Celsys says webtoons are growing

In a new survey conducted by Celsys, it was found that 41.9% of European creators read webtoons. This is an increase from last year, with France showing the biggest jump of 23.1%. Webtoons are vertical comics that are typically read on smartphones and are popular among men in their 30s. However, the survey revealed that the key to the growth of the market may lie in promoting demand for webtoons among young women.

More than half of French creators surveyed read webtoons, indicating a correlation between people who read webtoons and those who enjoy drawing comics. In fact, countries with a higher webtoon readership rate also have more creators who draw comics. The survey also found that 40% of digital creators start digital art at the age of 15 or younger.

Overall, 41.9% of European creators indicated that they read webtoons frequently or occasionally, with Germany having the highest webtoon readership. However, France had the highest readership of webtoons among the four countries surveyed, at 51.5% of respondents. In Spain, 35.7% of respondents had never heard of webtoons, suggesting that webtoons are not yet widely recognised.

Webtoon readership is higher among male respondents and increases with each age bracket, with those in their 30s reading webtoons the most. Female readership is highest among women in their teens and 20s, with readership decreasing with each age bracket. This highlights the importance of maintaining the readership of young women to continue reading webtoons into their thirties and beyond.

The survey also found that most hobbyist creators create character illustrations and designs, followed by illustration and graphic design. Of those who create comics, 19.4% create Japanese-style manga and 8.4% create webtoons. In France, with a high webtoon readership, there is a high affinity for comics on both the creation and consumption fronts, indicating a strong correlation between a country's comic readership and the number of people interested in creating comics.