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Busan Global Webtoon Festival Ninth Story “Webtoon Premiere” to Be Held on the 25th

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Busan Metropolitan City (Mayor Park Heong-joon), Busan IT Industry Promotion Agency, and Busan Gyeongnam Cartoonists Association announced that the 9th Busan Global Webtoon Festival (hereinafter referred to as the festival) will be held from September 25 to 28 at Sohyang Theater and the Busan Cultural Content Complex in Haeundae Centum City.

Since its launch in 2017, the Busan Global Webtoon Festival has become the region’s representative webtoon festival where creators and citizens can come together and enjoy. This year, more than 190 domestic and international artists, including those from the Busan region, will participate to present a diverse range of programs.

This year’s festival, themed “Webtoon Premiere,” will feature the first public release of new works by local artists, reviews by webtoon and film professionals, and opportunities for audience engagement, offering visitors deeper immersion and a fresh sense of enjoyment.

The festival includes official events such as the awards ceremony, webtoon exhibitions and premieres, B2B business matching sessions, and a variety of citizen participation activities, providing a comprehensive experience of all things Busan webtoon.

At the “Webtoon Exhibition,” visitors will be able to view more than 800 works created by domestic and international artists. In particular, the festival’s core concept, the “Webtoon Premiere,” will showcase new works by Busan-based artists for the first time.

Ahead of the main event, from September 24 to 26, the “Business Matching Session” will bring together participating artists and domestic and international webtoon-related companies, creating opportunities to transform creative works into industrial products.

In addition, the program includes various stage events such as ▲“Live Talk Shows” with domestic and international artists ▲“Webtoon Premiere (Preview)” featuring in-depth discussions of new works ▲“Broman Show,” a talk show with four artists, a popular feature of the festival. Hands-on activities such as ▲“Webtoon Golden Bell” ▲“Family Cartoon Drawing” ▲“Webtoon Battle Drawing” will also be offered.

The opening ceremony will take place at 5:30 p.m. on the first day, September 25, at Sohyang Theater, together with the 8th Golden Bridge Webtoon Awards. Performances by “Joongsik Band,” the original artists of “I Am a Firefly,” and local musicians “Jiun Band” will further heighten the celebratory atmosphere.

This year’s festival will also present diverse international stage programs.
○ [IP Pitching] Representatives from companies in Taiwan, Japan, and Italy will take the stage to introduce their businesses and present intellectual property.
○ [Webtoon Masterclass Case Study Sharing] Taiwanese trainees will share their experiences from the Webtoon Masterclass, where Busan-based artists provided training and producing guidance, thereby offering audiences a glimpse into global Busan webtoon stories.

Participation in the Busan Global Webtoon Festival is free of charge. Exhibitions will be open to the public from September 25 to 28, from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Detailed schedules can be found on the official festival website (bwfest.com).

Jo Yoo-jang, Director General of the Culture Bureau of Busan Metropolitan City, stated, “We hope for the active interest and participation of our citizens in this festival, which brings together the creative talents of local webtoon artists and provides a unique opportunity for communication with the public. Busan webtoons are a fundamental part of the K-content industry with infinite potential, and they will serve as a powerful driving force in Busan’s journey to become a global hub city of culture.”