World Webtoon Festival to return with global push
Korea's premier web comic event expands to major shopping complex as industry eyes international growth
South Korea's flagship web comic showcase is returning for a second year — this time, on a larger scale. As with last year, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism will host the event, with the Korea Creative Content Agency overseeing operations.
The 2025 World Webtoon Festival will take place Oct. 19–22 at the sprawling Lotte World Mall complex in Songpa-gu, Seoul, a 244,000-square-meter mixed-use development. The new venue marks a shift from last year's boutique setup in Seongsu-dong to one of Asia's largest shopping destinations, allowing for greater international participation and expanded commercial programming.
Pop-up stores will occupy 11 spaces ranging from 10 to 100 square meters throughout the mall. These retail spaces will operate beyond the four-day festival window, staying open Oct. 16-26 to capitalize on visitor traffic and commercial momentum.
The complex's ice rink will house content exhibitions, while its multiplex cinema will host conferences and presentations featuring industry professionals and creators in a 300-seat theater.
This year's festival doubles down on cross-platform storytelling — showcasing how webtoons branch into games, animation and other multimedia formats. Separately, a job fair will connect aspiring creators with production houses to help expand career pathways in the rapidly growing sector.
The culture ministry plans broader international participation following criticism that last year's event fell short of its global branding. This year's programming will feature creators and professionals from around the world to bring diverse industry perspectives.
The second World Webtoon Awards ceremony will cap the festival's final day by recognizing outstanding domestic and international works across multiple categories.
Last year's inaugural festival drew packed crowds to venues across Seongsu-dong. Popular series like "Solo Leveling" and "Omniscient Reader" drove merchandise pavilions, while tech giants Naver and Kakao demonstrated platform innovations, including AI-powered features and interactive viewing technologies.
Korea's web comic industry recorded 2.19 trillion won ($1.5 billion) in sales in 2023, marking nearly 20 percent growth year-over-year, according to government data released earlier this year.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Korea Herald
5 hours ago
- Korea Herald
World Webtoon Festival to return with global push
Korea's premier web comic event expands to major shopping complex as industry eyes international growth South Korea's flagship web comic showcase is returning for a second year — this time, on a larger scale. As with last year, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism will host the event, with the Korea Creative Content Agency overseeing operations. The 2025 World Webtoon Festival will take place Oct. 19–22 at the sprawling Lotte World Mall complex in Songpa-gu, Seoul, a 244,000-square-meter mixed-use development. The new venue marks a shift from last year's boutique setup in Seongsu-dong to one of Asia's largest shopping destinations, allowing for greater international participation and expanded commercial programming. Pop-up stores will occupy 11 spaces ranging from 10 to 100 square meters throughout the mall. These retail spaces will operate beyond the four-day festival window, staying open Oct. 16-26 to capitalize on visitor traffic and commercial momentum. The complex's ice rink will house content exhibitions, while its multiplex cinema will host conferences and presentations featuring industry professionals and creators in a 300-seat theater. This year's festival doubles down on cross-platform storytelling — showcasing how webtoons branch into games, animation and other multimedia formats. Separately, a job fair will connect aspiring creators with production houses to help expand career pathways in the rapidly growing sector. The culture ministry plans broader international participation following criticism that last year's event fell short of its global branding. This year's programming will feature creators and professionals from around the world to bring diverse industry perspectives. The second World Webtoon Awards ceremony will cap the festival's final day by recognizing outstanding domestic and international works across multiple categories. Last year's inaugural festival drew packed crowds to venues across Seongsu-dong. Popular series like "Solo Leveling" and "Omniscient Reader" drove merchandise pavilions, while tech giants Naver and Kakao demonstrated platform innovations, including AI-powered features and interactive viewing technologies. Korea's web comic industry recorded 2.19 trillion won ($1.5 billion) in sales in 2023, marking nearly 20 percent growth year-over-year, according to government data released earlier this year.
Korea Herald
2 days ago
- Korea Herald
Korea celebrates first National Gugak Day, with diverse festival
'Gugak is core pillar of K-culture', says Minister Yu In-chon South Korea officially marked its first-ever National Gugak Day on June 5 with a series of cultural events designed to spotlight the continued relevance of traditional Korean music. Declared by Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Yu In-chon during a commemorative ceremony at Gyeongbokgung, the new national day aims to bridge the past and present by raising public interest in gugak and activating the gugak-centered cultural industry. 'To promote gugak, revitalize its cultural industries, and elevate public awareness, we declare June 5 as National Gugak Day,' said the minister in his speech. 'With the enactment of the Gugak Promotion Act and the inaugural celebration today, I believe we've reached a significant milestone in the history of gugak.' He continued, 'Gugak has accompanied our lives for centuries, present at every moment of joy, sorrow and celebration. It has been preserved and developed across generations, arriving here today. Its growing global popularity as a core pillar of K-culture is thanks to the dedication of those who have quietly upheld its traditions.' Yu, now serving his second term as culture minister, also took a personal moment during the ceremony, noting that this would likely be his final official appearance before stepping down following the recent change in government. 'This may be the last time I address you at an official event like this. My heart is full of gratitude and emotion,' he said. June 5 was chosen for National Gugak Day to commemorate the first official record of yeominrak, meaning 'music enjoyed by the people,' which appeared in the Annals of King Sejong on this date in 1447. The day encapsulates the ethos of shared cultural heritage and aims to invite all citizens to appreciate and participate in Korea's traditional performing arts. To mark National Gugak Day and the broader Gugak Week running from June 5 to 30, a wide array of cultural events is taking place across the country. At Gyeongbokgung Palace's Geunjeongjeon Hall, audiences can experience a commemorative performance titled "Sound of the Heavens, Music of King Sejong (Sejongjo Hoerye-yeon)," while Gwanghwamun Square hosts the Yeominrak Grand Festival, featuring street parades of traditional nongak from six different regions, special performances, and interactive activities. Beyond Seoul, performances, educational programs, hands-on workshops, academic symposia, and conferences are being organized by regional gugak centers and cultural foundations nationwide, offering opportunities for the public to engage with Korea's traditional music heritage.
Korea Herald
30-05-2025
- Korea Herald
Nol Universe partners with KOFICE to boost global reach of MyK Festa
South Korean travel and leisure platform Nol Universe said Friday that it signed a memorandum of understanding with the Korean Foundation for International Cultural Exchange to promote the global expansion of MyK FESTA, a major government-hosted hallyu festival, and attract more tourists to Korea. Park Chang-sik, president of KOFICE, which is an affiliate of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, and Nol Universe CEO Bae Bo-chan attended the signing ceremony on Wednesday in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province. Under the agreement, the two sides will collaborate on international marketing and audience expansion for MyK FESTA, which is scheduled to run from June 19 to 22 at venues around Seoul's Olympic Park. Hosted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and organized by KOFICE, the event is a large-scale hallyu festival featuring performances by K-pop artists such as ITZY, Lee Young-ji and aespa, as well as exhibitions, experience zones, an international conference and export consultation sessions. By leveraging Nol Universe's K-pop concert ticket platform Interpark Global and the company's capabilities in marketing based on customer relationship management, the partnership aims to position MyK FESTA as a must-visit destination for global K-pop fans. 'This partnership marks a step forward in strengthening the inbound tourism ecosystem centered on K-content,' said Bae. 'We aim to offer unique cultural experiences through strategic collaborations with key industry players.' 'This memorandum is a strategic move linking the global expansion of hallyu-related industries with efforts to draw more international visitors," Park said.
