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South Korea expands webtoon funding and AI tools

Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_cllLeNGhE

South Korea is expanding its support for webtoons, aiming to boost the industry’s nationwide impact. In Gyeongnam, annual funding for webtoon projects has risen from 45 million to 75 million won, with the number of funded projects increasing from ten to fifteen.

Selected shows will receive between 3 million and 5 million won each, while the budget for assistant writers climbs from 20 million to 30 million won. The changes reflect a broader push to nurture talent and expand production capacity within the webtoon sector.

Webtoon Campus residents will gain access to AI-assisted storytelling tools, alongside the introduction of new facilities designed to support longer, more intensive production cycles, including practical long-night production rooms. The aim is to streamline workflows and enable creators to develop more complex content.

Last year’s webtoons have already reached broader audiences in Korea, with licensing deals extending to other formats. Seoul Station Necromancer has been licensed for animation, and Sae-dong-ne secured a TV licensing agreement as well. Additionally, the work Who Is the Criminal? received a commendation prize, highlighting international interest in Korean storytelling.

Together, these developments illustrate Korea’s strategy of turning narrative content into technology-driven growth, signaling a broader push to integrate creative industries with advanced tools and licensing opportunities for global audiences.

Source: https://n.news.naver.com/mnews/article/022/0004113533