“David’s vision for our international content teams helped bring WEBTOON to the mainstream, nurturing a growing roster of superstar creators and global hits on our platform,” noted Kim. “Not only does David truly understand great storytelling, he also brings an incredible empathy and a growth mind-set to our creators, helping them realize their full potential and build global fandoms for their work. By consolidating our US and LatAm content teams under David’s leadership, we’ll be able to bring more incredible stories to WEBTOON fans around the world.”
Most recently, Lee served as head of content for WEBTOON, managing the company’s US content teams, along with key partnerships and content collaborations with DC Comics, Marvel Entertainment, and Archie Comics. He joined the company in 2014 as a content manager. He was one of the first hires for US operations.
Under Lee’s leadership, WEBTOON has built a diverse and exciting IP catalog. His teams support some of the biggest US and international hit comics and creators, including unOrdinary, which recently reached one billion views; Rachel Smythe’s “Lore Olympus,” now a #1 New York Times bestseller and in development as a series with Wattpad, WEBTOON Studios, and the Jim Henson Company; and WEBTOON’s DC Comics collaboration on Batman: Wayne Family Adventures, which hit more than 20 million views in under six months.
The move comes as digital comics from WEBTOON continue to grow in popularity in the US and around the world. A stream of high profile WEBTOON adaptations from Netflix have brought the company into the forefront of the cultural zeitgeist. It is home to the original digital comics behind Netflix’s hugely popular All of Us are Dead and Hellbound.
Source: WEBTOON
Debbie Diamond Sarto is assistant news editor at Animation World Network.
