Naver Webtoon's Strategic Path: Balancing IP Expansion and AI Integration

Abstract

Webtoon industry plays an important role in the expansion of intellectual property (IP) under intensifying OTT(Over the Top) media service competition. As many dramas based on webtoons are creating success stories, the popularity of webtoons, which has proven marketability and is easy to film, is growing. This study investigated to derive strategic implications for the Korean webtoon service platform by analyzing the environment and strategies of Naver Webtoon. In particular, Naver Webtoon has to consider writer protection as a top priority when introducing the latest technology and establish clear guidelines and regulations regarding the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology. In addition, a strategy of utilizing webtoon IP in a variety of ways must be maintained, and a cautious approach that takes into account artist protection and consumer response is needed when introducing AI technology.