Reposting artwork from your favorite webtoon may seem friendly, but according to the author of Puppy Ever After, it can actually be harmful.
The artist, who goes by the pseudonym Ongsim, took to Twitter to ask their fans to stop sharing their work online without permission. While they admit that most readers don’t do so with malicious intent, Ongsim claims that these illegal posts get in the way of their series, writing that “publicity has nothing to do with our work.” I am not public.” Instead, the creators encourage fans to show their love for Puppy Ever After by simply leaving their thoughts and links to official websites where others can read the series. . These sites are available in seven languages, including English, Japanese, and original Korean.
Online piracy hurts webcomic creators
Online piracy and other unauthorized use of copyrighted work has become a major problem for creators across mediums, from webcomics to anime. A study in May 2023 reported that an anime pirating site has become more popular than official streaming services like Crunchyroll, becoming the eighth most visited streaming site on the internet, on top of giants like Prime Video and Hulu. As a result, authorities have cracked down on posts that include copyrighted material, with a YouTuber in Japan receiving the country’s first prison sentence for uploading cartoons after reposting footage from Spy x Family without permission. While this crackdown may prevent others from pirating big hits like Spy x Family, there’s still little protection available to creators like Ongsim, who lack the backing for legal side of large corporations like Kadokawa, forcing them to deal with the matter themselves as the creators of Puppy Ever After did.
However, this may not last long as webcomics have become one of the fastest growing mediums in the entertainment industry. Major streaming services like Netflix have released live-action adaptations of popular Webtoons such as Business Proposal and Heartstopper, while animated adaptations of hit webcomics like Red Fox and Pyramid Game are in the process. made by Aniplus manufacturers. Particularly successful Webtoons like The Boxer have racked up over 100 million views on the platform, highlighting the massive audience that already loves these stories and the potential to continue reaching larger audiences. more in the coming years.
Be sure to check out Puppy Ever After and many other webcomics on the official English-language Lezhin US website.
Source: Twitter