TongRo Images

What TongRo Images does

TongRo Images Inc. (통로이미지 주식회사) is a Seoul-based digital image content company founded in 1995 that operates Korea's first stock image subscription platforms. The company runs three core consumer and enterprise platforms — ClipartKorea (launched 2002), ImageToday (launched 2005), and ImageKorea (launched 2000) — alongside an in-house production system, a Contributor Management System (launched 2020, Korea's first), and an online ClipartKorea Editor (officially launched 2025) that delivers editing workflows through the browser without software installation. Collectively the platforms host 1.8 million-plus content assets spanning photos, illustrations, graphics, AI-generated images, 3D, motion graphics, GIFs, video footage (including alpha-channel/transparent-background assets launched February 2024), presentation templates, and the proprietary ClipartKorea Font released in 2025. TongRo monetizes through four revenue streams: subscription-based content access (ClipartKorea, ImageToday membership plans), transactional licensing (premium singles, rights-managed content), enterprise and OEM licensing (MS Office and Hancom bundling, education sector programs, government and public institutions), and creator royalties routed through the CMS. The company serves a hybrid customer base spanning creative professionals and individual subscribers, enterprise clients (education, government, portal/media), and a contributor community of 3,400+ creators, with distribution via a network of 45+ international partners including Getty Images, Corbis, Alamy, Imago, Reuters, and Tuchong (ByteDance Group). TongRo reported approximately 120 billion KRW in revenue with roughly 12% year-over-year growth and operates localized production offices in Beijing and Shanghai in addition to its three Jung-gu, Seoul headquarters buildings.

Name

TongRo Images

Legal name

통로이미지 주식회사 (TongRo Images Inc.)

Website

https://tongro.co.kr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

TongRo Images is a Seoul-based digital image content company founded in 1995 that operates Korea's first stock image subscription platforms (ClipartKorea, ImageToday, ImageKorea), serving creative professionals, enterprises, government, and educators with 1.8M+ licensed assets and AI-powered creation tools.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Stock Image and Digital Content Licensing

NAICS

Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (516210), Motion Picture and Sound Recording Industries (512), Software Publishers (5132)

SIC

Services-Mailing, Reproduction, Commercial Art & Photography (7330), Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812), Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Distribution (7822)

akta.pro primary industry

Stock Media, Asset Marketplaces & Licensing Platforms (BPAMAJAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Content Syndication, Distribution & Rights Management Platforms (BPAMAJAN), Creator Licensing & Rights Monetization (UGC Licensing, Music/Video Rights) (MPACAFAK)

Keywords

• Stock image licensing
• Digital content platform
• Subscription image service
• Editorial image library
• Creative content marketplace

Headquarters

HQ city

Seoul

HQ country

South Korea

HQ region

Asia

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Subscription Licensing: Membership-based subscription model for ClipartKorea (stock image platform) and ImageToday (premium photo content), offering recurring revenue through monthly/annual subscription plans with access to millions of content assets including photos, illustrations, graphics, AI images, 3D, videos, and fonts
2. Content Licensing: Individual content licensing including royalty-free images, rights-managed content, premium single downloads, and editorial content through partnerships with global providers like Imago and Alamy
3. Enterprise Licensing: B2B enterprise content licensing for software OEM bundling (e.g., MS Office), education sector, government/public institutions, and portal/media companies
4. Creator Royalties: Revenue sharing with content contributors through the Contributor Management System, where creators receive compensation for content licensed to platform users

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

TongRo Images produces, licenses, and distributes digital visual content including photos, illustrations, graphics, AI-generated images, 3D assets, videos, and fonts through subscription-based platforms (ClipartKorea, ImageToday, ImageKorea). The company also provides enterprise content licensing for OEM bundling, API-based distribution, and a cloud-based online editor for image creation and customization.

Product overview

TongRo Images operates a mega platform architecture centered around three core products: ClipartKorea (stock image subscription platform), ImageToday (premium photo service), and ImageKorea (legacy image library). These platforms are unified through the ClipartKorea Editor, an online editing tool that provides access to 10 million premium design assets without software installation. The portfolio includes AI-generated images, motion graphics, GIF animations, video content, fonts, and PowerPoint templates, serving creative professionals, marketers, government entities, and general consumers across Korea and global markets.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ClipartKorea: Korea's No.1 image content platform offering photo, illustrations, graphics, AI-generated images, 3D assets, videos, and fonts through subscription model. Launched in 2002 as Korea's first stock image subscription platform.
• ImageToday
• ImageKorea

Products and services

• ClipartKorea Korea's No.1 stock image subscription platform offering photos, illustrations, graphics, AI images, 3D assets, videos, fonts, motion graphics, GIFs, and presentation templates via membership-based access for individual creators, designers, and businesses.
• ImageToday Premium photo content service launched in 2005 providing high-quality photography from professional photographers. Integrated with ClipartKorea in 2025 to form a unified mega platform.
• ImageKorea 25-year legacy image library platform providing news, sports, culture, and history content. The only library platform among Korea's stock content companies, with global editorial partnerships including Reuters (10 million news images), Imago, and Alamy.
• ClipartKorea Font Proprietary typeface developed for TongRo's 30th anniversary. Variable font with 4 weights (Bold, Medium, Regular, Light), 2,350+ Korean characters, 430 additional characters, 94 Latin characters, and 1,000+ special characters. Available for free commercial and personal use.
• API Export Service API-based content integration service enabling third-party platforms and software vendors to programmatically access TongRo's content library for embedding within their own products.

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability6 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

26 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• MicrosoftcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2005Asia's first vendor contract with Microsoft Office for online clipart content distribution, marking TongRo's entry into global software bundling market
• Getty ImagescoreTechnology or IntegrationExclusive distribution partnership and contribution partnerships enabling global content exchange and licensing through Getty Images network
• CorbiscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDistribution partnership for premium editorial content including GoldWave collection sales on Corbis platform
• ImagocoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership with Europe's largest sports content producer providing premium editorial images on ImageKorea platform
• AlamycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUK's leading stock image company partnership for editorial content distribution on ImageKorea
• Tuchong (ByteDance Group)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorExclusive content supply partnership for Mainland China market, leveraging ByteDance Group's Tuchong platform
• ReuterscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership providing 10 million Reuters news content images on ImageKorea platform
• SBS (Korean Broadcasting Company)majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership for SBS video footage content distribution on ClipartKorea platform
• PixTAmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorContribution partnership enabling Japanese market content distribution
• AGE FotostockmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDistribution partnership for Spanish/European market content
• StockfoodmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorContribution partnership for food and culinary content distribution
• Gaopin ImagesmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorContribution partnership for Chinese market content
• PanthermediamajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDistribution and contribution partnership for European market
• YestonemajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorContribution partnership for content export to international markets
• Science Photo LibrarymajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorKorea distribution partnership for science and technology imagery
• Hancom Inc.majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorImage supply partnership for Hancom Office software bundling
• Samsung ElectronicsmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIllustration supply contract for Samsung products (Hunminjeongeum)
• Hewlett-Packard KoreaminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCD-ROM bundle partnership for HP computers
• CEPICminorOthersRegistered member of CEPIC (Coordination of European Picture Agencies)
• AKG ImagesmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDistribution partnership for German cultural and historical images
• DPAmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDistribution partnership for German press agency content
• FLPAmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDistribution partnership for nature and wildlife imagery
• Nature Picture LibrarymajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDistribution partnership for nature photography content
• VideoblocksmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFootage supply partnership for video content
• EnvatomajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership for creative templates and assets distribution
• DepositphotosmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership for stock content distribution

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/tongroimages

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about TongRo Images