Crit Ventures' Mr. Son: 'South Korean Cosmetics Exports Surpass US to Become World's No. 2, Webtoon $7.8 Billion, Japan's No. 1 Piccoma' — Revealing K-Culture Export Mechanism at T4IS2026

Crit Ventures' Mr. Son: 'South Korean Cosmetics Exports Surpass US to Become World's No. 2, Webtoon $7.8 Billion, Japan's No. 1 Piccoma' — Revealing K-Culture Export Mechanism at T4IS2026

Key points of this release

South Korean cosmetics exports surpassed the US in Q1 2025 to become the world's second largest (after France). $3.61 billion vs US $3.57 billion.

Webtoon global market $7.8 billion — a vertical-scrolling, chapter-based billing format invented in Korea. Japan's No. 1 digital manga app 'Piccoma' (Kakao) has overseas sales exceeding $600 million.

Netflix global viewership: approximately 8% is Korean content — 'Squid Game Season 2' alone recorded 840 million hours of viewing. K-pop's Spotify 5-year growth rate: +362% (4th globally).

Structural differences in IP export models between Japan and South Korea systematized as 'craft-first, scale-later' (Japan: manga -> anime -> game) vs 'scale-first, craft-later' (Korea: web novel -> webtoon -> Netflix).

Mr. Son presented 5 principles for Japanese companies: (1) Amateur-first platform, (2) Data-driven production, (3) Talent systematization, (4) Ownership of checkout (payment layer), (5) Localization design from day one.

Highlight video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1qCJ3jSdkw

Highlights of the lecture

Soshius Inc. (Headquarters: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: Sera Yoon) hosted a special lecture titled 'K-Culture Goes Global' by Jeejun Son, Founder and CEO of Crit Ventures, on Sunday, April 26, 2026, at the main stage of 'Tech for Impact Summit 2026' (T4IS2026), an official partner event and invite-only executive summit of SusHi Tech Tokyo 2026, held at Tokyo Garden Terrace Kioicho Kioi Conference.

Past summits have featured speakers such as Audrey Tang (former Digital Minister of Taiwan), Former Digital Minister Hirai, Charles Hoskinson (Founder of Cardano), and Kathy Matsui (Co-founder of MPower Partners, former Vice Chairman of Goldman Sachs).

Mr. Son, who co-founded GAMEVIL 26 years ago in Seoul, recalled that at the time, Tokyo was the cultural center of Asia, and 'Japan was the teacher, Korea was the student.' He then unveiled his unique framework, supported by 8 specific figures, stating that 'The reason Japan was surpassed by Korea in cultural export power was not the quality of culture, but because Korea first built the technology infrastructure for export' (summary of Mr. Son's English lecture).

8 figures supporting 'K-Culture export'

Mr. Son presented 8 figures demonstrating the scale of K-Culture export (achievements in a country of 51 million people):

Indicator | Figure | Key point ---|---|--- Netflix global viewership Korean content ratio | approx. 8% | 'Squid Game Season 2' alone recorded 840 million hours of viewing K-pop global music export ranking | 4th globally | Following the US, UK, and Canada. Most streamed genre on Spotify globally in 2024 K-pop streaming 5-year growth rate | +362% | Official record from Spotify 'Wrapped' Webtoon global market | $7.8 billion | Unique vertical-scrolling, chapter-based billing format invented in Korea Japan's No. 1 digital manga app | Piccoma (Kakao) | Overseas sales exceeding $600 million K-Beauty export value (Q1 2025) | $3.61 billion | Surpassed US $3.57 billion to become 2nd globally (after France) K-Food export value | $13.6 billion | Michelin Korean restaurants: 24 -> 40 (doubled in 10 years) Foreign dermatology patients in Korea (15-year growth) | 117 times | 60,000 (2009) -> 700,000 (2024). No. 1 origin country is Japan (43.7%)

'Japan's IP playbook' vs 'Korea's platform-native funnel'

Mr. Son organized the structural differences in IP export models between Japan and South Korea as follows:

Japan Model (Craft-first, Scale-later) Manga -> Anime -> Game -> Merchandise Editors select manuscripts, judging before the market Decades of accumulated craft Dragon Ball, Ghibli, Pokemon, Nintendo

Korea Model (Scale-first, Craft-later) Web novel (amateur submission) -> Webtoon (billing verification) -> Netflix drama -> Game/Anime Amateurs post on Mumpia or Kakao Page Only monetized works proceed to the next stage Data-driven selection of 'content that will scale next' Representative example: 'Solo Leveling' — Web novel 2016