The Korea Herald

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Naver’s webcomic unit ramps up service worldwide

By Shim Woo-hyun

Published : Jan. 27, 2020 - 15:57

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The webcomic unit of Korea’s largest internet portal operator Naver is ramping up efforts to attract more foreign users, launching services in French and Spanish recently.

Naver Webtoon, also known as Line Webtoon in the United States, is a Korean web comic platform. 

An image shows Naver Webtoon’s service launch in Spain. (Naver) An image shows Naver Webtoon’s service launch in Spain. (Naver)

The online cartoon service is increasing efforts to increase its foothold in the global market. The company added Spanish on Nov. 22 and French on Dec. 19, while continuing its existing service in English, Japanese, Thai, Chinese and Indonesian, according to the company.

The latest update starts with 40 different webcomic series. The company chose the series based on surveys conducted in the European regions that speak those languages and translated them, it added.

Naver Webtoon currently has 60 million monthly active users worldwide. The service has seen particular growth in the US, where monthly active users have almost doubled since 2014 to reach 10 million.

“Naver Webtoon plans to increase its foothold in the global market, including Korea, North America, Europe and Asia,” CEO Kim Joon-ku said in a press release. “The company will continue its efforts to offer services in other languages to offer new experience to more audience and creators around the globe.” 

By Shim Woo-hyun (ws@heraldcorp.com)