The Platformization of Culture: Webtoon Platforms and Media Ecology in Korea and Beyond

Abstract

This article examines the webtoon (wept'un)—a term coined in Korea to refer to webcomics—which is arguably the most pervasive and powerful form of digital serial production in twenty-first-century Korea. Webtoons have developed by utilizing various potentials that the digital platform offers, such as open solicitation, (partial) free web/mobile distribution, profit from advertisement and page viewing, and transmedia production. As a new cultural medium, the webtoon is thus inseparable from its platform and organically tied to its distinctive platform ecology, which is different from the ecosystems that other (global) mega-platforms create. Engaging with the insights from recent studies of platforms and utilizing empirical media analysis, I argue that Korean webtoon platforms demonstrate the continuing and intensifying dependency of art on platforms—a process that I call “the platformization of culture”—and that this specific type of platformization is reinforced by what I call “the artist incubating system.” The case of webtoon platforms reveals a number of telling aspects of media ecosystems for art production in the digital age—aspects that are spreading and expanding to various fields of art.

Pemanfaatan Webtoon sebagai Media Adaptasi dari Komik Cetak

“…Webtoon adalah gabungan dari kata web dan cartoon (Nam & Jung, 2022), diartikan sebagai komik daring. Kelahiran webtoon adalah hasil adaptasi dari komik analog berbentuk cetak menjadi komik digital, disajikan dalam layout vertikal yang telah dioptimasi untuk layar komputer dan telepon seluler (Cho, 2021). Istilah ini pertama kali berkumandang di Korea diiringi dengan kehadiran platform bernama Naver Webtoon pada tahun 2014 besutan Naver Corporation, sebuah perusahaan yang berafiliasi dengan Line Corporation.…”

Electronic Markets on platform culture

“…A fourth view captures the application of digital platforms in the culture sector or the platformization of culture (Cho, 2021). On the one hand, this comprises platforms that allow existing actors in the culture domain (e.g.…”

The rise and development of the platform economy in South Korea

“…The increase in the popularity of webtoons in Korea is due in part to the successful adaptation of comics styles to the digital environment, which features a vertical layout optimized for computers, experimentation with color and space (Cho 2021, p. 73; Kim and Yu 2019, p. 3). And webtoons have been developed by utilizing various potentials that the digital platform offers, such as open solicitation, free web distribution, active communication between readers and producers through comment and recommendation systems (Cho 2021, p. 74). Since the mid-2000s, webtoons have developed further thanks to their great popularity in South Korea; thus, Naver and Kakao have extended webtoon services in the global market since 2014.…”

“…Since the mid-2000s, webtoons have developed further thanks to their great popularity in South Korea; thus, Naver and Kakao have extended webtoon services in the global market since 2014. Moreover, during this process, webtoons were commercialized to be more suitable for the platform (Cho 2021; Han 2015, pp. 138–39; Kim and Yu 2019; Park 2014, pp.…”

“…To increase the traffic of visitors, Naver and Kakao provided free webcomics, further imitating PC communications businesses. Since 2000, these webcomics have been called "webtoons," and have since evolved into South Korea's unique platform culture (Cho 2021;Kim and Yu 2019;Park 2014, pp. 146-47) and have become important content for portals since 2003.…”