KOREA

The 2025 World Webtoon Festival, celebrating the rich diversity of webtoons in Korea—the birthplace of the medium—was recently held in Seoul. More than just a digital experience, the festival allowed fans to engage with webtoon content in the real world, creating a space for fans, creators and distributors to connect.

Writer. Kim Da Un
Photos courtesy of. Korea Creative Content Agency

A festival centered on webtoons, one of the world’s most prominent cultural content, took place in Seoul from Oct. 19 to 22. In the Lotte Town area in Songpa-gu District, Seoul, where Korean webtoons were gathered under one roof, a vibrant atmosphere was created as fans, creators and platform companies participated actively.

At one of the festival venues, Lotte World, a special exhibition titled “Chronicles of Webtoons” was divided into six sections, complemented by events tailored for webtoon fans. Screenings of webtoon-based animations such as “Maru is a Puppy,” drawing shows and autograph sessions by creators and live dubbing performances by voice actors provided a variety of engaging programs. Major webtoon companies like Naver Webtoon and Netmarble also took part, offering diverse activities and enriching content.

Nearby cinemas hosted screenings of webtoon adaptations such as “Acorn Community Center.” Additionally, talk concerts featuring original creators of webtoon-based dramas and animations—such as “Itaewon Class,” “Terror Man” and “SHARK”—gave fans insight into their favorite stories. Industry-oriented programs, including lectures hosted by producers from Kakao Entertainment and recruitment fairs, offered aspiring creators valuable guidance and inspiration. The festival also featured the 2025 World Webtoon Awards, celebrating outstanding webtoon works.

Beyond programs and exhibitions, webtoon pop-up stores drew enthusiastic attention from fans. Character plushies, stationery items, keychains and other merchandise proved extremely popular. The festival provided an accessible, comprehensive celebration of webtoon culture, reaffirming the genre’s global appeal and Korea’s status as its home.