Kakao Entertainment has revealed they will revise their contracts to protect webcomic creators' physical and emotional health.In light of the survey and subsequent report conducted by the Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency in January 2023 that highlighted the debilitating effects overworking has had on webcomic artists and writers, Kakao Entertainment announced their contracts would undergo amendments to better support and protect their creators. The agreement, which adds a clause to "promote writers' welfare," has revised the contract concerning breaks and quantity. According to 겨울♡ (@/lilienneislar)'s translation, creators who serialize their works under Kakao Entertainment, including new creators and those under previous contracts, will see the new contract take effect in February 2023.RELATED: The Cheese in the Trap Webtoon Would Make an Excellent Josei Series

How Kakao Plans To Protect Its Artists

Kakao Entertainment will write a new contract where creators can take at least two breaks every 40-50 chapters. Assuming chapters come out once a week, this would be equivalent to taking two breaks after approximately a year. Furthermore, the company added a clause to allow for "additional hiatus [to] be determined under mutual agreement for the welfare of the creators." Moreover, the contracts will now adjust the minimum number of cuts per webcomic, reducing them from 60 to 50 cuts. The new agreements will also add a provision saying, "excessive serialization is not required so as not to burden the writer."

According to @/lilienneislar's translation, the CEO of Kakao Entertainment's story division, Hwang Hyeon-Soo said they would work together with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism's webcomic council. Hwang promised that Kakao Entertainment "come up with several practical improvements for writers/artists/authors this year through continuous discussions with them, the government, and related parties."

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While not a standalone issue, the webcomic industry in Korea, by and large, is notorious for overworking its creators to the point where many have suffered chronic health issues and live in poverty. The results of the Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency survey revealed that 28.7 percent of respondents reported having depression. 17.3 percent considered committing suicide, which is much higher than the national average of 10.7 percent. Kakao Entertainment previously claimed they had regulations to support their creators, while Naver Webtoon has rolled out multiple health and creator support initiatives starting in 2014.

Roxana's artist, Juniljus, revealed she had a miscarriage due to "abnormal uterine bleeding" after her producer did not allow her to take a break. She has since been on hiatus since August 2022. Solo Leveling's artist Dubu recently died in July 2022 due to a brain hemorrhage linked to an unspecified chronic illness.

Source: Twitter, Seoulfn