‘Hellbound’ and ‘Yumi’s Cells’ in Tokyo: K-Webtoon Exhibition Opens

Flagship Korean webtoons such as "Hellbound" and "Yumi's Cells" are being showcased in Tokyo, where they are meeting local readers through the exhibition.
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST) and the Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA) announced that, together with the Korean Cultural Center in Japan, they have been holding the "Stories Read Vertically: 2026 K-Webtoon Exhibition" at Gallery MI inside the Korean Cultural Center in Japan in Tokyo since January 30.
The exhibition runs until the 28th. On opening day, an opening event was held and more than 20 major works were presented, including 11 titles that won at the 2025 World Webtoon Awards.
Since the opening, local Japanese readers have continued to visit the venue. Exhibition sections featuring leading K-webtoons such as "Hellbound," "Yumi's Cells," and "Debut or Die!" have drawn particular attention.
One Japanese fan of the webtoon "Debut or Die!" visited the exhibition with her mother. She said, "I first discovered the work on platforms like Kakao Piccoma, and I became a webtoon fan after reading the web novel first," adding, "It was fun to take photos with the character dolls and other merchandise I brought with me, and this exhibition makes me want to read other series as well."
In the sections dedicated to "Hellbound" and "Yumi's Cells," visitors lingered for a long time, reacting that "it feels fresh to see works we first encountered as video adaptations now presented through a webtoon exhibition."

On January 30, the opening day of the exhibition, an opening event was held that included a talk show with Choi Kyu-seok, creator of the webtoons "Hellbound" and "Songgot: The Piercer," joined by Japanese readers and content industry professionals.
Choi said, "As someone who grew up watching and learning from Japanese manga, I am very happy to have my work exhibited in Tokyo." Speaking about "Hellbound," he explained, "I created the series by imagining how modern people come to perceive transcendent beings." He went on to say, "I hope readers in both Korea and Japan will continue to follow comics and webtoons with a sense of responsibility and sustained interest."
The exhibition continues through the end of February, and on the 21st there will be a talk show with Lee Dong-gun, creator of the webtoon "Yumi's Cells." Lee has earned broad sympathy from readers by delicately portraying everyday emotions and human relationships through works such as "Yumi's Cells" and "Daily Jojo."
Head of Center Lee Hye-eun of the Korea Creative Content Agency Tokyo Business Center stated, "Through this exhibition, we have confirmed the high level of interest in Korean webtoons in Japan," and added, "We plan to continue supporting efforts to raise the profile of K-webtoons in Japan and to strengthen the foundation for ongoing exchange."
jashin@fnnews.com Shin Jin-ah Reporter