Key Takeaways
- The Walt Disney Company has acquired a 2% equity stake in Webtoon Entertainment, valuing approximately $32.77 million.
- The partnership aims to accelerate the global expansion of Korean webtoons and support Disney’s push to monetize its content library.
- The jointly developed digital comics platform will feature around 35,000 titles from Disney’s IP catalog, including Marvel, Star Wars, and Pixar.
- The deal is expected to have broader implications for Korea’s content ecosystem, providing a pathway for Korean content to scale internationally.
- The US webtoon market is projected to grow from $1.98 billion in 2024 to $8.72 billion by 2033, representing a compound annual growth rate of 16.5%.
Introduction to the Partnership
The Walt Disney Company has finalized its strategic partnership with Webtoon Entertainment, a deal that is expected to accelerate the global expansion of Korean webtoons while supporting Disney’s broader push to further monetize its content library. The acquisition of a roughly 2% equity stake in Webtoon Entertainment, valued at approximately $32.77 million, marks a significant step forward in the partnership between the two companies. This investment follows plans first outlined in September 2025, when the two companies disclosed that they had signed a nonbinding term sheet under which Disney would take a 2% equity stake in Webtoon Entertainment and jointly develop a new digital comics platform for global audiences.
The Digital Comics Platform
The forthcoming digital comics platform, whose launch date and branding have yet to be revealed, will host approximately 35,000 titles drawn from Disney’s extensive IP catalog, including Marvel, Star Wars, Disney, Pixar, and 20th Century Studios. Select original titles from Webtoon Entertainment’s own slate will also be featured. Content on the platform will span multiple formats, with some titles adapted into Webtoon’s idiosyncratic vertical-scroll format, while others will be offered as digitized versions of traditional print comics. Webtoon Entertainment will lead platform development and day-to-day operations, ensuring a seamless user experience and effective content management.
Market Growth and Projections
The deal comes as Webtoon Entertainment continues to deepen its footprint in the US market, capitalizing on the industry-wide shift from print comics to mobile-first, digital consumption. Market research firm Grand View Research projected the US webtoon market will grow from $1.98 billion in 2024 to $8.72 billion by 2033, representing a compound annual growth rate of 16.5%. This growth is driven by the increasing demand for digital content, particularly among younger audiences, and the rising popularity of webtoons as a unique and engaging storytelling format. As the market continues to expand, the partnership between Disney and Webtoon Entertainment is well-positioned to capitalize on this trend and establish itself as a leading player in the digital comics industry.
Disney’s Strategic Recalibration
For Disney, the move aligns with a broader strategic recalibration as the company looks to further monetize its content library through licensing and IP-driven businesses, amid slower growth in its IP operations compared with its theme park and experiences division. In its fiscal Q4 2025 earnings, Disney reported that its Q4 operating income in the entertainment sector declined $376 million year over year to $691 million, due to factors including weaker theatrical comparisons and a $368 million drop in content sales and licensing revenue. The partnership with Webtoon Entertainment is expected to help address this decline by providing a new revenue stream and expanding the reach of Disney’s IP catalog to a wider audience.
Broader Implications for Korea’s Content Ecosystem
The partnership between Disney and Webtoon Entertainment could carry broader implications for Korea’s content ecosystem, which, despite its outsized cultural influence through K-pop and TV dramas, has lacked the kind of global retail and distribution channels needed to turn original IP into enduring, high-value franchises. A report by the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry released last year found that no Korean IP ranks among the world’s top 50, while the US claims 32, Japan seven, and China and France two each. The report revealed that the combined revenue from IPs owned by 32 US companies alone totals roughly $242 billion — equivalent to about 13% of Korea’s gross domestic product. The partnership between Disney and Webtoon Entertainment provides a pathway for Korean content to scale internationally, potentially paving the way for other Korean companies to follow suit and establish themselves as major players in the global content industry.
