KOREA FOUNDATION

Thanks to smartphones and tablet PCs, anyone can access diverse types of digital content. Riding on such trends, webtoons (digital comics) enjoy a symbolic popularity. The webtoon used to be considered an inferior form of comic book, but they are now established as an independent genre of popular culture that appeals to a broad audience of enthusiastic fans of all ages.

   As the Korean market for comics continues to expand, the creativity and diversity of webtoons has increased significantly, gaining acclaim overseas as well. At the Angoulême International Comics Festival, dubbed the “Cannes of comics,” many Korean comics attracted attention, with two nominated for the official competition at the 46th festival held in January. A-ram Song’s Two Women was a final nominee for top awards in various categories, while Yoon-sun Park’s The Adventures of Hong Kiltong was nominated for the Youth Award.

   The festival’s official competition has been noted for selecting the best comics for awards of the highest honors in the industry for more than 40 years since 1976. This year, only 45 titles were selected from among over 4,500 works that had been published in French in 2018. In this festival, nomination for an award is deemed a great honor in and of itself.

   During the festival, Korea set up a publicity booth entitled “Manhwa” (“Comics”) to share the unique artistic nature and creativity of Korean comics. Artist Jeong-hyeon Seok demonstrated caricature drawing, while drawings created on the spot by Kiu-ha Jeong were sold for high prices. A-ram Song participated in an artists’ talk and spoke on how she, as a female comic artist, viewed feminism of the East and the West. Throughout the festival, many Korean artists and producers discussed co-production and export contracts with foreign buyers and content providers.

   Now increasingly recognized as the birthplace of the webtoon by both Koreans and foreigners, Korea is leading the global market and displaying the possibility of rapid growth in the European market for digital comics. Korean webtoons and comics will have a growing presence in France and other parts of Europe in the days ahead, according to predictions by officials and agents from large publishing houses in Angoulême that have extensive experience with the festival. It is obvious that, through the webtoon, Korea has clearly staked out a territory in the global comics market, which was once ruled by two powerhouses—the United States and Japan. With 5G mobile service slated to go into commercial use this year, expectations run high for the changes in advanced technology that will be manifested in webtoons.

Written by Kim Shinyoung

Comics Webtoon Festival France