WEBTOON has launched an AI story chat service called byUs in Korea and a short-form animation app called Cuts Make, while continuing to develop animated adaptations and original IP partnerships. The 2026 World Webtoon Awards are accepting reader nominations through July 24.
WEBTOON has been expanding its content ecosystem through new tools and partnerships. In July 2026, Naver WEBTOON launched byUs, an AI-powered story chat service that lets users create stories by interacting with characters from creator-approved webtoon IPs. The service launched with the webtoon Ctrl+Alt+Resign and is currently available only in Korea. It follows the earlier Character Chat chatbot, which exceeded 100 million messages by June 2025.
In June 2026, WEBTOON also launched Cuts Make, an app for creating short-form animated videos using officially licensed webtoon IP. The app features Character Meme and Webtoon MV tools, with nine titles available at launch including Romance 101 and Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint. It is available on Google Play in Korea with an iOS release pending. That same month, Webtoon Productions partnered with French studio OuiDo! Productions to develop an animated series based on Emma Krogell's fantasy webtoon Lumine, with Bryan Q. Miller attached as showrunner and co-writer. The project will be introduced at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival's Mifa market.
Earlier in 2026, WEBTOON and Paramount launched two original Star Trek webcomic series, Stargazers and Recollection, as part of a partnership announced in September 2025. Stargazers debuted in May 2026, with Recollection set for later that summer. The 2026 World Webtoon Awards, organized by Korea's Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and KOCCA, opened reader nominations from June 15 to July 24, introducing cash prizes for the first time and adding a category for international works. The ceremony is scheduled for December 2 in Seoul.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the cited Yomimono stories below, each itself
sourced, then editorially reviewed. Every
fact links the story it came from.
15h ago
Naver WEBTOON launched byUs, an AI-powered story chat service that lets users create stories by interacting with characters from creator-approved webtoon IPs. The service offers Original Stories and Fan Stories, with features like AI-suggested replies and contextual images. It launched with the webtoon Ctrl+Alt+Resign and is currently available only in Korea. The service follows the earlier Character Chat chatbot, which exceeded 100 million messages by June 2025.
Jun 27
Webtoon Entertainment's Webtoon Productions has partnered with French studio OuiDo! Productions to develop an animated series based on Emma Krogell's fantasy webtoon Lumine. The project will be introduced at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival's Mifa market. Bryan Q. Miller will serve as showrunner and co-writer.
Jun 27
Naver Webtoon has launched Cuts Make, a new app that lets users create short-form animated videos using officially licensed webtoon IP. The app features Character Meme and Webtoon MV tools, with nine titles available at launch including Romance 101 and Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint. It is available on Google Play in Korea with an iOS release pending.
Jun 18
The 2026 World Webtoon Awards, organized by Korea's Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and KOCCA, opened reader nominations from June 15 to July 24. The awards shift to a nomination-only system, introduce cash prizes for the first time, and add a category for international works. The ceremony is set for December 2 in Seoul.
May 18
WEBTOON and Paramount have released the first of two original Star Trek webcomic series, Stargazers and Recollection, as part of a partnership announced last September. Stargazers debuted on Sunday, while Recollection is set for later this summer. Both series feature new characters and stories within established Star Trek canon.