웹툰 플랫폼의 국제적 다각화 전략 -네이버웹툰과 카카오웹툰의 일본 진출 사례를 중심으로-

In the digital content environment where legacy media and digital platforms compete fiercely to secure content and the demand for intellectual property(IP) continues to increase, Webtoon(Korean cartoon) is attracting attention as a key IP source in the media entertainment industry and webtoon platforms are growing as major players in the market. This study used case analysis method to draw strategic findings from business diversification strategies and international diversification strategies of two major Korean webtoon platforms, Naver Webtoon and Kakao Webtoon, who adapted their successful local strategies in overseas market. Additionally this study examined localization strategy by Naver’s Line Manga and Kakao’s Picoma in Japanese market, which is a strategic market of global cartoon industry.
The findings show that both Naver Webtoon and Kakao Webtoon are entering secondary intellectual property industry, based on webtoon’s original IP. In Korea and overseas, both companies are strengthening their capabilities by establishing or acquiring content productions and forming strategic alliances with or acquiring talent management companies and expanding the business into the media entertainment industry. Meanwhile as part of international business diversification the two companies acquired webtoon or webnovel platforms with large market influence or possessing large IP volumes to secure subscribers and lay the foundation to grow business in the regional market. Naver is enjoying the preoccupation effect by advancing into the overseas market first and is taking a localization strategy to produce original IP in collaboration with local artists, while Kakao is taking a strategy to jointly develop IP by establishing a production studio. In addition, the global webtoon business was reorganized with Naver focusing on the US market and Kakao focusing on the Japanese market. Naver’s content localization strategy and development of various business models and Kakao’s market-verified webtoons offering resulted in two companies showing rapid growth in a short period of time in the Japanese market.
The implications are that the webtoon platforms who seek international expansion should prioritize the main country for business operation, develop contents that target the taste of local users, provide differentiated strategy from existing local services, and actively utilize webtoon contents IP for secondary intellectual property business.