By The Straits Times | Created at 2026-06-24 08:36:46 | Updated at 2026-06-24 09:34:34
1 hour ago
SEOUL – Rena, a webtoon artist in her 20s whose work is available on global platforms, used to see overseas comments as proof that her stories had crossed borders.
These days, they make her uneasy.
“I used to be genuinely happy whenever I saw comments from overseas readers,” said Rena, who asked to be identified with a pseudonym. “But now, when someone talks about my work, I can’t help wondering whether they read it through an illegal site.”
For creators like Rena, overseas piracy is not only a question of lost income. It is changing how they see the global readers who helped make South Korean webtoons popular in the first place.
She said some readers continue to treat webtoons as content that should be freely shared, regardless of the time, effort and money creators invest in producing them. Some have even defended piracy as a way of supporting artists while accusing creators who speak out against it of being racist.
“I’ve been told, ‘You don’t care about fans who read webtoons even though we’re poor’, and ‘You only became famous because we shared your work’,” Rena said. “It goes beyond hurting artists’ livelihoods. It’s breaking down trust between creators and readers.”
While coordinated efforts by the authorities, platforms and creators have significantly reduced large-scale webtoon piracy in South Korea, overseas piracy remains a major challenge. Operators, servers and users are often spread across multiple countries, making investigations and prosecutions far more difficult.
South Korea is now expanding cooperation with foreign governments, webtoon platforms and creators to pursue not only the shutdown of piracy sites, but also criminal prosecution of those responsible.
One recent case involves two Vietnamese nationals accused of operating three English-language websites that illegally distributed unofficially translated Korean webtoons to readers across Asia, North America and Europe.
According to the South Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, about 70 per cent of the 14,700 titles uploaded to the sites were Korean webtoons.
The industry estimates the sites caused about 207 billion won (S$173 million) in losses while attracting more than 1.1 billion visits annually and generating significant advertising revenue.
Vietnam’s Ministry of Public Security plans to indict the suspects following its investigation, with the South Korean authorities and webtoon platforms providing evidence and other assistance.
The case marks a notable shift from the past, when artists and industry groups often had to pursue overseas piracy largely on their own by hiring legal experts and filing civil lawsuits.
In another case, the South Korean authorities secured the repatriation of a Japanese national for criminal proceedings on June 11. The suspect, originally from South Korea, acquired Japanese citizenship in 2022 while under investigation for operating a major piracy website that illegally distributed Korean webtoons and Japanese manga.
“Illegal copying demoralises creators and is nothing less than burglary that steals the fruits of their hard work,” South Korean Justice Minister Jung Sung-ho said after the repatriation.
“We will pursue crimes that threaten Korea’s content industry to the end and safeguard the legitimate rights of our creators.”
The authorities say stronger international cooperation has become essential because piracy operators often work across borders.
“Operators may move from one country to another, while servers are frequently relocated across jurisdictions or even continents,” a Culture Ministry official told The Korea Herald.
South Korea has expanded cooperation with overseas authorities. In November, the Culture Ministry signed a cooperation agreement with Vietnam’s Ministry of Public Security. It has also operated a copyright investigation channel with Interpol since September 2025.
Earlier in June, the Justice Ministry and the Culture Ministry held a joint strategy meeting with investigative authorities from Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines, the Netherlands and US Homeland Security Investigations, as well as Interpol, to strengthen cooperation against online copyright crimes.
“Cooperation is expanding beyond Asia to include Spanish-speaking countries, as well as the authorities in Egypt, Morocco and the United Arab Emirates, allowing us to respond more effectively to increasingly complex cases,” the Culture Ministry official said.
The authorities also say growing recognition of links between piracy profits and other serious crimes has helped strengthen international cooperation.
“Criminals behind pirate sites can be part of organised crime groups,” Interpol says in explaining its anti-piracy project. “They can use the proceeds to fund other illegal activities, such as illegal online gambling, online sexual exploitation, drug trafficking, arms smuggling and money laundering.”
The authorities and industry groups say changing public attitudes towards paying for creative works takes time. They note that South Korea also went through a period when copyright infringement was widely tolerated before stronger enforcement gradually reshaped public perceptions.
“Our greater reliance on civil and criminal penalties reinforces the message that copyright violations can be punished even across borders,” an official at the Copyright Overseas Promotion Association told The Korea Herald.
The association supports creators by hiring overseas copyright specialists and pursuing legal action against infringement on their behalf.
The official pointed to South Korea’s changing attitudes towards copyright following a series of landmark cases, including the Supreme Court’s 2007 ruling involving the music-sharing service Soribada. The decision helped establish stronger legal accountability for online copyright infringement and influenced enforcement across a broader range of cultural content, including webtoons.
Under South Korea’s Copyright Act, copyright infringement is punishable by up to five years in prison or a fine of up to 50 million won, depending on the offence.
“Whether it is Korea or another country, if piracy becomes the norm, people stop paying for creative works,” the official said. “Without sustainable revenue, creators produce less, investment declines and the content industry struggles to grow.”
For artists, the issue goes far beyond lost income.
They say every episode represents years of practice and countless hours of work, while widespread piracy leaves many questioning whether they can continue creating.
“When I see my work attracting far more views on an illegal site than on the official platform, it’s devastating,” Rena said. “Webtoon artists don’t receive fixed monthly salaries. Many people spend sleepless nights finishing an episode, only to see it become available for free almost immediately. I’ve seen many seriously consider leaving the industry.”
Artists say paying for officially licensed webtoons is about more than supporting creators’ livelihoods. It also helps ensure successful series can continue rather than being cut short for failing to generate enough revenue on its licensed platform.
Kim Dong-hoon, a webtoon creator with more than two decades of experience, echoed Rena’s concerns.
Kim witnessed South Korea’s comics industry struggle during the rise of internet piracy and comic rental shops. He said he was able to continue working only because he also built his career in Japan, where copyright protection was stronger.
“When someone’s dream is to become a webtoon artist, it’s difficult for me to wholeheartedly encourage them when I know how uncertain their livelihood can be,” Kim said.
“It takes years to master even a single line,” he added. “When a work is stolen, it’s not just the work that’s taken away. It’s the years of a creator’s life that went into making it.” THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
