Pocket Comics France: Struggles of Webtoon Platforms

The potential exit of Pocket Comics from the French market marks a troubling trend for Korean webtoon platforms in Europe. Initially, France presented a unique opportunity for NHN to leverage its popular webtoons, attracting a significant user base shortly after its launch in January 2022. Topping the local App Store charts, particularly among female readers aged 20 to 30, Pocket Comics appeared to demonstrate the viability of the webtoon format in a market traditionally dominated by print manga. However, the enthusiasm that accompanied its entry into the French comic book landscape seems to have waned, leading the platform to pause new content uploads and explore operational efficiencies, including a potential shutdown.

This reconsideration emphasizes the broader challenges Korean digital comic platforms face in Europe, where the preference for established print manga continues to overshadow the more modern webtoon style. Despite its early successes, Pocket Comics is now experiencing a slowdown, prompting concerns about its long-term sustainability in a market where reader habits are deeply entrenched. With local competition and a reluctance from many traditional comic fans to switch formats, NHN’s retreat from France could signal the end of its aspirations in Europe, following previous exits from Germany and Southeast Asia.

The situation has reached a critical juncture, as any decision made by Pocket Comics could indicate the diminishing prospects for Korean webtoons on a continent that was once seen as a potential goldmine. Other competitors like Kakao Piccoma have already retreated, further indicating that the European market’s growth for webtoons is stalling. Should Pocket Comics withdraw completely, it would not only reflect NHN’s strategic redirection but also reinforce the idea that cultural preferences and established reading formats hold significant sway over the success of new digital content in diverse markets.

Summary

Pocket Comics, the webtoon platform operated by NHN, is contemplating a potential exit from France, highlighting the struggles of Korean digital comics in the European market. Despite its launch in January 2022 and initial success among young female readers, the platform has not updated its French content since early 2025 as local audiences show a strong preference for traditional print manga. NHN’s anticipated withdrawal from France could mark the end of its European aspirations, following previous exits from Germany and Southeast Asia, mirroring the trend set by Kakao Piccoma, which left the French market last September.