TBS, Naver and Shine to Launch Webtoon Production Company Studio TooN
Mark Schilling Japan CorrespondentJapan’s Tokyo Broadcasting System network is partnering with Naver Webtoon, South Korea’s leading digital comics platform, and Tokyo-based manga production house Shine Partners to launch a new webtoon company. Called Studio TooN and based in South Korea, the joint venture will plan and make webtoons with Japanese and Korean creators for the global market. One of TBS’s aim in launching the company, its first such venture in Korea, is to produce TV dramas, anime and other content from the webtoons. Studio TooN will begin operations in June of this year with Shine Partners president Keita Iwamoto serving as CEO. “When webtoon works are visualized, there is a synergy effect as the number of readers increases,” said Naver Webtoon CEO Kim Junkoo.