[People Met Through Books] "K-Webtoons Captivating Japan... Japan is 2D, Korea is 3D"

'The Secret of All Trending Things' Interview with Nakayama Atsuo
Japan's Only Entertainment Sociologist
Last Year's Japanese Hits 'One Piece, Dragon Ball, Ultraman'
Old Content Still Has Potential
"I Want to Publish an Analysis of Korean Entertainment Too"

Until the so-called K-Entertainment took root in this land, the influence of J (Japanese) Entertainment was truly immense. Starting from the post-liberation period when the concept of copyright was vague, pirate content such as comics, music, animation, games, and movies began to flow in seriously in the 1980s, laying the cultural groundwork. 'Astro Boy' dates back to as early as 1952. Subsequently, works like 'Slam Dunk,' 'Dragon Ball,' 'Dr. Slump,' and 'Doraemon' were loved as comics and animations, and the game 'Super Mario' dominated an era through 'Nintendo.' The comic and animation 'Pok?mon' also sparked a craze with the 'Pok?mon GO' game. Animations born from Hayao Miyazaki's 'Studio Ghibli,' such as 'My Neighbor Totoro,' 'Spirited Away,' and 'Howl's Moving Castle,' are still regarded as masterpieces today. Despite Japan's economic stagnation known as the 'Lost 30 Years,' there was a certain rise and fall, but the entertainment industry itself remained robust. What is the hidden strength within? In what context did it develop and evolve? After going through imitation and achieving creation, K-Entertainment, which has now re-exported the 'webtoon' genre to Japan, what lessons should it learn? We posed these questions to Atsuo Nakayama, an entertainment sociologist and author of 'The Secret of All Rising Things (Social Review),' who analyzed the history of J Entertainment by field.

Atsuo Nakayama, author of 'The Secret of All Rising Things,' is being interviewed on the 17th at Social Review in Mapo-gu, Seoul. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

- You introduced yourself as an entertainment sociologist. It sounds somewhat unfamiliar; what does this concept entail? Also, what differentiates Re-Entertainment, where you serve as a representative?

▲ As a sociologist, I analyze how entertainment operates within Japanese society. To my knowledge, I am the only entertainment sociologist in Japan. As part of the 'Cool Japan' policy, I also provide advice to promote Japan's attractive content overseas. I assist in the overseas expansion of various content such as games, publishing, and broadcasting. In Japan, companies that consult to help popular domestic entertainment content gain renewed attention abroad are rare. Re-Entertainment leverages experience in game and animation production and stage adaptations to promote Japanese content overseas.

- As an entertainment expert, how do you interpret the recent renewed attention to 'Slam Dunk' in Korea?

▲ If I were to name four hit works in Japan last year, they would be 'One Piece,' 'Dragon Ball,' 'Mobile Suit Gundam,' and 'Ultraman.' Although these were released over ten years ago, they generated the highest revenue last year. Originally, the original comics were adapted into animations and games, which increased purchases. In the past, TV was the main delivery channel, but now they gain attention through social networking services (SNS), mobile games, and more. 'Slam Dunk' had been out of the spotlight for the past 20 years but regained attention with new stories. With the right opportunity, even old content can be sufficiently reappraised.

- The original comics are gaining attention in various forms. What is the current state of the Japanese comic market?

▲ Until around 2016, it was in decline. The comic industry scale dropped from 500 billion yen (about 4.5 trillion KRW) to 400 billion yen (about 3.6 trillion KRW). However, over the past seven years, with the digitization of paper books, it has increased to 700 billion yen (about 6.3 trillion KRW). This change arose as people began reading comics on applications (apps) instead of paper.

- I heard that K-webtoons hold a significant share in the Japanese webtoon market.

▲ About 80% of all webtoons are from Korea. The scale of Korean webtoons in Japan is around 100 billion yen (about 90 billion KRW). This accounts for roughly one-seventh of the entire market, making it quite large.

- Why do you think K-webtoons are gaining attention?

▲ Since webtoons themselves came from Korea, many aspects are new. First, the content is simple yet captivating. It perfectly satisfies the tastes of young people seeking 'killing time.' The vivid colors are also appealing. Compared to black-and-white Japanese comics, they are more lively. The way of viewing is also fresh; previous comics were read by flipping pages sideways, but Korean webtoons are viewed by scrolling down. They have gained great popularity among young people, and currently, about 100 webtoon companies have emerged in Japan.

- You dedicated a chapter to 'pink films' and 'Roman Porno,' which were very popular in the 1960s and 1970s. In fact, the freedom of expression allowed in the film industry at that time is said to have produced numerous masterpieces. How do you evaluate this? Is it still relevant today?

▲ After World War II, thanks to public demand and the Allied Supreme Command's 3S (Sports, Sex, Screen) promotion policy, the Japanese film market experienced a boom. In the 1960s, annual audience numbers reached 1 billion. Considering Japan's population was 80 million at the time, this was an enormous figure. However, as TV became widespread, the number of films produced by major film companies drastically decreased. Pink films filled that gap. Although they featured actors' nudity, they had scripts, plots, and required acting skills. Individual directors shot low-budget films and sold them to film companies, and they were distributed almost like regular films. The production period and cost were three days and 3 million yen (27 million KRW), incomparable to the previous one year and 250 million yen (2.27 billion KRW). Famous directors such as Yojiro Takita of 'Goodbye,' Masayuki Suo of 'Shall We Dance,' Hideo Nakata of 'Ring,' and Isao Yukisada of 'Crying Out Love in the Center of the World' gained practical experience through pink films. However, with the spread of video and the advent of the internet, their momentum declined.

- You analyzed the publishing industry's trends in your book. In Korea, there is a perception that Japanese people are a nation of readers. What environment influenced this?

▲ In the early 1900s, people starving for 'print' rapidly began to learn to read and write, creating a strong demand for publications. I heard that many publishing companies were established in Korea during the 1970s and 1980s, but in Japan, publishing companies were regarded as top venture businesses after the Pacific War (World War II). About 300 companies were established in 1945, and around 4,000 in 191 years. Like the Roman Porno example, all kinds of easily readable writings poured out. However, now demand has greatly decreased due to other content. For example, the magazine market size has dropped from 1.5 trillion yen (about 13.6 trillion KRW) to less than half. People have shifted to animation, comics, and games, and now it is rare to see people reading books even on the subway.

- I heard Japanese people prefer analog over digital. How is the preference for e-books?

▲ The share of e-books in the publishing market has already exceeded half. If the total scale is 700 billion yen (about 6.3 trillion KRW), the e-book share is 400 billion yen (3.6 trillion KRW). While some people prefer paper books, the proportion of those who first read e-books and then buy paper books if they find them good is higher.

- When comparing the content markets of Korea and Japan, what are the major differences?

▲ In terms of popularity, Japan stands out in animation, comics, and games. However, Japan has the technology to create good content based on craftsmanship but lacks marketing ability to monetize it. I believe there is a need for the ability to make great works like Makoto Shinkai's 'Suzume's Locking Up the Door' gain more global attention. On the other hand, Korea seems to have great popularity in dramas, music, and celebrities. Singers' songs and dances are beyond imagination. PC games are also excellent. MMORPGs (Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games) are at a level Japan cannot follow. If Japan is two-dimensional, Korea feels three-dimensional.

- You analyzed and introduced Japanese entertainment. Do you plan to analyze Korean entertainment and introduce it to Japan?

▲ I covered 100 years of Japanese entertainment history, but I think it is only the beginning. I am considering making a Korean version next.

Atsuo Nakayama

Born in 1980 in Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. Completed graduate studies at the University of Tokyo (majoring in sociology) and earned an MBA from McGill University, Canada. After working at Recruit Staffing, DeNA, and Deloitte Consulting, he joined Bandai Namco Studios, establishing new game development and art companies in Canada and Malaysia. Since 2016, he has served as president of Bushiroad International, stationed in Singapore, introducing Japanese content such as card games, animation, games, processes, music, and events overseas. He has been a part-time lecturer at Waseda University Business School and Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. In July 2021, he founded Re-Entertainment Co., Ltd., pursuing the creation and reproducibility of entertainment economic zones. Currently, he provides consulting for IP development and overseas expansion for entertainment companies, serves as an outside director for venture companies (outside director of Plot, outside auditor of CHARA-ART), conducts research and education at universities (visiting researcher at Keio University Faculty of Economics, guest researcher at Ritsumeikan University Game Research Center), and participates in administrative advisory and committees (chief of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry's Content IP Project).