Korea's Largest Illegal Webtoon Site Newtoki Shuts Down Ahead of Crackdown
One of South Korea's largest illegal webtoon distribution sites, Newtoki, has abruptly shut down its services just weeks before the government rolls out a new rapid blocking system targeting copyright infringement.
According to industry sources on April 27, the operator of Newtoki announced that all affiliated platforms — including Manatoki (for Japanese manga) and Booktoki (for web novels) — would cease operations. The site stated it would remain accessible until midnight local time on April 27 before being permanently closed, with all user data deleted.
The operator also emphasized there are no plans to resume service, warning users that any similarly named platforms in the future would be impersonators unrelated to the original site.
Newtoki had long been considered the largest illegal webtoon site in Korea, distributing a wide range of pirated content across webtoons, web novels, and manga. The operator, originally a Korean national, reportedly acquired Japanese citizenship in 2022, prompting ongoing calls from industry groups for extradition.
The shutdown comes shortly before South Korea implements a new “emergency blocking system” for illegal websites on May 11. The system — introduced under a revised copyright law by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism — will allow authorities to block infringing sites immediately upon detection without lengthy review procedures.
Industry observers believe the preemptive closure may be a response to the anticipated enforcement.
“The emergency blocking system has effectively locked the doors—now it's time to catch the thief,” said Hyukjoo Kwon, president of the Korea Cartoonist Association. “The operator is still in Japan. This is not the end, but the beginning.”
Source: YNA (Ga-hye Koh)
