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WEBTOON's "Toon Filter" Captivates Fans with AI, Overseas Users Accounted for 80% though Serviced Only in Korean

- "Toon Filter" beta service, which converts photos into webcomic illustrations, created more than 20 million webcomic-style images within a week of launch.
- With the creators' consent, ten popular webcomics were selected, and their drawing styles were applied as filters which became enormously popular through social media. 
- As 80% of all users were from abroad, although Toon Filter was serviced only in Korean, WEBTOON is preparing a global version.
- The number of new NAVER WEBTOON app users surged by up to 480% daily compared to the previous week. 
- WEBTOON's self-developed "Xspider" technology for filtering inappropriate images was applied to Toon Filter.

 

2023/05/22 

 

WEBTOON's "Toon Filter," which combines AI technology and content, is gaining sensational popularity among WEBTOON fans. Toon Filter is a service that enables you to convert a selected photo into a picture style of your favorite WEBTOON title. As a differentiated service that adds fun features unique to WEBTOON using AI, Toon Filter became enormously popular among WEBTOON users and attracted new users to the platform.

 

 

WEBTOON announced that the Toon Filter beta service, developed using AI, generated over 20 million converted images within a week of its launch. Toon Filter was designed to provide users with the experience of having their favorite webcomic creator draw pictures for them. In the beta service released on May 12th, the drawing styles of 10 WEBTOON titles of 10 creators, who supported the project's purpose and agreed to provide their drawings, were applied.

* Current WEBTOON titles serviced by Toon Filter: <Tales of the Unusual>, <Maru is a Puppy>, <The Shape of Nightmare>, <Love Revolution>, <Lookism>, <Yumi's Cells>, <See You in My 19th Life>, <Twenty Eight Century Fan>, <Freedraw>, <The Hurricane Princess>

 

Creator 232 of <Love Revolution>, a title included in the Toon Filter service, said, "When I first heard about plans to develop Toon Filter, as a creator, I was very excited and thought it was trendy, as it would be an opportunity to create good memories for readers." After trying the service, the creator remarked, "Currently, only the main character is applied, but I think it will be much more fun if the service provides more diverse characters."

 

Although Toon Filter is only available in Korean, it became known to overseas WEBTOON fans through social media. It became so popular that all ten filters showed an explosive influx of users at one point, with more than 10,000 people waiting for access. Over 80% of the cumulative users are from out of Korea, with Indonesia, Korea, Russia, the Philippines, and Malaysia accounting for the highest percentage of users in that order. In addition, 30 countries, including the United States, Japan, Thailand, France, Vietnam, and Italy, accessed Toon Filter demonstrating significant interest. WEBTOON is also planning to develop a global Toon Filter service in response to the enthusiasm of global users.

 

The success of Toon Filter also led to an increase in the number of new users of Korean WEBTOON app. Since the release of Toon Filter, the number of daily new users of the Korean WEBTOON app increased by up to 480% compared to the previous week.

 

WEBTOON's self-developed filtering technology, "Xpider for Image," was used to filter inappropriate images. Xpider is a model that checks for harmful content in WEBTOON's amateur creative space, such as Manhwa Challenge and CANVAS.

 

WEBTOON is leading the development of various technologies for creators and users as part of the "WEBTOON With" program that supports the creative ecosystem. "WebtoonMe," which turns photos and videos into webcomic characters in real-time, and the recently launched Toon Filter are all technologies that help users further enjoy webcomics. WEBTOON is developing various technologies that increase creative efficiency and help creators and protect the creative ecosystem, such as copyright.

 

An official from WEBTOON said, "By combining content and technology, we expect to create more opportunities for creators or characters in webcomics to communicate with fans." The personnel added, "As a global story tech platform, we will lead the development of various technologies that can help creators and entertain WEBTOON fans."

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