---
title: 韓日のウェブ小説とコミックの協業の違い Differences in collaboration styles between Korean and Japanese web novels and comics. and Success factors for Korean web novels platforms &amp; authors entering Japan
tags:  #web novels #webtoon #comic #manga #ip #マンガ #ウェブ小説 #ウェブトゥーン  
author: [iida ichishi](https://convert.docswell.com/user/ichiiida)
site: [Docswell](https://www.docswell.com/)
thumbnail: https://bcdn.docswell.com/page/L713YN5DEG.jpg?width=480
description: Differences in collaboration styles between Korean and Japanese web novels and comics. and Success factors for Korean web novels platforms &amp; authors entering Japan  *However, preferences differ between Japan and Korea, and ignoring this leads to failure. https://gendai.media/articles/-/143134?page=2
published: January 22, 25
canonical: https://convert.docswell.com/s/ichiiida/Z22WYG-2025-01-22-083932
---
# Page. 1

![Page Image](https://bcdn.docswell.com/page/L713YN5DEG.jpg)

Differences in collaboration styles
between Korean and Japanese web
novels and comics.
and
Success factors for Korean web novels
platforms &amp; authors entering Japan
飯田一史(iida Ichishi)2025.1.21
1


# Page. 2

![Page Image](https://bcdn.docswell.com/page/G7WPG458E2.jpg)

I am a journalist and
independent scholar writing about
web novel &amp; manga/publishing industries.
Currently serializing
&#039;Deep Dive! The World
of Korean Comics&#039; with
Son Jong-woo and Lee
Hyun-seok in a Japanese
publishing industry
newspaper.
https://www.shinbunka.co.jp/c
at/rensai/koreamangalog 2


# Page. 3

![Page Image](https://bcdn.docswell.com/page/4JZKL2N9J3.jpg)

Differences in
collaboration styles
between
Korean and Japanese
web novels and comics.
3


# Page. 4

![Page Image](https://bcdn.docswell.com/page/YE6QWV8DEV.jpg)

WebNovel to comic adaptation is common in Korea&amp;Japan.
http://www.red-ice.me/theme/s007/index/works_01.php


# Page. 5

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Differences between K&amp;J WebNovel Businesses
Japan:
Platforms are separate and diverse
Example:&#039;Syosetsuka ni Narou&#039;novels adapted to
manga on MangaUP!,distributed on
Kindle/Piccoma
*Each run by different companies
**Some integrated companies exist(KADOKAWA,AlphaPolis)
･Separate business models for Novels&amp;Manga
･Readership spread across platforms
5


# Page. 6

![Page Image](https://bcdn.docswell.com/page/972D982V7R.jpg)

Differences between K&amp;J WebNovel Businesses
Korea:
Few Major Companies control the entire content chain
Example: MUNPIA/NAVER SERIES novels become
webtoons
on NAVER WEBTOON
･Integrated business model for Novels &amp; Webtoons
･Popularity concentrates on fewer works
･Blockbuster-style sales approach
6


# Page. 7

![Page Image](https://bcdn.docswell.com/page/DJY246YQJM.jpg)

K&amp;J WebNovel to Comics Businesses
Korea (Web Novel to Webtoon):
･Same platforms &amp; BM
for Novels &amp; Webtoons(KakaoPage)
･Limited major sales channels
･CP manage both novel and webtoon rights
･Popular works get MG for original authors
･Webtoons:Focus on high-quality
studio artwork →high production cost
Heavy investment in few IPs for high returns
7


# Page. 8

![Page Image](https://bcdn.docswell.com/page/V7N8YZP2E8.jpg)

K&amp;J WebNovel to Comics Businesses
Japan (Web Novel to Manga):
･Rights not sold but managed by publishers
CP manage MANGA/webtoon,but not novels
･No advance/MG for original authors
Royalties paid after sales
(original author ~2%, illustrator ~1%)
･Manga production costs less than webtoon.
･Often uses rookie manga artists
&#039;Try and see&#039; approach with many titles
8


# Page. 9

![Page Image](https://bcdn.docswell.com/page/YJ9KPZ3DJ3.jpg)

Japan-Korea Comics market ratio; 3:1
Estimated Size:J-Manga vs K-Comics
(Unit:100M KRW,1JPY=9KRW)
KOCCA『2022漫画産業白書』,出版科学研究所調べを元に作成
50000
0
18963
43470
日本2023
オンライン
10490
10831
韓国2021
出版漫画
Note:Japan=Retail Sales(Market),Korea=Total Industry Revenue


# Page. 10

![Page Image](https://bcdn.docswell.com/page/GJ8RD1M57D.jpg)

Opportunities for K-Manga artists in Japan
･High demand for skilled artists
to adapt web novels to manga
･Some projects have separate artists
for storyboarding and illustration
No need to create stories (web novels provide plot),
but must understand Japanese manga
layout/formatting
･Must understand Japanese language and
editorial-driven manga production system.
Must maintain close communication with editors.
10


# Page. 11

![Page Image](https://bcdn.docswell.com/page/LJLKMQ337R.jpg)

Opportunities for Webtoon Authors &amp; CP
Or Korean writers and studios create
webtoons based on Korean and Japanese
web novels for the Japanese market.
However, preferences differ between
Japan and Korea,
and ignoring this leads to failure.
It&#039;s like Bordeaux wine made for England and
Burgundy wine for France, as tastes differ.
11


# Page. 12

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Success factors
for
Korean web novels
platforms &amp; authors
entering Japan
12


# Page. 13

![Page Image](https://bcdn.docswell.com/page/P7RM9L4LJ9.jpg)

Japan-Korea WebNovel market ratio; 1:10
Web Novel Market Size (Unit: 100M KRW, 1 JPY = 9
KRW)
KPIPA｢2022年ウェブ小説分野産業現況実態調査」,出版科学研究所｢出版指標年報2024｣を元に作成
918
10390
日本2023
韓国2022
ウェブ小説
ウェブ小説単行本（紙）
Note:Japan&#039;s figures use&#039;Light Novel-Tankobon&#039;sales data from the Research
Institute for Publications (covering web novel book publications). The Impress
Research Institute&#039;s&#039;2024 E-Book Business Report&#039;estimates Japan&#039;s 2023 &#039;textbased e-book&#039; market at 59.3B yen,including all text content,not just novels.


# Page. 14

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2010s:The rise of MangaApps &amp; e-books
사상 최대
size of the Japanese manga market
Unit:100 million yen
Source:出版科学研究所
8000
만화 앱 등장
7000
6000
5000
4000
3000
2000
1000
0
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
comic book
digital comic
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
manga magazine
2021
2022
2023


# Page. 15

![Page Image](https://bcdn.docswell.com/page/3JKQ9V8GJD.jpg)

Manga apps have made daily use routine.
Print
Manga
Comic
Magazin
Book
e
Digital
Manga Apps,
Web Magazine
E-book
Single work,
multiple
chapters
included
Individual works,
sold one chapter
at a time
Single work,
multiple
chapters
included
Every 2-4
Months
Serialized Weekly.
Every 2-4
Read daily for free by
Months
waiting
Example
Sales
Methods
Bundle
Update
Weekly
/Viewing or
Frequency Monthly
Price
Fixed
Discounted
15


# Page. 16

![Page Image](https://bcdn.docswell.com/page/LE3PWM25J5.jpg)

K-WebNovel market exploded after monetization.
2008 Joara｢Noblesse｣ Subscription Model
BookCube 1episode:100W Single-Chapter
Sales
2013 NaverWebNovel(SERIES) Fast Pass
2014 KakaoPage Wait for free
2015 KakaoPage Novel-Comics
･WebNovel industry Size;
2018:4000Billion Won 2020:6000Billion Won
2022:10000Billion Won
16


# Page. 17

![Page Image](https://bcdn.docswell.com/page/8EDLK6ZYJG.jpg)

J-WebNovel market never embraced the paid model.&quot;
2015 Comico-Novel launched,closed in 2021
2017 AlphaPolis pay-per-chapter
2018 Piccoma(Novel) Wait for free
2019 LINE Novel launched,closed in 2020
MAGNET Contracted Authors&amp;Tipping → withdrew
Peep,TELLER Chat Novel(freemium model)
2020 Novelism ¥5/1000words → withdrew
2022 Kakuyomu Supporter’s Pass
But Free-to-read Remains the Industry standard.
Since the top service doesn&#039;t adopt a paid model,
nothing changes no matter what the others do.
17


# Page. 18

![Page Image](https://bcdn.docswell.com/page/V7P2KYD278.jpg)

J-Print Literature market down 60% over past decade+.
Print Book Sales Index (2008=100)
日販
150
100
50
0
マーケティング推進部
ストアソリューション課編『出版物販売額の実態』各年から作成
97.7 103.2103.0 96.5 95.8 96.4 91.7 86.6
86.2 79.8 76.8
78.4 78.5 83.3
64.1 63.9 54.1 54.8 51.0 52.1 52.2
109.6102.7
85.1 78.1
47.0 46.4 46.7 40.7 40.7
2009年2010年2011年2012年2013年2014年2015年2016年2017年2018年2019年2020年2021年2022年2023年
コミック
文芸
Unlike Manga, Novels declined as
new business models failed to catch on.
18


# Page. 19

![Page Image](https://bcdn.docswell.com/page/2JVDVG1XJQ.jpg)

Challenges for Japanese Web Novel PF
･Authors can&#039;t earn from web novels directly.
Income comes from book/manga adaptations
･Authors focus on revising book versions,
reducing web updates.Leads to reader loss
→a Paid model would benefit both:
･Authors get paid faster
･Readers get instant access
･Frequent updates maintain IP longevity
19


# Page. 20

![Page Image](https://bcdn.docswell.com/page/5EGYL82REL.jpg)

A paid model alone is not enough in Japan
･Foreign PF managers often misunderstand:
“If writers aren&#039;t earning enough,
we can pay them and
use a paid model
to attract great works and authors,
beating &#039;Narou.”
･All attempts have
failed or stuck so far
20


# Page. 21

![Page Image](https://bcdn.docswell.com/page/4JQMY9PY7P.jpg)

Japanese Web Novel Authors(amateur)
･Book publication is their main goal.
･Book/Manga/anime adaptations
are status symbols.
Many amateur writers want trophies,
not money first.
Platform incentives don&#039;t work well.
21


# Page. 22

![Page Image](https://bcdn.docswell.com/page/K74VWXYZJ1.jpg)

Japanese Web Novel Authors(pros)
･PF&#039;s rewards are too low.
Securing 1 professional writer costs
¥3–5 million(₩30–50m)per year each,
but most platforms focus on
cheaply recruiting amateurs.
However, platforms with only amateurs
appeal to neither pros, amateurs,
nor readers
22


# Page. 23

![Page Image](https://bcdn.docswell.com/page/LJ13YN6D7G.jpg)

How K-Platforms can succeed in Japan
･Combine publishing+some paid models.
A manga adaptation system would be better.
･Partner with Japanese publishers/pro authors.
Publishers avoid new PF without track record.
Must either;Build trust (needs money/time)
･Invest heavily in
marketing/author acquisition
･Wait to build credible results
23


# Page. 24

![Page Image](https://bcdn.docswell.com/page/GJWPG4W872.jpg)

The Product Life Cycle of Web Novels IP
Introduction
Revenue
Generated
By the IP
Growth
Maturity
Decline
production
cost
year
s
Web Novels To
Anime,Drama,
Media
Comic
2nd,3rd season
Print Books
GAME,theater
Years
1-2
2-3
3-7
5-11
Revenue
Small
Moderate
Huge
Substantial
Cost
Inexpensive
Pricey
Expensive
Costly
Anime adaptations define a work &amp; PF&#039;s success.


# Page. 25

![Page Image](https://bcdn.docswell.com/page/4EZKL259E3.jpg)

Japan has a well-developed IP value chain
In Japan&#039;s web novel industry,
having hit works adapted into anime is
a key sign of success.
Writers don&#039;t trust a platform&#039;s potential
until it produces an anime.
It takes 10 years
to create multiple anime hits,
which is why web novel businesses
struggle to survive in Japan.
25


# Page. 26

![Page Image](https://bcdn.docswell.com/page/Y76QWV9D7V.jpg)

Challenges for K-web novel authors entering Japan
･Translation costs are high compared to
Comics, and the market is small.
If a webtoon version is popular,
it&#039;s enough to sell that,
with no benefit in translating novels.
･Few platforms allow selling web novels,
and potential revenue is low.
26


# Page. 27

![Page Image](https://bcdn.docswell.com/page/G75RMDN8E4.jpg)

Challenges for K-web novel authors entering Japan
･While &quot;Korean literature&quot; is popular,
web novel books don&#039;t sell well
on Korean literature shelves or
web novel shelves in bookstores due to different
audiences and lack of recognition.
•There are no platforms for commercial use or
corporate accounts for web novels,
so methods like posting only the beginning
for promotion are not possible.
27


# Page. 28

![Page Image](https://bcdn.docswell.com/page/9J2D985VJR.jpg)

Challenges for K-web novel authors entering Japan
Gaining popularity on
new web novel sites requires matching
the trends of each PF.
For overseas authors,
understanding Japanese trends
and writing naturally in Japanese
is difficult.
28


# Page. 29

![Page Image](https://bcdn.docswell.com/page/DEY246KQEM.jpg)

Challenges for K-web novel authors entering Japan
Foreign writers using AI translation often say,
&quot;Japanese web novel works are low-quality,
we can create better ones.&quot; However, no foreign
work has succeeded in Japanese services.
•AI translation doesn’t fully capture a novel’s appeal.
•Free sites(Japan) and paid services(Korea)
serve different reader preferences.
Those used to paid services
don’t understand free-site enjoyment.
29


# Page. 30

![Page Image](https://bcdn.docswell.com/page/VJN8YZR278.jpg)

Summary:
･Korean comic artists and businesses
have chances in adapting
web novels into manga or webtoons.
･Success in Japan&#039;s web novel market
is difficult and time-consuming.
Japan Is not a 빨리빨리 country.
･Understanding cultural, business,
and IP differences is key to success.
30


