With the development of Web 2.0, the online publication of Korean cartoons has increased substantially. The webtoon is a new genre of publishing Korean comics (manhwa) online, and is considered a unique case in the global cartoon market. The increase of Internet users and digital cultural consumption has established conditions for fostering the platform for webtoons and their production. In addition, the popularity of Korean dramas and K-pop has cultivated the spread of webtoons in the countries receiving dramas and K-pop. This study discusses the characteristics of Korean webtoons and their development using the concept of "glocal culture. " The glocalization of Korean cultural contents is the combined result of local socio-cultural characteristics of Korea, the hybridization of global and local features, and the transnational consumption of the Korean cultural contents. Such glocalizing dynamics can be seen in the process of the consumption and creation of new forms of pop culture in the countries receiving Korean Wave products. The paper argues that webtoons should also be understood as an exemplary glocalization of Korean culture, representing the social and cultural characteristics of Korea, while also having an impact on foreign comics industries in the age of digitalization. In addition, the glocalization process of Korean webtoons promotes cultural communications establishing a global webtoon fandom.
Hallyu in Malaysia is considered to be in the growth stage as in countries such as Philippine, Myanmar, Hungary, and Uzbekistan. In the growth stage, Hallyu becomes increasingly popular and familiar to the general public and the sales of Hallyu-related products starts to increase. The purpose of this research is to compare how Hallyu is perceived among Malaysian youths and adults. Analysis is carried out using FGD. The two groups are asked about what they think of Korea and the success of Hallyu, how much interest they have in foreign cultures in general, and how they come into contact with them. Based on these results, problems currently facing Hallyu and possible solutions are examined. The analysis shows that the interest in Hallyu among Malaysians varies according to age and gender. Both male and female participants in their 20's have shown a much greater interest in Hallyu than the participants over 30's. But Malaysians are known to be relatively open-minded about accepting foreign cultures, and this is reflected in the current study. They view the popularity of Korean drama, movies, and music as a trend, rather than being intolerant of them. There is no concern for negativity toward Hallyu in Malaysia, but it is likely that Hallyu may be replaced by another foreign culture unless its influence is constantly maintained in the area. Therefore, it is essential to develop measures and models to not only retain, but strengthen Hallyu's influence.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.