End of Comico Service: Is This the Beginning of a Major Shift in the Webtoon Market?
Comico, Services in Korea, English-speaking countries, and France Ended! Is Japan the Only Survivor? A Major Change in the Webtoon Market 🎭
Reading the Future of the Webtoon Industry Behind NHN’s Bold Choice
📌 Table of Contents
- Industry Shocked by Sudden Service Termination
- Why Was Only Japan Left? Analysis of Hidden Strategies
- Refund Issues Most Curious to Comico Users
- NHN’s True Goal: Transformation into a Content Production Company
- How to Survive in the Global Webtoon Market
- Is This the End for Webtoon Platforms?
- Epilogue: My Thoughts on the Future of the Webtoon Industry
Industry Shocked by Sudden Service Termination 💥
I had no idea when I received a link from my friend on KakaoTalk yesterday… NHN has announced that it will terminate services for Comico and Pocket Comics in Korea, English-speaking countries, and France! They say it will be gone in the blink of an eye by October 31, and I’m at a loss as to where to read my favorite 《Epic Elixir》 ㅠㅠ
NHN explains it with phrases like “business restructuring,” but it essentially means they’re withdrawing from major countries, right? What’s strange is that the Japanese version of Comico will continue to operate! What on earth is happening?
Why Was Only Japan Left? Analysis of Hidden Strategies 🔍
When I asked a friend in Japan, they said that the local Comico is doing quite well. In particular, Japanese Comico focuses on ‘original manga’ content, appealing to local readers.
Meanwhile, in the Korean and Western markets, it seems they’ve struggled against huge platforms like Naver, Kakao, and Toptoon. I even saw a report stating that NHN’s Comico Korea sales dropped by nearly 30% from the previous year… Ultimately, this decision must have started from profitability issues, right?
Refund Issues Most Curious to Comico Users 💰
I have a friend who has charged over 100,000 won in Comico… They are quite worried about whether they can get a refund soon ㅎㅎ NHN’s official stance is to “refund purchased works under one year and remaining coins according to established procedures,” but the specific method has not yet been announced.
If you have a lot of coins, make sure to check for the refund procedures to be announced in August! Personally, I hope they can process refunds automatically like Naver and Kakao… We’ll have to see how NHN handles this.
NHN’s True Goal: Transformation into a Content Production Company 🎬
What’s interesting is that while NHN is stepping away from platform business, they haven’t abandoned the webtoon business itself. Instead, they declared that they would transform into a content production company (CP) and focus on genres like romantic fantasy aimed at female audiences!
Recently, romantic fantasy has been particularly popular in overseas markets, right? NHN seems to be riding this trend with a strategy to target the global market… I’m curious whether they will succeed. Personally, I think ‘content production’ might suit NHN better than ‘platform operation.’
How to Survive in the Global Webtoon Market 🌏
Have you noticed how fierce competition in the webtoon market has become in recent years? As far as I know, there are over 100 webtoon platforms worldwide! To survive in such a competitive market, focusing on specific countries or genres seems essential.
The success of Japanese Comico is due to its localization strategy. Instead of directly translating Korean webtoons, they create original content that suits Japanese readers’ preferences. It seems NHN will now be taking this strategy seriously.
Is This the End for Webtoon Platforms? ☠️
Some of you might be worried, thinking, “Isn’t the end of platform businesses upon us?” But I see this incident as the beginning of a healthy market restructuring. Until now, webtoon platforms have emerged too indiscriminately, right?
In the future, I think only content-specialized companies like NHN will survive or massive platforms like Naver and Kakao will remain. Smaller platforms are likely to disappear or merge. You’ve felt it too, right? These days, it’s getting less necessary to install multiple apps just to read webtoons…!
Epilogue: My Thoughts on the Future of the Webtoon Industry ✨
Conversely, I view this situation positively. Why, you ask? I realized while chatting with a Japanese friend last week that truly good content doesn’t discriminate against platforms. Popular webtoons like 《Tower of God》 or 《The Reader and the Protagonist Definitely Have to Be in True Love》 are popular everywhere, right?
I believe NHN’s transition from a platform to a content production company is a wise choice focused on the essence. If more companies shift from platform competition to content quality competition, we will see a surge of high-quality webtoons for readers!
What do you think? Are you worried about the decrease in platforms, or are you looking forward to it? 💬
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. When exactly will the Comico service end?
A. The service will end by October 31, 2023, in Korea, the U.S., Europe, etc. Japan will continue to operate.
Q2. What will happen to the webtoons I purchased?
A. You can get refunds for works purchased under one year and remaining coins. Detailed procedures will be announced in August.
Q3. Why is Japanese Comico still operating?
A. It is profitable due to successful localization strategies in the Japanese market, primarily operating with original content.
Q4. Is NHN giving up on the webtoon business?
A. No, they are transitioning to a content production company, aiming to target the global market.
Q5. Is there a possibility that other webtoon platforms will terminate services as well?
A. As competition intensifies, smaller platforms may integrate or disappear. The market is likely to reshape around major platforms.
I would love to hear your thoughts on this opportunity! Which of the following opinions do you resonate with more?
1. A decrease in platforms is inconvenient for readers
2. It’s good as competition for content quality intensifies
3. I don’t know; I just want to see great webtoons
