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Posters for "ON, WEBTOON," an online exhibition of Korean webtoon series in Malaysia, left, and Japan / Courtesy of KOMACON |
By Park Han-sol
A year-long online exhibition showing a selection of popular Korean webtoon series has kicked off specifically for fans in Malaysia and Japan, Friday.
Co-organized by the Korea Manhwa Contents Agency (KOMACON), Korean Embassy in Malaysia and Korean Cultural Center Osaka, "ON, WEBTOON" is themed around a number of webcomic series that have gained popularity either in their original format or through their drama adaptions in the two Asian countries.
For the Malaysian audience, this exhibition is the first of Korean webtoons to be held in the country. Five digital comics, which have all been adapted into hit Korean dramas, are introduced at the show: "Hellbound," "Navillera," "True Beauty," "Nevertheless" and "The Uncanny Counter."
In the Japanese exhibition, along with "Hellbound," "Navillera" and "True Beauty," two other webtoon series that have gained a massive following are presented: "Itaewon Class" and "Solo Leveling."
Upon entering the website for the exhibition, visitors are able to gain access to the background details and relevant video works for each comic and their writers, along with selected episodes available to view for free in English and Japanese.
Although "ON, WEBTOON" can be accessed from anywhere in the world, special on- and offline hybrid events and talk shows will be held specifically for Malaysian and Japanese audiences throughout the year.
For example, on Feb. 18 and 19, two virtual meet-and-greet sessions with "Hellbound" writer Choi Gyu-seok are scheduled to be held in the Korea Plaza in Kuala Lumpur and at the Korean Cultural Center Osaka, respectively.
"ON, WEBTOON" will run through Feb. 11, 2023.