South Korea’s vibrant webcomics (manhwa) industry is grappling with the rapid integration of generative AI, sparking both excitement and unease among creators. Iconic cartoonist Lee Hyun-se, renowned for works like “A Daunting Team,” is leveraging AI to preserve his legacy. He’s partnering with Jaedam Media to create the “Lee Hyun-se AI model” by training Stable Diffusion on his extensive 46-year body of work. This model will power his upcoming AI-assisted webcomic, a reimagining of “Karon’s Dawn,” with writers adapting the narrative and art students utilizing the AI model to generate visuals in his distinctive style.

Companies like Onoma AI are developing platforms like TooToon, aiming to democratize webcomic creation by simplifying the artistic process. This vision, however, is met with concerns about artistic integrity, authorship, and potential copyright issues.

While some artists, such as Bae Jin-soo, perceive AI as a revolutionary tool for storytelling, others, like Park So-won, worry about the unauthorized use of their artwork and the erosion of artistic identity. Despite guidelines from the Korea Copyright Commission, a comprehensive legal framework is still absent, creating uncertainty for artists.

Educational institutions like Sejong University are incorporating AI training into their curriculum. The fundamental question remains: Can AI truly augment the creative process or does it fundamentally alter the nature of artistic expression? Shin Il-sook, president of the Korea Cartoonist Association, encapsulates this debate, asking, “Can you create without a soul?”

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