Sales revenue comic industry South Korea 2022, by segment

In 2022, the sales revenue of the South Korean comic book industry's online comic production and distribution sector amounted to around 1.5 trillion South Korean won. It was the most successful sector, and was followed by the comic book publishing sector, which achieved sales of about 656.4 billion won. The total sales revenue of the South Korean comic book industry that year was approximately 2.6 trillion won.

Printed vs digital comics

Korean comics have seen an increase in interest abroad, alongside their lasting popularity within South Korea. Most Koreans preferred reading comics online rather than through traditional print media. Surveys indicated that around 67 percent of the population hardly ever read printed comics anymore. At the same time, digital comic consumption was a popular trend, with a frequency of one to two times per week.

The rise of webtoons

Digitally published comics, also known as “webtoons”, are becoming a popular format for both readers and creators. One of the leading comics and webtoon publishers in South Korea is Daewon C.I., as the company offers a wide variety of content like comics, webtoons, web novels, and also children’s books and magazines. Due to their easy accessibility, webtoons have become popular worldwide and their popularity is expected to continue to grow.