Busan is good

A Decade of Webtoon Stories Comes to Life in Busan… Busan Global Webtoon Festival Opens October 30

내용

Busan Metropolitan City (Mayor Chun Jae-soo), together with the Busan IT Industry Promotion Agency and the Busan-Gyeongnam Cartoonists Association, will hold the 10th Busan Global Webtoon Festival from October 30 to November 1 at Museum 1 and the Busan Cultural Content Complex.

Hosted by Busan Metropolitan City and organized by the Busan IT Industry Promotion Agency and the Busan-Gyeongnam Cartoonists Association, the festival will bring together approximately 190 webtoon artists from Korea and abroad, showcasing around 800 works.

Since its inaugural edition in 2017, the Busan Global Webtoon Festival has grown into a cultural event that brings together webtoon creators and citizens from Korea and around the world. Marking its 10th anniversary this year, the festival aims to build on its achievements over the past decade while expanding exchanges between domestic and international artists and businesses, taking another step toward becoming a leading global webtoon festival.

Under the theme "Ten Years, One Story," this year's festival will feature a special exhibition highlighting its decade-long history, along with a diverse range of programs.

The exhibition will revisit the festival's journey over the past 10 years through posters from previous editions and bring together approximately 800 distinctive works by webtoon artists from Korea and abroad.

The Drawing Talk Show, featuring renowned domestic and international artists, will offer visitors an opportunity to hear firsthand accounts of the artists' creative journeys and gain insight into the webtoon production process through live drawing demonstrations.

The festival will also expand its global business programs to promote exchanges within the domestic and international webtoon industries and support entry into overseas markets.

International artists and representatives of leading publishing companies will be invited to broaden networking opportunities among creators from Korea and abroad. Business consultations and conferences connecting artists with companies will also support the commercialization of webtoon works and the development of overseas distribution channels.

In addition, a live talk show in collaboration with Busan English Broadcasting and booths operated by local universities will strengthen cooperation with related organizations in the region and expand opportunities for exchange through webtoons.

Beyond viewing and enjoying webtoons, the festival will offer a wide variety of interactive activities that allow visitors of all ages to participate and create lasting memories.

Alongside activities such as a family cartoon drawing competition and caricature events, the festival will operate a Webtoon Consultation Center, where students interested in webtoons can meet professional artists and receive advice on career paths and creative activities.

Admission to the festival is free and open to everyone. Exhibitions will be open daily from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. throughout the festival. Detailed schedules and additional information are available on the official website at https://www.bwebtoon.com.

Cho Yu-jang, Director-General of the Culture Bureau of Busan Metropolitan City, said, "Over the past 10 years, the Busan Global Webtoon Festival has grown into a celebration of webtoons that brings together artists and citizens from Korea and abroad, driven by the passion and determination of countless creators."

"Building on this 10th anniversary, we will actively support Busan's development into a global hub for the webtoon industry, where domestic and international creators and businesses can connect and collaborate," Cho emphasized.

"We hope citizens will take a keen interest in and actively participate in this year's festival, where the stories of the past decade will meet the new possibilities that lie ahead," Cho added.