Webtoons, or web-based comics, have exploded in popularity in recent years.
South Korea is home to some of the largest and most innovative webtoon platforms. Here are 5 of the top webtoon sites originating from South Korea:
Naver Webtoon is the largest webtoon site in South Korea and the world. Launched in 2004 by the Korean internet portal Naver, it hosts over 6,000 comic series and sees a daily readership of over 72 million globally.
Naver features full-colour comics optimized for smartphone reading in vertical scrolling format.
It is free to read with monetization through ads and merchandising. Many popular series like Tower of God and The God of High School have been adapted into anime.
2. KakaoPage
Owned by Korean internet giant Kakao, KakaoPage is a fast-growing webtoon platform launched in 2019.
It hit 50 million monthly users within only one year of launch. KakaoPage features innovative webtoons enhanced by music and sound effects.
Prominent titles include the horror thriller Bastard and the romance series What’s Going On? Unique customization allows users to choose between simple free webtoons or enhanced paid versions with extras like music.
Lezhin debuted in 2013 with manhwa-style comics designed specifically for online smartphone reading.
With over 120 comics now available, Lezhin features Sci-fi and Fantasy titles like Eleceed and Hero Killer. It operates on a “coin”-based system where users can pay to unlock chapters and bonus content.
Lezhin has launched successful collaborations with influential artists like One, the creator of the popular thriller City of Dead Sorcerer.
4. TopToon
TopToon, launched in 2014, is a site focused on fantasy-themed webtoons. Top webtoons featured include the action thriller Terror Man and gritty vampire series Blood Bank.
One standout aspect of TopToon is its investment in creating series with multimedia elements like animations, graphics, and sound alongside traditional comics. TopToon+ is its upgraded service with even more multimedia content.
5. New Rabbit
New Rabbit is an up-and-coming webtoon platform that debuted in 2021. Backed by web portal Daum Kakao, it is pursuing WEB 3.0 integration with plans for NFT webtoons and metaverse content.
Currently, with 11 exclusive series, new webtoons like office comedy Let Go Again Tomorrow show off vertical, phone-optimized formatting combined with colourful artwork.
As one of the newest players in the Korean webtoon industry, New Rabbit presents an exciting glimpse into the future of digital comics.
