SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 28, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Dashtoon, an emerging leader in the comic creation and reading space, today announced a global partnership with the Korea Webtoon Industry Association (KWIA) to extend Korean webtoons’ content to over two billion people in the US, India, and South Asian markets. Dashtoon’s collaboration builds on KWIA’s long-term partnership with Google Play, announced in September 2023, and will now give Korean webtoon creators access to billions of consumers all over the world.
Dashtoon’s mission is to bring the magic of visual storytelling to a global audience. The company has released over 50 original titles created in the United States and showcased over 100 exceptional global comics on the app from creators in South Korea, China, Japan, and more. Dashtoon was recognized as the "Best for Fun" app in the "Comics & Manga" category at the "Google Play’s Best of 2023" awards.
The company’s Dashtoon Studio tool uses generative AI to turn storytellers into graphic novelists. Free to use, it gives creators of varying skill levels full control over their art and consistency in visual storytelling. Creators can then publish their comics on the Dashtoon mobile app to a global audience and monetize their content. Since the beta launch of Dashtoon Studio in January, over 10,000 creators have signed up and are creating mobile-first webcomics. In addition, Dashtoon recently signed agreements for the webcomic adaptation of works of over 50 authors, including USA Today bestselling authors Colleen Helme, Penelope Ward, Christina Tetreault, Blair Howard, Kelly Oliver, and Lili Valente. Dashtoon also successfully launched Ken Warner's highly acclaimed Young Adult Sci-Fi series, "The Secret of Giza” and A.N. Boyden’s “The Surrogate Nanny,” on its platform, receiving exceptional reception.
Under the strategic partnership, Dashtoon is going to license and host the best Korean webtoons on its mobile app. Additionally, Dashtoon and KWIA plan to collaborate on efforts to utilize AI for creative production and to improve the production environment for webtoon creators. Korea is the birthplace of webtoons and a pioneer in vertical scrolling comics, and Korean webtoon companies bring unparalleled expertise to this collaboration, promising an array of high-quality content for Dashtoon's global audience.
Seo Beom Kang, Chairperson of KWIA, said, “We are delighted to work with Dashtoon to showcase Korean webtoons in India, a market with a potential for webtoons to grow, said Seo Beom Kang, Chairperson of KWIA. “We will continue to proactively work with various global partners to help Korean webtoon creators showcase their works before the global audience.”
“We are pleased to be able to contribute to raising global awareness for Korean webtoon content’s excellence through this partnership between Dashtoon and KWIA,” said Paula Wang, Managing Director of Google Play Partnerships. “We will continue to support the growth of the Korean webtoon industry.”
"Dashtoon is committed to democratizing comic creation by empowering individual creators and small webtoon studios to bring diverse, high-quality content to our readers worldwide," said Lalith Gudipati, COO and Co-Founder at Dashtoon. "Our partnership with KWIA is just the beginning, and we look forward to seeing how creators and readers alike will embrace these exciting developments."
About Dashtoon
Dashtoon is committed to democratizing comic creation and consumption for creators and readers worldwide. Headquartered in San Francisco with offices in London and Bangalore, Dashtoon is at the forefront of innovation in the comics industry. Dashtoon offers two flagship products: the Dashtoon mobile app for comic readers and Dashtoon Studio for creators. The mobile app, available on both the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store, features a curated selection of top-tier webcomics, manga, and manhwa across diverse genres, including comic adaptations of multiple bestselling novels from around the world. By harnessing cutting-edge generative AI technology and forming strategic partnerships, Dashtoon is redefining the traditional comics landscape to offer an unparalleled experience for both creators and readers. To learn more, please visit https://dashtoon.com/company
About KWIA
The Korea Webtoon Industry Association (KWIA) is dedicated to promoting and supporting the webtoon industry in South Korea. Established in 2015, the association aims to foster growth and development within the industry by providing various forms of support to webtoon creators and companies. Its initiatives often include advocating for the rights of creators, setting industry standards, facilitating collaboration between creators and platforms, and promoting Korean webtoons both domestically and internationally. By leveraging collective efforts and resources, KWIA works to enhance the global competitiveness of Korean webtoons, ensuring their continued success and influence in the global digital content market. To learn more, please visit http://www.kwia.or.kr.
For Dashtoon
Merrill Freund
merrill.freund@cognaize.com
+1 415-577-8637
