The Seoul Business Agency (SBA) announced on March 16 a new initiative to support the development of web novels and webtoons based on Seoul-themed intellectual property, aiming to expand original stories into film, television, and other formats.

The 2026 program will select five projects, each receiving 100 million Korean won (about US$66,400) in production funding. Eligible applicants include small- and medium-sized content studios and individual creators based in Seoul.

Selected projects must produce at least 60 episodes for web novels or 15 episodes for webtoons, with funding covering both content production and commercialization efforts.

The initiative focuses on discovering and developing “Seoul-themed” IP—stories that go beyond simple geographic settings to incorporate the city's history, culture, and everyday life.

SBA said the program builds on previous efforts between 2024 and 2025, during which supported titles achieved distribution on major platforms and print publication.

Among them, the 2024 webtoon Seoul Ghost Stories - Civil Complaints Department by Tae-kyung Kang combined Korean folklore with a Seoul setting and was serialized on Kakao Webtoon and Kakao Page.

Applications for the program will be accepted through April 16 via SBA's official website.

Source: Herald Business (Jong-il Park)