Naver Webtoon Reports 23% Revenue Boost as Anti-Piracy System Delays Illegal Distribution

Image via Naver Webtoon's website

© Naver Webtoon

Naver WEBTOON revealed on Wednesday its anti-piracy system “Toon Radar” has led to a significant increase in paid transactions on its Korean service, as improvements in preemptive blocking technology delay the spread of illegal copies.

According to the company's “Q1 2026 Toon Radar Report,” the number of titles illegally uploaded to domestic piracy sites within 24 hours of release dropped by about 90% by the end of the first quarter compared to the beginning of the year. The reduction is attributed to enhanced anti-piracy measures that have made unauthorized copying more difficult.

The report also found that for top-performing titles, the appearance of pirated episodes was delayed by more than two chapters on average. This effectively widened the gap between official releases and illegal platforms, meaning users would have to wait at least two additional weeks to access the latest content through unauthorized sites.

Most notably, the company identified a direct correlation between delayed piracy and increased revenue. Across 10 major titles that experienced strong anti-piracy effects, average paid transactions rose by 23% when illegal uploads were delayed beyond the first 24 hours. Some titles saw increases of up to 60%.

Naver WEBTOON said the findings demonstrate that slowing down piracy weakens the competitiveness of illegal platforms while strengthening monetization on official services.

In addition to Toon Radar, the company has been testing simultaneous global releases to further combat piracy. By eliminating time gaps between Korean and international releases, some titles saw paid revenue increase by more than 200% compared to pre-hiatus levels, as users previously relying on unauthorized translations shifted to official platforms.

The company added that it continues to expand its anti-piracy efforts through dedicated research teams and coordinated operations targeting illegal distribution.

Source: Naver WEBTOON press release