Kakao Entertainment said Kakao Creative Foundation and the Korea Manhwa Contents Agency signed a business agreement ceremony on the 17th at the Webtoon Convergence Center to expand the "creative space support program" for webtoon artists who have moved into the Korea Manhwa Contents Agency cluster (Webtoon Convergence Center and Business Center).
They have had an agreement since 2024 and have expanded rent support for webtoon creators' creative spaces to reduce the economic burden on resident artists and create an environment where they can focus on creation. Recipients are selected through open recruitment and screening, and this year the scale of support increased to 72 teams and 250 people, or 158% of the previous year.
Kakao Entertainment said artists who received program support have produced results in various areas, including new series, overseas expansion, and IP growth. GreenGirin, a studio that moved into the Webtoon Convergence Center, started as a small team of 3–4 artists, used the creative space support program as a springboard to expand serialization in 10 countries including the United States, Japan, and France, and last year converted into a webtoon studio corporation.
Kakao Creative Foundation plans to focus on building a foundation that enables creators to continue their work stably. The plan is to expand the support system so that creators' sustained growth can lead to the discovery of new IP and stronger industry competitiveness.
A Kakao Creative Foundation official said, "We think the space support program is a process of creating a foundation that allows artists to continue their activities and take on their next works," adding, "We will continue to expand support that can be felt on the creative front lines based on cooperation with the Korea Manhwa Contents Agency and create an environment where creators can grow at the center of the industry."
Meanwhile, Kakao Creative Foundation is a foundation under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism established by Kakao Entertainment with the goal of building a healthy industrial ecosystem that grows alongside creators. Starting with the "online creation academy," it operates various creator support programs such as the "Grow-up Talk & Talk" lecture program for creators and "Live Club Day," which supports performance stages for indie bands.