Naver Webtoon Breaks Record for Highest Weekly Transaction Volume in Southeast Asia

[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Nahum] Naver Webtoon’s weekly transaction amounts in Thailand, Taiwan, and Indonesia have reached record highs.

According to Naver Webtoon on the 17th, during the first week of February (January 31 to February 6), the weekly transaction amounts in the three regions of Thailand, Indonesia, and Taiwan increased by approximately 68% compared to the same period last year, marking an all-time high. The monthly transaction amounts for February in these three regions also showed a clear upward trend, increasing by about 55% year-over-year.

It is analyzed that the synergy between recently released popular Korean works such as the webtoons "Marry My Husband" and "School Mercenary" and local works contributed to these results.

"Marry My Husband" has been serialized with great popularity since its release earlier this year in Indonesia and Thailand, ranking first in weekly sales in each country. "School Mercenary" ranked first in weekly sales among male-oriented works in Thailand, attracting the attention of a global fandom.

In addition, works that share common sentiments through the discovery of local creators are gaining positive responses and popularity. The webtoon "Dedes," based on Indonesian local folklore, ranked first on the "New & Trending Chart" after its first release last month. The work "Wantong Raichai," which adapts Thai classical folklore to current trends, also achieved the highest sales among local works by ranking first in weekly transaction amounts just one week after its release.

The monthly active users (MAU) of Naver Webtoon in Southeast Asia, including Indonesia, Thailand, and Taiwan, have surpassed 13 million. According to the mobile data analytics platform data.ai (formerly App Annie), as of the 16th, Naver Webtoon ranked first in revenue on Google Play’s comics app in all three regions.

Chah Hana, Naver Webtoon Eurasia Business Leader, stated, "We will continue to do our best to build an ecosystem where many local creators can be active so that webtoons can establish themselves as a representative entertainment brand in the Southeast Asian region."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.