The illegal webtoon and web novel distribution site “Newtoki,” estimated to cause monthly damages of around 40 billion KRW, has officially been shut down.
On April 27, Newtoki (webtoons), Manatoki (Japanese manga), and Booktoki (web novels) announced the termination of their services via their homepage. They stated, “All data generated during service use will be deleted,” adding, “We have no plans to resume the service. Any sites using similar names in the future are impersonators and are not related to us.”
In response, the Korea Digital Content Creators Association welcomed the news on social media, calling it “good news.” However, the organization emphasized that ongoing civil and criminal lawsuits—both domestic and international—will continue regardless of the shutdown. The association added that it remains committed to protecting creators’ rights. Notably, in November last year, KDCCA launched a class-action lawsuit involving 200 plaintiffs against the operators of Newtoki.
The operator of Newtoki is suspected of generating enormous profits through additional illegal platforms such as Booktoki (novels) and Manatoki (Japanese manga). However, investigations have stalled as the individual has reportedly obtained Japanese citizenship. While Korean police have requested cooperation from Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, there has been little progress regarding extradition or further legal action.
According to the “2023 Webtoon Industry Survey” released by the Korea Creative Content Agency, the estimated monthly damage caused by Newtoki reached approximately 39.8 billion KRW, with around 12.2 million users. The platform reportedly distributed 1,150 illegal Japanese manga titles via Manatoki and 700 web novels through Booktoki, with total annual damages estimated at 721.5 billion KRW.
Meanwhile, South Korea’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced that Minister Choi Hwi-young will meet with representatives from the content and internet industries at the Copyright Protection Agency to gather opinions on emergency blocking and access restriction systems for illegal websites. Major industry players such as CJ ENM, Naver Webtoon, and Kakao Entertainment are expected to participate.
Under the revised Copyright Act, the emergency blocking system for illegal sites will officially take effect on May 11. The amendment allows authorities to immediately block illegal websites upon detection, followed by a swift review process while maintaining the restriction.
Sources: Nate