My Controversial Opinion On Webtoon

Hello! This is a very different video than I normally post, but it's something I feel pretty strongly about. The video was edited by yours truly and the links to the articles and info I got for my video are down below! Feel free to subscribe for more!

[swatisinha]

This is also why great Webtoons like Oasis, Little Matcha Girl, Homesick, School Bus Graveyard, etc don't get as much attention, because they're not Romance. Even though they're great Webtoons with amazing stories and characters, they're outshadowed by Romance Webtoons

[peterxyz]

No, you’re not the only one that’s “cautious” or negative about WT. Anyone with a business sense or a healthy sense of survival will always be cautious.

[vexial]

I swear like 75% of all new originals these days are about marrying off to some cold hearted duke of the north or something. Same plots, same bland female protagonists (give or take ofc). And watching this video has opened my eyes to seeing how similar all these webtoon originals are. And how similar the protagonists are as well. It also hurts me knowing how hurt these artists are, being covered up by the more “popular” and “on brand” series. Comics take a lot of time and hard work, and are arguably one of the toughest medias to make and get noticed from.
And you also forgot to mention the underpayment of these creators. Often creators on webtoon (specifically the ones that don’t garner the “views”) don’t make enough money to even pay their rent, and yet are expected to work 60 hours a week making their comics anyways. And then also consider they have to split their revenue with the assistants and editors they hire to help. It’s a really draining process and really tough on the creators that try their best.

[rsiez]

i've stopped reading webcomics like unordinary, true beauty, and i love yoo because i've reached the point where it is obvious that they drag out the plot and their comic. the constant forcing of a webtoon series once they've reached a point where an ending should be reasonable is literally insane. i'm tired with webtoon's mistreatment of canvas creators and their relentless promotion of THEIR original content at the risk of limiting canvas creators a chance to shine on the platform.

[faustisfrost]

I remember when unordinary came out, then i also remember when i noticed a shift in the story writing and how weird it was

[SevenKitKat]

This sucks... I'm glad I watched this video because I want to post a comic in webtoon but seeing this video helped me learn more behind the scenes. Webtoon is the definition of "True beauty" in the final episodes when Barbie Joo the YouTube channel discovered that the person helping her to succeed and plan the next video sabotaged her in the end just to get more views. I have seen so many stories in webtoon that are so good. For example Ctrl Z and other popular comics that were mentioned. Now I feel bad for the creators who worked so hard to create their story and then have their characters change. It's upsetting

[KamisamaSenpaiMGIC]

Controversial? More like facts that people don't wanna point out or aren't aware. Loved this video, everything you said was spot on and exactly what I think. Honestly my opinion on this is for creators to use the platform (if they wanna keep posting there ofc) up to their advantage and just use it to get some recognition and audience. Not focusing on money or contract cuz like you said it's not an ideal career people think it is, rather to trying to print it and sell comics the real way, yes it's harder but at least you know clearly what's in it for you. And for audiences /readers my message would be to go outside the box and search for new stories, genres they actually like and new fresh thrilling plots and characters they haven't seen before cuz trust me if you look closely you'll find just that. So many stories out there just waiting to be discovered and read, I know that it should be the app that gives you what you want to read and promote more diverse comics but well we can keep complaining or take matter in our hands, who knows if we all start doing the first step maybe it would be enough to shake even the so called untouchable company.

[TheSingingBUn]

It makes sense, because series like Purple Hyacinth, one of the 'rare' finds of the series is almost never on the featured homepage or the likes of 'not even bones' and other underdog titles that webtoons seem to avoid putting out on the forefront. It's such a shame, I was there when they used to push for a more diverse selection of genres, not too hung up on the romance department, but they slowly take off the serious and less romantic titles off bit by bit as each year passes. I stopped going into their site and only come by on occasion to binge purple hyacinth and only that title. Luckily, that series has garnered enough attention for the company to not ax them off, but it still bothers me that the top 10 titles lists of each genre still have the romance-centric plot thread. Fantasy: has a romantic plot. Thriller: again, has a romance-centric plot. and on and on it goes.

[kingj]

It's such a shame to hear that webtoons is like this because I have found so many great stories on there. They're mostly all action series like Ordeal, The boxer, Is tower of God, Helper, Black sun And burn effect.

[proyectdonut]

IMPORTANT!! It’s not Just Webtoons!!
it’s every web comic platform!!

Take Tapas, Webcomic, Lezhin for example. Everyone gets their set of rules and authors from everywhere get BURN OUT. Every platform prioritizes whatever SELLS. Take Lezhin for example, They have a large variety of comics, but they choose to only promote Yaoi and Bls that they know are gonna sell.

It pisses the hell outta me when these nice plots soft slow burn stories don’t get the attention they deserve. But it also pisses me when people over criticize Webtoons for being the main web comic app even though everyone else is doing it.
Hope that helps! <3

[Zuzu]

I seriously hate those Webtoon where you can only read one chapter PER DAY

[closetfreak]

I remember the days back in 2016 when there were so much amazing selection of great webtoons! As someone who doesn’t like reading romance as much as other genres it was amazing but as years went by there were no longer any webtoons like “bastard” or “rotten” or even “sophie the one eyed cat” and now my whole page is filled with comics with tittles containing the words “marriage” and “Husbands” and i groan everytime istg if i see another comic tittled “reincarnated as my husbands maid” or some shit i WILL LOOSE IT!

[foxtrotbibi]

Everything about the borderline predatory comics is true. Litteraly, in the romance section, YOU FIND PEOPLE BEING MARRIED OFF TO SOME GUY WHO THEY DON'T KNOW WITHOUT THEIR OWN CONSENT FOR NO

[nocturnalcove]

Honestly, the best webtoon original comics are the ones that don't get near enough views as they should. Raven Saga, Sabel Curse and The Secrets of the Willson Family to name a few. Homesick is honestly one of the only popular webtoons I like along with Sweet Home and Yuna and Kawachan because Apocalypse-Styled webtoons are actually really good.

[lonely_saturn]

Webtoon recently also added a series called 'Little Princess/Lady Mint, ' which romanticizes grooming in foster care. The mc is groomed, and it is considered a romance rather than something more of a horror, showing the "love interest" in a good light. The mc is also very infantalized and drawn and written to seem like she is 8 years old when she is 14. Her foster parent was around 20 something when he took her in, as soon as she's 18 the two get together. It's sick.

[Laughable-Umbrella]

I’m not a fan of the company itself and do not give money to them, HOWEVER the comics that aren’t cringe are some of the best I’ve ever read. We support ARTISTS

[damntae]

When you talked about young readers not seeing red flags, that reminded me of all those little girls obsessing over killing stalking and calling it a romance even after the author said it wasn’t and it’s just a horror

[bella_the_arist]

Honestly, thank you.

I feel frustrated because the longest time, I thought perhaps my comic is something was wrong with my comic. But, there aren’t interested in a comic that follows a parent and child relationship and wants only romances.

[Yumine-zene]

And they greenlight the webtoons showcasing toxic relationships labeled "Romance" more than the others that actually showcase healthy stuff and have good plot that is logical and original, and also has good reactions to bad behaviors or is just realistic in general.

[gothkurata]

so basically what ive noticed for a lot of western media in multiple mediums (tv shows, comics/webtoons, cartoons) they want a profitable, low risk story that will last forever. i.e. spongebob.

a lot of GOOD stories (like school bus graveyard and never-ending darling) get pushed to the wayside just so they can focus on making money.

imo this is very dangerous because it makes the market shrink enormously and limits creative freedom A LOT