{
  "id": 7924520,
  "title": "Global comic fans to decide year's best webtoons in worldwide vote",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/17/global-comic-fans-to-decide-years-best-webtoons-in-worldwide-vote",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-17T02:12:03.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Korea Times",
    "slug": "the-korea-times",
    "url": "https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/entertainment/others/20260917/global-comic-fans-to-decide-years-best-webtoons-in-worldwide-vote"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "With millions of digital comic readers worldwide, the 2026 World Webtoon Awards has opened its voting process, enabling fans to decide which series claim top recognition in mobile storytelling. Originating in the early 2000s as a localized experiment in Korea, webtoons have evolved into a dominant force within contemporary entertainment. Initially launched on Korean portal sites as an alternative to conventional print publishing, the format has gained traction globally, catering to audiences in North America, Europe, and Asia.\n\nWebtoons, optimized for smartphone consumption, have contributed to the formation of a $14 billion global industry. Their popularity is evident in the massive international fanbases they have amassed. For the third consecutive year, the World Webtoon Awards highlights this international reach. Initially, a global shortlist of 20 finalists was selected after an extensive open nomination process spanning June and July. Over 4,000 fans from six different languages, such as English, Japanese, and Korean, have eagerly participated in the voting process.",
  "summary": "Millions of digital comic readers around the world can now directly decide which series take home the highest honors in mobile storytelling, as voting opened Thursdayfor the 2026 World Webtoon Awards. What began in the early 2000s as a localized Korean experiment in vertical-scroll comics designed for desktop monitors has transformed into a dominant engine of modern entertainment. Born on Korean…",
  "key_points": [
    "2026 World Webtoon Awards opens voting process",
    "Fans decide top webtoons in mobile storytelling",
    "Over 4,000 international fans participate in voting"
  ],
  "editors_take": "The World Webtoon Awards' global vote cements fans' role in shaping the digital comic industry, reflecting webtoons' evolution from a localized Korean experiment to a $14 billion global entertainment force.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Korea Times",
        "title": "Global comic fans to decide year's best webtoons in worldwide vote",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/17/global-comic-fans-to-decide-years-best-webtoons-in-worldwide-vote-7926802",
        "published": "2026-09-17T02:22:04.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}