The Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE), the world’s foremost anti-piracy coalition, has announced NAVER WEBTOON as its newest member. This move makes NAVER WEBTOON the first webcomic and webnovel company—and the first Korean-founded company—to join ACE’s ongoing global fight against digital piracy.
As part of WEBTOON Entertainment Inc., NAVER WEBTOON has played a key role in revolutionizing the webcomic industry. With approximately 160 million monthly active users, the company has established itself as a dominant force in the digital storytelling landscape. Its platforms, which include WEBTOON, Wattpad, Wattpad WEBTOON Studios, Studio N, and WEBTOON Unscrolled, have not only given rise to a new generation of comic creator superstars but have also become a major source of intellectual property for the global entertainment industry. Many of its popular series have been adapted into successful shows on major streaming platforms, such as Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video, and Crunchyroll.
Charles Rivkin, Chairman and CEO of the Motion Picture Association and Chairman of ACE, highlighted the significance of NAVER WEBTOON’s membership in ACE’s growing coalition. “Bringing NAVER WEBTOON into ACE’s ranks builds upon our expansion in the Asia Pacific, our growth worldwide, and our mission to protect intellectual property in every form,” Rivkin said. “From Korea to California and points in between, our coalition is always on the lookout for new footholds in key markets—to build ties with local law enforcement and strengthen our work to detect, deter, and dismantle a piracy ecosystem that steals content, endangers consumers, and threatens the creative economy.”
Junkoo Kim, Founder & CEO of WEBTOON Entertainment, underscored the company’s commitment to safeguarding creative content. “Webcomics have transformed entertainment and fandom around the world, enabling storytellers everywhere to share their voice,” Kim stated. “As the first webcomic company to join ACE, we’re proud to continue to protect creators and raise global awareness of the seriousness of illegal distribution. Working alongside ACE and industry partners, we look forward to finding opportunities for joint responses and working together to tackle illegal content distribution.”
ACE, which includes more than 50 media and entertainment companies worldwide, focuses on reducing digital piracy through various enforcement strategies, including criminal referrals, civil litigation, and cease-and-desist operations. With NAVER WEBTOON now part of its network, ACE strengthens its presence in the webcomic and webnovel space, reinforcing its mission to protect creators and consumers alike.
The collaboration between NAVER WEBTOON and ACE marks a significant step forward in combating piracy in the digital comics industry. As webcomics continue to gain mainstream popularity, this partnership aims to ensure that creators receive the recognition and compensation they deserve while preserving the integrity of legal digital storytelling platforms.
Source: WEBTOON
