[WHY] The rise of webtoons means fat pay checks, but only for a few

 
Webtoonists are seeing their financial institution accounts develop as the recognition of webtoons continues throughout the globe.
 
In 2019, webtoonist Kian84, famed for his “Vogue King” (2011-2013) sequence, purchased a 4.6 billion received ($3.8 million) constructing in southern Seoul. Yaongi, the creator of “True Magnificence” (2018-), purchased a McLaren 570S, a sports activities automotive that begins at $195,000, in 2020.
 
Lee Mal-nyun, the creator of the “Lee Mal-nyun sequence” (2009-2012) mentioned he makes “a conglomerate government’s wage” with simply the earnings from his YouTube channel and “Together with the Gods” (2010-2012) webtoonist Joo Ho-min purchased homes for himself and his dad and mom with the cash he made as a webtoonist.
 
Whereas the precise quantity on their paychecks is unknown, estimates present that webtoonists seem like making a fortune with their works.
 
The phrase webtoon is a portmanteau of the phrases net and cartoon, first utilized by the press in 1999. Webtoons, which began in Korea, are on-line comics which might be distributed and consumed on the web and Korean firms proceed to steer the worldwide market.
 
Lately, webtoonists function on TV packages and have their very personal social media channels with hundreds of thousands of subscribers.
 
The occupation has develop into so esteemed that in 2020, “webtoonist” was one of many prime 10 dream jobs of elementary faculty kids in Korea.
 
Folks used to ask what webtoons had been, however now they’re asking the best way to develop into a webtoonist.
 
So what has occurred over the past 10 years that’s made webtoons so in style and being a webtoonist such a sought-after job?
 

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How a lot do webtoonists really make?

 
It’s exhausting to pin a precise determine down, as a result of neither the webtoon firms nor the webtoonists disclose what they make. However firms do wish to brag concerning the top-earning creators that they’ve signed.
 
High webtoonists reportedly make over 10 billion received, roughly $10 million, a 12 months, in accordance with Naver, Korea’s No. 1 webtoon firm. The very best-earning webtoonist, though their identify was not revealed, made 12.4 billion received in 2021.
 
There have been 700 creators signed with Naver final August. On common, they earned 280 million received yearly and even these new to the business made some 150 million received of their first 12 months, in accordance with the corporate.
 
Webtoonists made double the common annual earnings in Korea in 2021, in accordance with a survey by the Korea Artistic Content material Company (Kocca).
 
In line with the survey, a webtoonist made a median of 81.2 million received in 2021 in the event that they labored all-year spherical and 56.7 million received in the event that they produced at the least one piece of content material throughout the 12 months.
 
Throughout the identical 12 months, the common annual earnings in Korea was 38.3 million received.
 
Contemplating how over 80 % of webtoonists are of their 30s or youthful, the earnings bracket is kind of spectacular.
 
But it surely doesn’t imply it comes simple.
 
A webtoon sometimes has 60 to 70 frames per episode which might be posted every week. Every episode must be engaging sufficient in order that readers don’t lose curiosity, however give simply the correct quantity of data in order that readers are left questioning what is going to come subsequent.
 
The time wanted to conjure up 60-70 illustrations each week signifies that webtoonists typically work all night time, whereas additionally coping with the hate feedback posted on their social media accounts.

Netflix unique sequence ″All of Us Are Lifeless″ (2022) [NETFLIX]

The Naver Webtoon sequence ″All of Us Are Lifeless″ (2009-2011) [NAVER WEBTOON]

How are they making a lot cash?
 
That’s because of the rising reputation of the webtoon business as a complete.
 
In 2020, the Korean webtoon market surpassed 1 trillion received quantity for the primary time. By then, there have been 7,000 net content material creators with the quantity persevering with to extend. The webtoon market is predicted to develop at a median of 11 % annually, in accordance with a research by KT Economics and Administration Analysis Institute.
 
Webtoons are additionally rising in reputation internationally, the place the market is way bigger than simply Korea.
 
Naver Webtoon had 82 million month-to-month customers all over the world as of January, in accordance with the corporate.
 
Kakao didn’t reveal its person numbers, however its Japanese webtoon app Piccoma surpassed 77.6 billion received in month-to-month transaction quantity in January, marking not solely the best for the app, but additionally for any webtoon app on the planet for that month.
 
Naver and Kakao, the 2 largest firms within the business, have been accelerating their abroad companies lately.
 
In 2019, Naver Webtoon surpassed 600 billion received in transaction quantity and have become the No. 1 grossing webtoon app in 100 international locations all over the world.
 
Kakao adopted carefully behind and in 2020, overtook Naver with Piccoma, which grew to become the best incomes webtoon app in 2020. Final 12 months, it noticed complete transaction quantity of 722.7 billion received.
 
The businesses have additionally acquired in style net content material platforms of their race to prevail.
 
Naver purchased a one hundred pc stake in self-publishing website Wattpad final 12 months for 653 billion received, whereas Kakao Leisure acquired net content material platforms Tapas Media and Radish for $510 million and $440 million every.
 
This 12 months, the 2 firms are accelerating their strikes into the European market.

Naver Webtoon sequence “Tower of God” (2010-) by SIU [NAVER WEBTOON]

How do you develop into a webtoonist?
 
The most typical strategies are by means of open submission platforms, open competitions and social media.
 
Hopeful creators can put up their work on open platforms, like Naver Webtoon Canvas. A whole bunch, if not hundreds, of wannabe-webtoonists add their work on these providers.
 
If their work turns into in style, then Naver makes an official provide to the creator to serialize it.
 
Quite a few webtoonists have had their works picked up by means of this methodology, together with “Tower of God” (2010-) by SIU, “True Magnificence” by Yaongi and “All of Us Are Lifeless” (2009-2011) by Joo Dong-geun, from which the Netflix zombie flick of the identical title was tailored.
 
Webtoon firms additionally repeatedly maintain competitions the place the winners obtain prize cash in addition to an opportunity to publish their work.
 
This was the case for Naver Webtoon’s “Romance 101” (2018-2021), which was posted after its creator Namsoo received the romance style competitors held by the corporate in 2017.
 
Competitions aren’t the one path to success.
 
One good instance is “Myeoneuragi,” a webtoon sequence that began on webtoonist Soo Shin-ji’s Instagram account. It was first tailored into Kakao TV unique sequence “No, Thank You” in 2020 after which made accessible on Kakao Webtoon.
 
First-generation webtoonists made their debuts in a similar way.
 
The 1997 Asian monetary disaster took an enormous toll on the Korean e book market, main e book shops to close down and publishers to go bankrupt. That meant no new contracts for rising creators, who needed to pave their very own means in the event that they wished to pursue a profession as a cartoonist.
 
Somewhat than taking over apprenticeships at famed cartoonists’ studios, which had been typically prolonged, aspiring cartoonists headed to the web the place they created their very own web sites and posted their works.
 
Such first-generation webtoonists embrace Kang Full who created “Love Story” (2003-2004), Kwon Yoon-joo who’s behind “SnowCat” (1998) Shim Seung-hyeon who created “Pape Popo Recollections” (2002) and Jung Chul-yeon, the creator of “Marine Blues” (2001-2007).
 
Portal websites signed offers with these trending creators to publish their works, in hopes of attracting customers to their newly-established providers.

International video streaming service Netflix signed two-year partnership contracts with Korean visible results firm Dexter Studios and its subsidiary Livetone, mentioned Netflix on Tuesday. [NETFLIX]

Disney+ emblem [DISNEY+]

Why have webtoons been gaining a lot consideration lately?
 
It’s as a result of webtoon-based content material is prospering, resulting in curiosity concerning the unique works.
 
Webtoons have confirmed to be valuable to on-line video streaming providers of their battle for unique content material.
 
Often called over-the-top (OTT) providers, these firms have been fiercely competing for market dominance lately. One of the best and best means is to create killer unique content material that draws new subscribers to their providers, like Netflix’s “Squid Sport” (2021) or Apple TV+’s newest “Pachinko” (2022).
 
Webtoons and net novels are a treasure trove of concepts that may save them an unlimited quantity of money and time.
 
Not solely do in style webtoons include a storyline and characters, in addition they include a longtime fan base.
 
OCN’s drama sequence “The Uncanny Counter” (2020), based mostly on Daum Webtoon’s “Superb Rumor” (2018-2021), is an instance of such adaptation. It managed to hit a record-high viewership of 11 % when it aired — the best achieved by any program aired by the cable channel.
 
These variations are additionally excellent news for his or her creators.
 
Webtoons being changed into dramas or movies means copyright cash for the webtoonists, who additionally generate profits from associated merchandise in addition to the inflow of recent readers who grew to become conscious of their work by means of on-screen variations.
 
Some webtoonists obtain a sure share of income whereas others are paid a lump sum.
 
High-tier drama scriptwriters are recognized to obtain 10 to 30 million received per episode. Seeing as how webtoons present extra than simply the storyline but additionally the character description and background sketches, it’s probably that they obtain greater than that.

Webtoonists (from left) Lee Mal-nyun, Joo Ho-min and Kian84 [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Does each webtoonist take residence a giant pay test?
 
Sadly, the billion-won earnings is simply reserved for the preferred webtoonists.
 
In truth, webtoonists say the disparity between the best-selling and lesser-popular creators is widening.
 
“The tv present webtoonists make billions of received a 12 months, however that’s solely the very fortunate few,” mentioned Kim Dong-hoon, a webtoonist and former head of the Webtoon Creators Union.
 
“The youthful webtoonists beginning their careers don’t have any leverage in opposition to the platforms, which implies they’re uncovered to unfair working circumstances with out even realizing that they’re unfair.”
 
Many webtoonists wrestle to make ends meet. Because the market grows and competitors turns into fiercer, the business is rising extra fragmented within the course of.
 
Prior to now webtoonists created with their very own tales and illustrations, however now there are actually separate creators engaged on the illustrations, storylines, backgrounds and coloring on a single webtoon.
 
It’s because it has develop into harder for webtoonists to keep up a top quality of labor, which implies they must outsource sure facets and thus divide the earnings earned amongst everybody concerned.
 
Lesser-known webtoonists must signal with a publishing platform by means of an company, which implies they must divide their earnings with much more events.
 
It is believed that a median of 30 % of all income goes to the webtoon platform, whereas the company and the creator divides the rest 50:50. The webtoonist should pay any assistants they’d with their share of the earnings.
 
Sought-after webtoonists, nevertheless, can signal immediately with a platform. The platform additionally takes much less fee, as a result of they don’t need to lose a big-name webtoonist to their rivals providing a extra aggressive break up.
 
And whereas these top-earning webtoonists don’t want a lot advertising for his or her work to be learn, the lesser-known creators must depend upon the platforms to promote their works by means of promotional occasions.
 
The catch is, the webtoonists must share the advertising value with the corporate.
 
Younger artists are leaping into the race with hopes of changing into the following Yaongi, Kian84 or Lee Malnyun, however the actuality is the business is way much less glamorous.
 
Simply as younger Okay-pop trainees dream of constructing it huge like BTS and Blackpink, aspiring webtoonists should keep in mind that nice success solely comes to a couple.




Thanks to: Jin Dal-yong, Distinguished Professor on the Faculty of Communication, Simon Fraser College; Han Chang-wan, Professor of Comics and Animation Tech at Sejong College; Webtoonist Kim Dong-hoon; Lee Se-in, CEO of Webtoon Perception; KT Economics and Administration Analysis Institute; Korea Artistic Content material Company; Nationwide IT Trade Promotion Company; Naver Webtoon; and Kakao Leisure.

BY YOON SO-YEON [yoon.soyeon@joongang.co.kr]