Korean webtoons are more popular than ever before. Many Korean webtoon sites have been steadily growing over the years. They are starting to get global attention thanks to streaming platforms like Netflix that have successfully taken Korean webtoons and turned them into Korean dramas and films. The development of new media devices like smartphones and tablets makes it easy for fans to consume the content. Webtoons can be read pretty much anywhere and at any time. Most Webtoons are free; therefore, readers do not need to spend any money, which has led to a large loyal fan base.
The word Webtoon comes from the combination of the words Website and Cartoon. They are comic books that can be viewed online. Korean webtoons resemble Japanese manga, with illustrated stories with speech bubbles. Webtoons are almost always in color and are known for their artistic styles and imagery. Episodes are published every week, with a few offering daily episodes. Many might not know about Korean webtoons because there is a comments section. This is helpful as other readers can point out details you might have missed while reading.
The internet comic industry overall is on the rise as more and more talented writers of comics have been uploading their content on webtoon sites.
Naver Webtoon is a subsidiary of Naver. It is by far the most popular webtoon platform in Korea. It started in 2004 as an in-house startup. They are credited with revolutionizing the comic industry by creating an ecosystem that puts creators and consumers first. Naver Webtoons established its own company apart from Naver back in 2017. They have gone on to make Naver Webtoon platforms in Spanish and French. Therefore, Naver Webtoons is now Korea’s most prominent comic platform for professional and amateur creators. Naver Webtoon is free, and its content is geared toward young audiences.
- The Sound of Your Heart
- Misaeng
- Tower of God
- About Death
- Super Secret
Daum Webtoon
Daum Webtoon is a subsidiary of Kakao. It was launched in 2003 and is the world’s first platform service dedicated to internet cartoon content. There are over 500 completed webtoons on the platform. Daum Webtoons constantly search for new webtoons. They do this but finding emerging webtoon artists through events like “Webtoon League” and year-round contests. However, setting up an account on their site is difficult. You will need to have a Kakao ID to access Daum Webtoon. Therefore most of their users are based in Korea. If you are outside Korea, you must download KakaoTalk, set up an account, and link your Apple ID to pay through Apple. Then access Daum Webtoon through your KakaoTalk account. Most people go to Daum Webtoons to find non-mainstream genres and to discover new up-and-coming webtoon authors.
Best Webtoons on Daum Webtoon
- Itaewon Class
- The Breaker: New Waves
- Can’t See Can’t Hear But Love
- The Friendly Winter
- The Pale Horse
Toomics
Toomics is very popular with hardcore fans as well as first-time readers. In addition, they have a wide variety of genres and exclusive titles from professional artists. Moreover, new episodes are uploaded weekly for all series. It is free to sign up, and you will get trial episodes. They have a personalized recommendation feature based on your personal favorites. Toomics is one of the few webtoon sites that offer +18 manhwa.
Best Webtoons on Toomics
- Supernova
- Super Rich
- His Women’s University
- Painkiller
- Prosuivant
KakaoPage
In 2013, Kakao Corporation launched KakaoPage, a platform for webtoon content. They were known for the “Wait or Pay” business model in which users could either wait for the next episode or pay to read it immediately. Moreover, this new business model helped KakaoPage’s sales increase from $17 million in 2014 to $86 million in 2016. Now, Kakao Page does over $250 million in revenue and over $25 million in profit. Therefore, the strategy is now a global standard for most webtoon platforms.
Best Webtoons on KakaoPage
- Solo Leveling
- The Beginning After the End
- Villains Are Destined to Die
- Lookism
- I Shall Master This Family
Lezhin Comics
Lezhin Comics is a premium webtoon platform operated by Lezhin Entertainment, a global content company. It launched its English language service in the U.S. and its Japanese language service in Japan in 2015. They are known for their Korean webtoons for mature audiences. Moreover, Lezhin Comics currently features more than 7,000 comics in Korea. Therefore, not only do they offer Korean webtoons but also feature over 300 Japanese webtoons and over 100 Chinese webtoons. They are famous for their adult-themed webtoons, especially their BL series. In addition, they regularly hold contests such as the “Lezhin Challenge” to nurture more talented cartoonists. Winners receive opportunities to feature their cartoons on Lezhin Comics.
Best Webtoons on Lezhin Comics
- A Guy Like You
- The Lady and Her Butler
- Vampire Heart
- Star x Fanboy
- False Memories
