The people behind the success of hit content on LINE WEBTOON

LINE WEBTOON is an online comic platform that was launched in Thailand since 2014. Many people have discovered a variety of content through storytelling in the form of captivating comics that draw readers' attention from beginning to end, allowing people to immerse themselves in fun content. Current data states that LINE WEBTOON is an online comic platform that has had substantial growth in Thailand and considered as the No.1 online comic platform. The readership has continuously grown by 33% since year 2020, reaching up to 172 million views per month. Paid Users increased by 30% on the platform from 2020 to 2021 and has over 3.5million MAU in Thailand as of March 2022. 

Crucial factors that have influenced LINE WEBTOON's success and growth include users who love to read, creators who craft a variety of content, and producers who are behind the scenes of many popular content on the platform. These producers are considered as important keys in pushing creator's content and presenting them perfectly. Most recently, LINE WEBTOON has made MINNIE (G)I-DLE its presenters to promote 3 hit comics on the platform, such as Wanthong, BoySchool, and Marry My Husband. In addition to imaginative and talented creators, there are producers who are considered as essential figures who make the stories perfect.

How important is the role of producers behind the content on LINE WEBTOON?

Miss Pinyaphat Wongpatnakulkij, one of the producers from LINE WEBTOON, said that the word 'producer' usually reminds people of TV shows or music. But in content like comics, there are producers as well. Producers on LINE WEBTOON are like scouts who are on the lookout for outstanding content that fit the target groups of the platform in order to further promote and develop the works to be more engaging and accessible to readers.

The same goes for Miss Benjapan Rungsuppatanond, one of the producers on LINE WEBTOON, who is behind the success of Thai creators. She said that being a producer involves working with the team in criticising Thai creators' works and making them as best as can be in terms of visuals and storytelling. This is the process producers call 'recommendations and guidance'. Once stories are published, producers will then push and encourage creators to present their content regularly before publishing. During these presentations, producers will maintain the standard of content and constantly improve them. Another task in addition to providing guidance and care for writers is to proofread the text of content translated from foreign languages.

The two producers agree that their pride in being an important key in pushing the content on LINE WEBTOON stems from being a part in the webtoon industry, especially in the largest online comic company in the world like NAVER WEBTOON. It includes working with a variety of creators and publishing hit content that receive overwhelming feedback from readers. The feedback has been mostly positive, both in terms of readership and comments. Both said that reader's feedback is crucial to the continual development of their role as producers. Miss Pinyaphat Wongpatnakulkij and Miss Benjapan Rungsuppatanond are among the producers who are in charge of the 3 content that MINNIE (G)I-DLE like and choose as her characters to showcase on advertisements.

The keys to success for LINE WEBTOON producers

Speaking of producers' key success in 3 hit comics on LINE WEBTOON like Wanthong, BoySchool, and Marry My Husband, the credit goes to the creators as well as producers who work behind the scenes to make every content successful. Three are 3 main aspects to becoming successful:

• Charismatic characters
• Fun and engaging storytelling
• The way creators position themselves in creating creative content

Miss Benjapan Rungsuppatanond takes Wanthong as an example, emphasizing on how it became a success. She feels this is due to:

The writer draws beautifully and researches extensively about details on Thai culture and history. The location, settings, houses, costumes, hairstyles, way of life, or even food were those that people in Ayutthaya really consumed.

The writer was able to adapt the original Khun Chang Khun Paen to fit the values held by modern readers. So, readers feel more engaged with the story than what they find in the textbook that reflects the values of previous generations.

The charisma of every character. Everyone has good and bad sides. No one is absolutely villainy or heroic, but the story expands on different angles from the literature. The writer also creates new lovable characters to add into the story.

Miss Pinyaphat Wongpatnakulkij said that the important factor that makes content successful are charismatic characters that can make people believe in the story. These stories then are told in engaging ways that stimulate conversations through comments. How creators position themselves is also important as not many creators actually have fans who follow and support them even before they join LINE WEBTOON. So, if creators continuously engage and communicate with their fans all the time, it also increases readers' participation.

Lastly, in addition to their role in publishing quality content, LINE WEBTOON producers have to look for tools that can help creators improve for the better. This is so creators can create and develop even better stories, both in terms of visuals and also interesting storylines, in order to produce truly quality content from creators on LINE WEBTOON that befits the No.1 online comic platform in Thailand.