[Edaily Starin Reporter Choi Hee-jae ] “We need to produce animations in Korea that are loved worldwide, just like ‘Frozen,’ ‘Demon Slayer,’ and ‘K-Pop Demon Hunters.’”

Shin Chang-hwan, CEO of Studio Gale, made these remarks during a meeting with E-Daily at the “Character Licensing Fair 2026,” held at COEX in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, on the 16th. “I hope an environment is created where K-animation, just like K-pop, can compete on equal footing in the global market,” he said.
Studio Gale is a leading production company that has spearheaded the “preschool president” trend by producing iconic Korean animations such as “Pororo the Little Penguin” and “Tayo the Little Bus.” During the interview, CEO Shin expressed a strong sense of responsibility, emphasizing the need to improve the structure of the Korean animation industry and diversify its target audience.
◇Like Japan’s *Demon Slayer*… “High-Quality IP Is K-Animation’s Strongest Weapon”
CEO Shin cited a rich pool of original intellectual property (IP) as the competitive edge of K-animation. He explained, “Just as Japan vastly expanded its global influence through the manga *Demon Slayer*, animation is the best medium for evolving IP into ‘super IP.’” His analysis suggests that if high-quality domestic webtoons or web novels are adapted into animations, they would be fully competitive in the global market, surpassing even Japan.
He emphasized, “Just as we cheered for ‘K-Pop Demon Hunters,’ which Sony produced with a U.S. production team, it is now time for us to produce global animations of our own.”
He also emphasized the need for growth in the domestic theatrical animation market. CEO Shin stated, “The current all-time box office record for a domestic theatrical animation stands at 2.22 million viewers (‘The Hen That Left the Yard,’ 2011) and has remained stagnant for 15 years.” He added, “We need a film that can attract at least 3 to 4 million viewers to elevate the value and status of K-Animation. We are currently preparing a project with this goal in mind.”

◇ Netflix and YouTube Have Expanded the Anime Audience… “Need to Broaden the Base”
CEO Shin cited “limitations in the target audience” as the reason for the slump in the Korean animation market. He pointed out that while the consumer base has already broadened due to changes in the media landscape, the production landscape remains stuck in the preschool market.
“While it’s true that Korea is a global powerhouse in the realm of children’s and preschool content, since Netflix and YouTube became mainstream, the animation audience has already expanded beyond the 20s and 30s to include the 40s and 50s,” he said. “We need to reflect on whether we’re still too trapped in the overly stable (children’s content) market.”
At this fair, Studio Gale premiered the first 20-second trailer for its upcoming adult-targeted animated series, *Nanolist*. Based on the popular webtoon of the same name, *Nanolist* has garnered significant industry anticipation, having secured a production contract early on as a TVING Original animation and been selected for production support by the Korea Creative Content Agency.
CEO Shin remarked, “There is an endless supply of source IP for animation that can be enjoyed by young adults and older audiences alike,” adding that he is “confident” in the growth potential of K-animation. However, he emphasized two points: “First, we must keep pace with changing consumer and viewing trends. Second, even if we don’t achieve immediate success, we need to go through a process of trial and error, consistently producing quality works to expand our audience base,” he noted.

◇“Improvements to the Production Environment Are Urgent… People Remain the Core Even in the AI Era”
Shin, who previously served as chairman of the Korea Animation Producers Association and has been at the forefront of legislative and policy efforts, also emphasized the need for sustained investment from both the government and the industry. “Animation projects have long production cycles, and recouping investments is difficult, so there are limits to what production companies can achieve on their own,” Shin said. “The industry can only grow if policy support and improvements to the production environment go hand in hand.”
In particular, he criticized the broadcasting royalty structure, which he described as out of touch with reality. “Currently, the broadcasting royalties paid by platforms and other entities amount to less than 5% of the total production cost,” he said, repeatedly emphasizing the need to revise the Broadcasting Act, increase the share of the government budget allocated to animation, and expand the investment ratio of the master fund.
He also shared his thoughts on the rapidly changing production environment, particularly regarding artificial intelligence (AI). “Rather than replacing creativity, AI should serve as a tool to enhance production efficiency,” he said, adding, “It should be used solely to reduce time and costs in areas where automation is possible.”
He continued, “The originality and detail of characters must incorporate the creator’s ‘human touch’ to overcome resistance from global audiences and enhance the quality of the work.”
His vision is clear. CEO Shin said, “Just as K-pop has risen to become a mainstream force in the global music market, the day will surely come when animations created by our own hands are recognized in the global market.”
“I hope the Korean animation industry continues to climb the ladder,” he said. “If we consistently produce high-quality works and break current records, not only will the animation industry grow, but the external perception of ‘K-Animation’ will also change.” He added, “As a creator and producer, I want to make works that instill a sense of pride.”
Meanwhile, Studio Gale produced the iconic Korean animated series “Pororo” and “Tayo.” It has also gained recognition for its production capabilities in the global market through titles such as “Grammy’s Circus Show” and “Long Long, You’re Gonna Die, Right?” In particular, its original IP “Tishi Tashi” not only won the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Award at the Korea Content Awards but also achieved the remarkable feat of becoming the first Korean animation series to be exported to the BBC Children’s Channel in the UK. The studio is currently preparing for the release of “Nanolist.”