WEBTOON plans short-form animated shows from 2027
WEBTOON Entertainment plans to roll out short-form animated shows from early 2027 as it looks for faster ways to turn digital comics into franchises.
WEBTOON Entertainment plans to begin rolling out short-form animated shows in early 2027, expanding the company’s push to turn its large library of digital comics into global entertainment franchises. The first projects are expected to launch exclusively on WEBTOON’s platform, although the company may license some of them to other streaming services later. 1
A faster route from webcomic to screen
The planned short-form shows represent a new format for WEBTOON rather than a replacement for its existing animation pipeline. Executives told Bloomberg that the Los Angeles-based company has been developing technology to produce shorter animated content alongside its broader production work. 1
That distinction matters because WEBTOON’s business is built around a large catalogue of digital comics, but adapting every promising series into a conventional television-length anime or animated show is expensive and slow. Shorter episodes could let the company test more ideas, reach audiences faster and build recognition around characters before committing to larger productions.
The company has not publicly set out a complete release slate in the available announcement. What is clear is the timing: the first short-form animation projects are expected in early 2027, and WEBTOON’s own platform will be their initial home. 1
Why WEBTOON wants another animation format
WEBTOON has spent years trying to turn webcomic properties into wider entertainment brands. That strategy can include animation, live-action adaptations, games and licensing, but each route brings different production costs and audience expectations. Short-form animation gives the company another rung on that ladder.
It may also suit the way many readers already discover stories online. Short episodes can work as quick introductions to a cast or premise, while the original comic remains the deeper version of the story. That could allow WEBTOON to use animation as both entertainment and discovery without asking every viewer to commit to a full-length series immediately.
The commercial model is still unsettled. Bloomberg reports that WEBTOON may license short-form projects to other streaming services depending on the project, suggesting the company is keeping distribution options open rather than promising permanent exclusivity. 1
The move arrives as the wider entertainment industry looks for cheaper and more flexible ways to produce animation. A short-form pipeline could help WEBTOON expand the number of properties it experiments with, but it will also need to show that speed does not come at the expense of the visual identity and storytelling that made the original comics popular.
Our opinion
WEBTOON’s short-form animation push is most interesting as a development funnel. It could give more webcomics a chance to prove they can travel beyond the scrolling page, while giving the company evidence about which characters and worlds deserve a larger adaptation budget. The risk is that short-form becomes a holding pen for ideas that never receive proper development. The early projects will need to feel like complete, worthwhile stories rather than promotional clips for the next format.