KOCCA Creates Exhibition Experience Zone at New York Comic Con Introducing 'Island' and More
B2B and B2C on Metaverse Platform... Also at 'K-Comics in Europe'
K-Webtoon Events in Japan Expand to Animation and Diverse Content
'Island', 'Neolithic Girl', 'Terror Man', 'Kangtao', 'Burning Hell'... These are webtoons produced by YLAB. They are connected through a shared universe called 'Superstring,' where characters either confront or cooperate with each other. This is similar to the Marvel Universe, where Iron Man, Captain America, and Thor act as the Avengers. The franchise is expanding into movies, dramas, and games. For example, 'Island' is currently filming a drama in Jeju Island. Kim Nam-gil plays Ban, who protects the world, and Lee Da-hee portrays Won Mi-ho, who awakens to a new world. Director Bae Jong, known for films such as 'Welcome to Dongmakgol' and 'Fabricated City,' is directing, with Studio Dragon producing.
The prologue was also previewed in the United States. On the 10th (local time), at the Javits Center in New York, 'Jungle Juice,' a Superstring work, was introduced at New York Comic Con. Writer Hyung Eun and Juder, along with producer Shin Hyung-wook, appeared in the 'Panel & Screening' section to share production intentions, viewing points, and behind-the-scenes stories. Producer Shin said, "In 2015, at the Busan International Film Festival, we first revealed the shared universe that connects sixteen works," and added, "In the second half of the year, we will release the second mixed work, 'The Queens.'"
New York Comic Con is the world's largest entertainment expo showcasing popular comics, movies, and animations. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, 150,000 people attended. Korean webtoons were introduced for the first time this year. The Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA) set up an exhibition experience hall displaying 'Island,' 'Neolithic Girl,' 'Terror Man,' and others. Additionally, the Korean joint pavilion, organized by KOCCA, included eight companies: Daewon C.I., Jaedam Media, Kenaz, ALM Media, To You Dream, CNC Revolution, D&C Webtoon Biz, and Idea Concert. They are meeting buyers online until the 18th.
KOCCA and the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) set up booths on the metaverse platform Gather Town for effective consultations. Buyers move 2D characters to easily access various information. They also conduct business-to-business (B2B) electronic commerce via video calls. With the help of professional interpreters, detailed materials are exchanged on the spot. Lee Hyun-joo, head of KOCCA’s Popular Culture Division, said, "Before the opening, we held a webinar on strengthening the competitiveness of comic and webtoon intellectual property (IP) in Gather Town to reduce unfamiliarity," adding, "We expect more B2B events in similar formats."
KOCCA also supported webtoon companies' overseas expansion by utilizing the metaverse at 'K-Comics & Animation in Europe,' held in Paris, France, which ended on the 1st. They invited officials from France, Germany, Spain, and other countries to hold showcases and export consultations, and promoted to fans on the metaverse platform Zepeto. Seven domestic companies’ webtoons were displayed in a virtual exhibition space, and events were held in comic spaces set against backgrounds such as the Han River, Gyeongbokgung Palace, and Namsan.
Kim Ah-hyun, a senior officer of KOCCA’s Comic Story Industry Team, said, "Kenaz’s 'Mirror Game' and 'The First Hunter,' which are preparing for overseas expansion, CNC Revolution’s 'The Man Who Erases Makeup,' being produced as a drama in China, and D&C Webtoon Biz’s 'The Returner’s Magic Must Be Special,' serialized in ten countries overseas, attracted great interest." Oh Seon-joo, deputy general manager of D&C Webtoon Biz who participated in the event, said, "We could feel that Korea has new opportunities through webtoons and animations," adding, "It was meaningful to showcase our works in the European market and gain export consultation opportunities."
KOCCA will also hold 'K-Story & Comics in Japan' on the 29th. It will introduce content from ten webtoon and story companies and conduct online consultations. The related industry has recently grown rapidly, promoting overseas expansion. According to the report 'ASEAN Webtoon Market Trends and Entry Strategies: Focusing on Indonesia and Thailand,' released on the 13th by the Korea International Trade Association’s International Trade and Commerce Research Institute, last year’s export value of comics, including webtoons, was $64.82 million (about 77.1 billion KRW), a 40.9% increase from the previous year. This far exceeds the overall cultural content export growth rate of 6.3%. The average annual export growth rate over three years from 2018 to 2020 was also 17%, significantly surpassing music (6.9%) and games (4.2%).
The report views webtoons as an industry leading the next generation of the Korean Wave. It judged that webtoons are optimized for smartphones, allowing easy enjoyment anytime and anywhere, and that the consistent content supply cycle helps gather a fixed readership. The short length of about fifty cuts and the quick reflection of reader feedback were also cited as reasons for popularity. Researcher Yang Ji-won, the author, advised, "Rather than transplanting the Korean webtoon ecosystem overseas as is, a two-track strategy is needed to consider local cultural characteristics and foster a webtoon ecosystem that grows organically in the local market."
KOCCA views the target beyond the existing publishing industry to various content fields. In fact, diverse content companies participated in 'K-Comics & Animation in Europe.' In France alone, publishers such as Hachette, webtoon platforms Izneo and Webtoon Factory, and animation studios Zodiac Kids and Millimages closely interacted with domestic webtoon companies. Olivia Leradou, vice president of French animation studio Cyber Group Studios, said, "We are actively considering producing animations based on Korean webtoons," adding, "We hope opportunities to meet excellent content will be provided frequently." Kim, the senior officer, said, "As drama, movie, and game productions based on webtoons become more active, interest in the domestic webtoon industry has also increased significantly," and added, "We will widely promote the strength of domestic webtoons and animations through various promotions, marketing, and continuous export consultation events."
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