Jaedam

Jaedam Media is a South Korean company specializing in the production and distribution of webtoons and the management of intellectual property (IP). It was founded in April 2013 by Hwang Nam-yong, who previously served as the editor-in-chief of the manga magazine 'IQ Jump'. Hwang's experience and network within the comic industry were pivotal in establishing the company, which he co-founded with director No Eun-jeong to support creators with business matters like contracts and distribution, allowing them to focus on their work.

The company's business model centers on discovering and managing webtoon artists, producing original content, and distributing it across various platforms. Jaedam Media supplies its webtoons to major players like Naver Webtoon and Kakao Webtoon. A key part of its strategy is the 'One Source Multi-Use' (OSMU) model, where it actively develops its rich portfolio of over 500 webtoon IPs into other formats, including television dramas, films, and merchandise. This is achieved through partnerships with production companies like SLL and broadcasters like MBC, which also made a strategic equity investment in Jaedam. This allows for cross-media development, such as adapting dramas into webtoons and vice-versa. Successful adaptations like 'Weak Hero' and 'Youth Blossom' have significantly boosted the sales and global recognition of the original webtoons.

Jaedam Media has expanded its business through several key initiatives and subsidiaries. It runs 'Jaedam Books' for physical publications, 'Studio Dam' for producing original webtoons, and 'Market Toon' for branded promotional webtoons. It also operates subsidiaries like 'Qtiz' for character IP business and 'Omaju' for junior content. In April 2024, the company launched 'Jaedam Shorts', a subscription-based platform offering short and medium-length, binge-worthy webtoons, aiming to capture a different segment of the market. The company has received venture funding from investors including NCSoft and LG Uplus.

Keywords: webtoon production, intellectual property management, content distribution, digital comics, IP licensing, webtoon adaptation, manhwa, drama production, content creation, artist management, web novels, short-form content, Jaedam Shorts, K-content, digital publishing, 'Weak Hero', 'Youth Blossom', content studio, transmedia, global distribution