Busan Global Webtoon Festival Marks 10th Anniversary, Showcasing the Creative Worlds of 190 Artists

Webtoons, now a key pillar of Korean content, open a forum for global industry exchange

Busan Metropolitan City, together with the Busan IT Industry Promotion Agency and the Busan-Gyeongnam Cartoonists Association, will host the 10th Busan Global Webtoon Festival for three days starting on the 30th at Museum One and the Busan Cultural Content Complex. The event is expected to serve as a prominent forum for exchange, assessing the current state of the webtoon industry, now a key part of Korean content, and exploring its future prospects.

Now in its 10th year, the Busan Global Webtoon Festival has firmly established itself as a comprehensive cultural event where webtoon creators from Korea and abroad connect with the public. About 190 Korean and international webtoon artists will take part, presenting more than 800 diverse works to the public.

The exhibition is organized around the theme “Ten Years, One Story.” It will offer an in-depth look at milestones in Korean webtoons over the past decade, including posters from previous festivals. A highlight is the “Drawing Talk Show,” featuring prominent Korean and international artists, where visitors can get a vivid, firsthand look at creators’ personal work processes and the stories behind their creations.

The global business program has also been significantly expanded to generate industry results. The festival will invite representatives of leading overseas publishers and prominent buyers to strengthen networks among creators in Korea and abroad. Business consultations and conferences will also support the commercialization of webtoon IP and help open up global markets.

A range of additional events will encourage public participation. A cartoon-drawing contest and caricature event will be held for families, and the “Webtoon Counseling Center” will give students hoping to enter the webtoon industry a chance to get career advice and creative tips directly from working artists.

The event is free and open to everyone, with daily visiting hours from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. during the festival.