Webtoon Entertainment, Naver Webtoon’s headquarters, said on Thursday it will overhaul its platform for global amateur webtoon creators.

Webtoon Entertainment will integrate its creator space Canvas, currently run separately in 7 languages (English, Spanish, French, German, Indonesian, Thai and traditional Chinese), into a single global platform in the first half of the year. Canvas is a user-generated content (UGC) platform operated by Webtoon Entertainment.

The revamp will add an optional translation programme that lets creators publish works in multiple languages, a dashboard to track performance and a personalised recommendation feature to match readers with works suited to their preferences.

The optional translation programme will cover all Canvas languages except South Korea’s Challenge Comics and Japan’s Indies. If a creator chooses whether to translate and selects the desired languages for each work, it will be automatically translated using artificial intelligence (AI) technology. A pilot will begin in the first half of the year for some works on English Canvas, and will be expanded step by step to other language services within the year.

It will also provide a dashboard to track performance. Creators can analyse data such as views and subscriber numbers, and view and manage comments across multiple languages at a glance. The personalised recommendation feature will help connect Canvas works across language regions with readers beyond regions and languages.

The revamp is part of an expansion of the flywheel strategy announced on March 17 for a virtuous cycle among creators, content and users.

Kim Yong-su (김용수), chief executive of Webtoon Entertainment, said, "Canvas is the starting point where someone’s idea develops into a story and a fandom." He added, "We will be a partner that helps creators showcase their talent on a global stage."