From Youth Webtoon Contest to Figure Exhibition
Sangju Library Establishes Itself as a Comics-Focused Cultural Event
The '2025 Sangju Comics·Webtoon Festival' will be held for two days from May 17 to 18 at the Sangju City Library and Sangju Citizens' Cultural Park.
This event has been organized to establish the Sangju City Library's position as a comics-specialized library and to provide citizens with unique cultural experiences.
Following last year, this is the second time the festival is being held. It is a comprehensive cultural event combining comics·webtoon content and hands-on activities, designed so that people of all ages can enjoy it together.
The main event drawing attention is the '2nd National Webtoon King Contest Finals.' Preliminary rounds were held nationwide for middle and high school students from March to April, with a total of 78 entries submitted. After screening, 31 teams advanced to the finals.
In the finals, participants will create works on-site based on a theme announced on the day of the competition, competing to demonstrate their skills. The city plans to use this competition to discover promising webtoon talents and to promote a youth creative culture.
In addition, a figure exhibition will be held on the second floor of the library. This exhibition will showcase figures from various fields such as animation, movies, games, and plastic models, attracting the attention of visitors.
'Meet the Webtoon Artists,' an event highly anticipated by webtoon fans, will also take place. Park Taejun, creator of 'Lookism,' and Shin Taehun, creator of 'Don't Let Go of Your Mind,' have been invited to discuss their creative worlds, artistic processes, and the future of the webtoon industry, while interacting with the audience. A Q&A session and autograph signing will follow the talks.
For outdoor programs, a large-scale outdoor library will be set up at Sangju Citizens' Cultural Park, allowing visitors to freely enjoy a variety of books and comic books. The city expects that families and couples will be able to enjoy comics together and fully experience the festive atmosphere.
Additionally, a performance by the Prime Philharmonic Orchestra, sponsored by the library, will capture attention. The concert will feature a wide range of music, from Studio Ghibli animation soundtracks to classical masterpieces, and is expected to be a highlight of the festival.
Other diverse side events include: ▲ a live drawing show by Joo Donggeun, creator of 'All of Us Are Dead' ▲ an outdoor animated film screening of '10 Lives' ▲ a webtoon experience class ▲ and a one-day class, among others.
Kang Youngseok, Mayor of Sangju, stated, "Sangju City Library is establishing itself as a cultural space specializing in comics," and added, "I hope that Sangju will emerge as a new center of the comics industry and that this will be a meaningful time for both citizens and visitors to enjoy culture together."
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