webtoon publishers have chosen France as the country that serves as a foothold for global companies trying to tap into the European digital content market thanks to its fast-growing demand.
Moreover, it is easier for Korean companies to start their European service in France as French people have a great interest in Korean culture, like K-pop and Korean TV series.
"French people are willing to purchase albums, books and DVDs that they really like," an official from NHN said. "And the popularity of webtoons is increasing in France and Germany especially.
Source: Yonhap, The Korea Herald (June 2022)
The South Korean webtoon industry had its sales to 1 trillion won ($843 million) in 2020. At the time, the web-based Korean comics market locally reached 1.05 trillion won in the same year, which has increased by $64.6 from the last year, according to the Korea Creative Content Agency. Since 2017, this was the first time in any industry that the annual sales exceeded the 1 trillion won threshold.
As there is a South Korean webtoon market growth, webtoons are increasingly looking overseas to find success. There are many mobile applications to read webtoons, and consumers can easily access them. On the other hand, South Korean agencies are the ones who implement the webtoon content export to other countries.
Naver Webtoon, an online platform for digital comics run by Korea's leading portal operator Naver, in March announced its plan to establish its European unit, Webtoon EU, in France within the first half as a test bed to target the European content market, industry data showed.
The company started its French-language service in 2019, as well as Spanish in the same year and German in 2022.
Kakao Entertainment, a subsidiary of Korean internet and entertainment giant Kakao, has entered the French webcomics market through Kakao Piccoma, its Japan-based webtoon subscription service. It set up the European unit of Piccoma Europe in France in September last year and officially started the French service in March.
NHN, a Korean online game developer and entertainment firm, launched its English-language online web cartoon service, Pocket Comics, in France in January. Insiders said the Korean webtoon publishers have chosen France as the country that serves as a foothold for global companies trying to tap into the European digital content market thanks to its fast-growing demand.
Moreover, it is easier for Korean companies to start their European service in France as French people have a great interest in Korean culture, like K-pop and Korean TV series.
"French people are willing to purchase albums, books and DVDs that they really like," an official from NHN said. "And the popularity of webtoons is increasing in France and Germany especially.
Source: Yonhap, The Korea Herald (June 2022)
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