YLab
YLab is a KOSDAQ-listed Seoul webtoon production studio that creates original serialized digital comics across multi-genre universe labels (SUPERSTRING, BLUESTRING, ELIMONA), publishing on Naver and Kakao while providing translation, advertising production, and IP licensing services to global platforms and Korean corporate clients.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2010
- HeadquartersSeoul, South Korea
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What YLab does
YLab Corporation is a Seoul-headquartered, KOSDAQ-listed (ticker 432430) webtoon production studio founded in 2010 that designs, develops, and serializes original Korean digital comics. The company operates a multi-label universe strategy spanning four content franchises — SUPERSTRING (action/superhero/sci-fi), BLUESTRING (realistic youth and coming-of-age drama), REDSTRING (romance and drama), and ELIMONA (romance fantasy) — with active serialization on Korea's dominant platforms (Naver Webtoon, Kakao Page, Kakao Webtoon) and distribution into Japan, China, and English-language markets via LINE WEBTOON and COMICO. The company's IP library spans titles such as 'Terror Man,' 'Kangtawoo,' 'I Raised My Fiancé With Money,' and 'The Outsider at the Frontier,' and its Japanese entity YLAB Studios received a strategic investment of approximately 137 billion KRW from Bandai (Bandai Namco Group) in December 2023.
The company's business model is multi-pronged: (1) consumer publishing with platform revenue sharing and paid episodes on Naver and Kakao; (2) professional translation and localization services in five languages (Korean, English, Chinese, Japanese, Spanish) under long-standing exclusive agreements with LINE WEBTOON and COMICO and serving publishers including Shogakukan and Square Enix; (3) B2B advertising production — branded webtoons, advertisement webtoons, and promotional videos — for major Korean corporates including Samsung Electronics, Hyundai Motor, and NEXON; and (4) IP licensing for film, drama, and game adaptations plus merchandise (figures, T-shirts, MD products). Group structure includes wholly-owned subsidiaries YLAB Studios (animation and multimedia), YLAB Academy (webtoon training), and YLAB Earth (environmental/social initiative). YLab is led by CEO Shim Joon Kyung, with Kim Dae Wook heading YLAB Academy. Recent milestones include the January 2024 #1 Kakao Webtoon ranking of 'I Raised My Fiancé With Money' and the January 2024 expansion of YLAB Academy's headquarters in Seogyo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul.
YLab firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- YLab
- Legal name
- YLAB Corporation
- Website
- https://ylab-jp.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2010
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- YLab is a KOSDAQ-listed Seoul webtoon production studio that creates original serialized digital comics across multi-genre universe labels (SUPERSTRING, BLUESTRING, ELIMONA), publishing on Naver and Kakao while providing translation, advertising production, and IP licensing services to global platforms and Korean corporate clients.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
YLab industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Webtoon Production and Publishing
- NAICS
- Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (516210), Translation and Interpretation Services (541930)
- SIC
- Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Webtoon & Digital Comics Publishing Platforms (MPAJAMAK)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Translation & Transcreation Services (Script/Dialogue Adaptation) (MPAHAFAD)
Keywords
Where YLab is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Seoul
- HQ country
- South Korea
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices1 record
Markets served
YLab business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Webtoon Publishing: Revenue from publishing webtoons on major Korean platforms (Naver Webtoon, Kakao Page, Kakao Webtoon) through advertising, paid episodes, and platform revenue sharing
- Advertising Production: Creating branded webtoons, advertisement webtoons, and promotional videos for corporate clients including brand integration and product placement
- Translation Services: Professional comic/webtoon translation and localization services for LINE WEBTOON, COMICO, Shogakukan, Square Enix, and other publishers in Korean, English, Chinese, Japanese, and Spanish
- IP Licensing and Media Adaptation: Licensing original IPs for film, drama, game adaptations, and merchandise (figures, t-shirts, MD products)
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
YLab product offering
Product offeringCore offering
YLab is a Korean webtoon production studio that creates original digital comic IP under multi-label universe brands (SUPERSTRING, BLUESTRING, REDSTRING, ELIMONA) and distributes the content on major Korean platforms (Naver Webtoon, Kakao Page, Kakao Webtoon) and international platforms (LINE WEBTOON, COMICO). The company also provides professional translation/localization services for webtoons in multiple languages, B2B brand advertising content production (brand webtoons and promotional videos) for corporate clients, and media-mix IP adaptation licensing into film, drama, games, and merchandise.
Product overview
YLab is a webtoon (digital comic) production company operating a multi-label portfolio strategy. The company produces original webtoon content under distinct themed universes: SUPERSTRING (action/sci-fi), BLUESTRING (youth/teen drama), and ELIMONA (romance/fantasy). Beyond content creation, YLab provides integrated services including advertising production (brand webtoons, promotional videos), professional translation/localization (serving LINE WEBTOON, COMICO, Shogakukan, Square Enix), and media mix IP expansion (film, drama, game adaptations, merchandise). The company operates primarily on NAVER Webtoon and international platforms.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- ELIMONA: A label/brand under YLAB for publishing romance fantasy webtoons, including titles like 'I Raised My Fiancé With Money' and 'The Outsider at the Frontier'.
- SUPERSTRING
- BLUESTRING
- REDSTRING
Products and services
- SUPERSTRING
Companies that use YLab
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
YLab technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
YLab partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
YLab competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- WEBTOON Entertainment: Naver's webtoon platform and content arm operating LINE WEBTOON globally and Wattpad. YLab's exclusive translation partnership with LINE WEBTOON makes it a key content supplier and operational parallel — both produce and distribute serialized digital comics across multiple languages.
- Kakao Entertainment: Kakao's content and media arm operating Kakao Page and Kakao Webtoon, the largest Korean webtoon distribution platforms alongside Naver. Direct parallel platform-publisher structure and primary domestic distribution partner for YLab content.
- Lezhin Entertainment: Korean webtoon platform and content studio operating Lezhin Comics globally. Direct competitor producing and distributing serialized digital comics with overlapping Korean and international reach.
- Tapas Media: English-language digital comics platform with both user-generated and professionally produced serialized content. Comparable webtoon-style publishing model targeting Western audiences, the same international expansion YLab is pursuing via LINE WEBTOON.
- Tappytoon: Global webtoon publishing platform operated by Contents Lab Blue, distributing Korean-origin webtoons in English and other languages. Direct distribution parallel and competing content catalog to YLab's international offering.
- Piccoma: Japanese webtoon and manga app operated by Kakao Japan. Competes directly with YLab Studios for Japanese-market serialized content consumption and is the most relevant regional platform peer for YLab's Japan expansion.
- Bookcube (Boktoon): Korean webtoon production and distribution studio with its own Boktoon platform. Closest direct Korean studio peer — producing original IP for serialized digital comics on competing Korean platforms.
Broad incumbents
- Shogakukan: Major Japanese traditional publisher (part of Hitotsubashi Group) and YLab's translation services client. Operates Manga One and other digital comics products; broader publishing portfolio overlaps with YLab's IP licensing ambitions but is not a serialized webtoon specialist.
- Square Enix: Japanese games and manga publisher (Manga UP!, Gangan) and a YLab translation client. Overlaps with YLab at the IP publishing and translation interface, but its primary identity is games and traditional manga, not serialized webtoon production.
- Tencent Comics / Yuewen Group: Chinese webtoon and digital literature conglomerate under Tencent, operating platforms serving Chinese-language markets. Adjacent webtoon platform with geographic overlap (China) but is part of a much broader digital content portfolio.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
YLab social profiles
Digital presenceYLab financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
YLab leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
YLab subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries3 records
YLab funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors5 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
YLab M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments1 record
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about YLab
What does YLab do?
YLab is a Korean webtoon production studio that creates original digital comic IP under multi-label universe brands (SUPERSTRING, BLUESTRING, REDSTRING, ELIMONA) and distributes the content on major Korean platforms (Naver Webtoon, Kakao Page, Kakao Webtoon) and international platforms (LINE WEBTOON, COMICO). The company also provides professional translation/localization services for webtoons in multiple languages, B2B brand advertising content production (brand webtoons and promotional videos) for corporate clients, and media-mix IP adaptation licensing into film, drama, games, and merchandise.
Is YLab a public or private company?
YLab is a private company. It is classified as public and is currently operating.
When was YLab founded?
YLab was founded in 2010. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is YLab based?
YLab is headquartered in Seoul, South Korea, in the Asia region.
How does YLab make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Webtoon Publishing is the primary driver. The others are advertising Production, translation Services and IP Licensing and Media Adaptation.
Who are YLab's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are WEBTOON Entertainment, Kakao Entertainment, Lezhin Entertainment, Tapas Media, Tappytoon, Piccoma and Bookcube (Boktoon). Broad incumbents are Shogakukan, Square Enix and Tencent Comics / Yuewen Group.
Does YLab have an API?
No public API is recorded for YLab.
What industry is YLab in?
YLab's product category is Webtoon Production and Publishing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAJAMAK, Webtoon & Digital Comics Publishing Platforms, with a secondary code of MPAHAFAD, Translation & Transcreation Services (Script/Dialogue Adaptation). Its NAICS code is 516210 and its SIC code is 7812.