WEBTOON (WBTN) overhauls global leadership, adds Chief Business Officer
Filing Impact
Filing Sentiment
Form Type
8-K
Rhea-AI Filing Summary
WEBTOON Entertainment Inc. is restructuring its global leadership and executive roles. Effective April 10, 2026, Chief Technology Officer Chankyu Park resigned as an executive officer, with no disagreements cited, and will remain through May 2026 to transition duties before moving into an advisor role.
David J. Lee ceased serving as Chief Operating Officer on April 10, 2026 and now holds the title of Chief Financial Officer only, remaining on the Board. Separately, effective April 1, 2026, he was appointed President of Wattpad Corp., the company’s Canadian subsidiary, with no material changes to his compensation.
Under President Yongsoo Kim, WEBTOON is unifying global operations, eliminating the COO and CTO roles, and elevating leaders into positions including Chief Product Officer (Yuki Chae), Chief Business Officer (Leah Goeun Yeon), Head of AI (Teo Taeyeong Jang), and Head of IP Business (Sean Shinhyung Kim), all reporting to the President.
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Insights
WEBTOON centralizes global leadership, eliminating COO and CTO roles.
WEBTOON Entertainment is shifting from a regional to a unified global structure under President Yongsoo Kim. Eliminating the Chief Operating Officer and Chief Technology Officer roles while elevating product, business, AI, and IP leaders concentrates decision-making around growth and platform execution.
The appointment of a Chief Business Officer over Korean and Rest of World webcomic operations, and a dedicated Head of AI, highlights emphasis on monetization, marketing, and AI-enabled tools. At the same time, David J. Lee adds the Wattpad presidency while remaining CFO, which increases his span of control.
Future disclosures in company filings may clarify how this structure affects operating efficiency and growth across WEBTOON, Wattpad, and its broader IP ecosystem, including its approximately 160 million monthly active users and multi-platform content strategy.
8-K Event Classification
3 items: 5.02, 7.01, 9.01
3 items
Item 5.02
Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers
Governance
Key personnel changes including departures, elections, or appointments of directors and executive officers.
Item 7.01
Regulation FD Disclosure
Disclosure
Material non-public information disclosed under Regulation Fair Disclosure, often investor presentations or guidance.
Item 9.01
Financial Statements and Exhibits
Exhibits
Financial statements, pro forma financial information, and exhibit attachments filed with this report.
Key Figures
CTO resignation effective date: April 10, 2026
Wattpad presidency effective date: April 1, 2026
Transition support period end: End of May 2026
+2 more
5 metrics
CTO resignation effective date
April 10, 2026
Chankyu Park resigned as Chief Technology Officer effective this date
Wattpad presidency effective date
April 1, 2026
David J. Lee appointed President of Wattpad Corp. effective this date
Transition support period end
End of May 2026
Chankyu Park remains to facilitate transition through this period
Years transforming storytelling
Twenty years
Company notes twenty years of transforming storytelling and entertainment
Monthly active users
Approximately 160 million
WEBTOON Entertainment’s global platforms’ monthly active users
Key Terms
Regulation FD Disclosure, emerging growth company, Chief Business Officer, Head of AI, +2 more
6 terms
Regulation FD Disclosure regulatory
"Item 7.01 Regulation FD Disclosure On April 13, 2026, the Company issued a press release"
emerging growth company regulatory
"or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§ 240.12b-2 of this chapter). Emerging growth company"
An emerging growth company is a recently public or smaller public firm that qualifies for temporary, lighter regulatory and disclosure rules to reduce the cost and effort of being public. For investors, it means the company may provide less historical financial detail and face fewer reporting requirements than larger firms, so it can grow more quickly but also carries higher uncertainty—like buying a promising early-stage product with fewer user reviews.
Chief Business Officer financial
"A newly created Chief Business Officer role will lead growth, marketing, content, and creator management"
A chief business officer (CBO) is the executive responsible for a company's commercial strategy, partnerships, licensing, and business development—essentially the leader who turns technology or products into paying customers and deals. Investors care because the CBO's choices about partnerships, pricing, market entry and revenue models directly influence how fast a company grows and how much future cash flow or value it can deliver; think of the CBO as the company's head coach for winning business and income.
Head of AI technical
"Experienced WEBTOON leaders will assume the roles of Chief Product Officer, Head of AI, and Head of IP Business"
IP ecosystem financial
"he’ll strengthen WEBTOON Entertainment’s IP ecosystem across its platforms and subsidiaries"
Translation Program technical
"including content protection and anti-piracy innovations, content discovery, and the newly launched Translation Program"
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): | ||
(Exact name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)
| (State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation) | (Commission File Number) | (IRS Employer Identification No.) | ||||||
| (Address of Principal Executive Offices) | (Zip Code) | |||||||
Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code: ( | ||
(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
| Title of each class | Trading Symbol(s) | Name of each exchange on which registered | ||||||||||||
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§ 230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§ 240.12b-2 of this chapter).
Emerging growth company ☐
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐
Item 5.02 Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.
On April 13, 2026, WEBTOON Entertainment Inc. (the “Company”) announced a number of executive leadership changes. In connection with the leadership transitions, effective April 10, 2026, Chankyu Park resigned from his position as Chief Technology Officer of the Company. Mr. Park will no longer serve as an executive officer of the Company within the meaning of the rules promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). Mr. Park’s resignation is not the result of any disagreement with the Company or its Board of Directors on any matters relating to the Company’s operations, policies or practices. Mr. Park will remain with the Company through the end of May 2026 to facilitate the transition of duties and thereafter transition into an advisor role.
The Company also announced a title change for David J. Lee to better reflect his roles and responsibilities with the Company. Mr. Lee's title was changed from Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer to Chief Financial Officer. Effective April 10, 2026, Mr. Lee ceased serving as the Company's Chief Operating Officer. Mr. Lee will continue to serve as the Company's Chief Financial Officer and a member of the Board of Directors. In addition, effective April 1, 2026, Mr. Lee has been appointed as the President of Wattpad Corp., a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company in Canada. Mr. Lee's title change is commensurate with his role with the Company. There were no material changes to the terms of Mr. Lee's compensation in connection with the title change.
Item 7.01 Regulation FD Disclosure
On April 13, 2026, the Company issued a press release announcing several leadership changes. A copy of the press release is furnished hereto as Exhibit 99.1 and incorporated herein by reference.
The information furnished pursuant to Item 7.01 of this Current Report on Form 8-K, including Exhibit 99.1 attached hereto, is being furnished and shall not be deemed “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Exchange Act, or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section, nor shall it be deemed incorporated by reference into any other filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Exchange Act, except as expressly set forth by specific reference in such a filing.
Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.
(d) Exhibits
Exhibit Number | Description | ||||||||||
99.1 | Press release dated April 13, 2026 | ||||||||||
104 | Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the inline XBRL document) | ||||||||||
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
| WEBTOON Entertainment Inc. | |||||||||||
| Date: | April 13, 2026 | By: | /s/ David J. Lee | ||||||||
| Name: | David J. Lee | ||||||||||
| Title: | Chief Financial Officer | ||||||||||
Exhibit 99.1
WEBTOON Entertainment Announces Leadership Changes to Accelerate Global Growth Strategy
●WEBTOON will streamline its operating structure, shifting from regional to integrated global leadership
●As President Yongsoo Kim assumes oversight and consolidates global operations, the Chief Operating Officer role will be eliminated; David J Lee will continue as Chief Financial Officer and will additionally serve as President of Wattpad
●A newly created Chief Business Officer role will lead growth, marketing, content, and creator management for WEBTOON’s global webcomic platform business in Korea and Rest of World
●Experienced WEBTOON leaders will assume the roles of Chief Product Officer, Head of AI, and Head of IP Business; the role of Chief Technology Officer will be eliminated
LOS ANGELES and SEOUL (April 13, 2026) - WEBTOON Entertainment Inc. (Nasdaq: WBTN) today announced a new global leadership structure and Chief Business Officer role as it accelerates execution and innovation under recently appointed President Yongsoo Kim. The company has unified its global leadership structure to move faster and integrate regional operations, enhancing speed and efficiency across the company’s global ecosystem.
“After twenty years of transforming storytelling and entertainment, our full global potential is within reach, and this is a moment where we must evolve and innovate more than ever,” said Yongsoo Kim, President of WEBTOON Entertainment. “We’re making bold changes to sharpen execution and move faster as an aligned global organization. We’re not done evolving, and we’re not slowing down.”
Chief Product Officer
Yuki Chae has been elevated to Chief Product Officer for WEBTOON Entertainment. In the newly structured role, Chae will integrate WEBTOON’s global product roadmap, aligning development to unlock speed and product innovation.
As a WEBTOON veteran with roots across the company's most important markets, Chae is uniquely positioned to lead its integrated global product vision, having previously overseen product operations across North America, Japan, and Korea.
Chief Business Officer
Leah Goeun Yeon has joined WEBTOON Entertainment as the company’s first Chief Business Officer (CBO). In the newly created role, Yeon will oversee WEBTOON’s Korean and Rest of World webcomic platform business (excluding Japan), leading growth, marketing, content, and creator management.
Yeon brings nearly two decades of global experience in growth, marketing, and consulting roles. She was previously Chief Growth & Marketing Officer at Woowa Brothers, a top food delivery app in Korea. Yeon was also co-founder and CEO of Simply O, a Korea-founded e-commerce lifestyle brand that expanded to the global market. Yeon has also held roles at McKinsey, Google, Samsung Electronics, and holds an MBA from Harvard Business School.
Wattpad Leadership
David J Lee will take on the role of President of Wattpad in addition to his role as global Chief Financial Officer for WEBTOON Entertainment. He steps into the role as the Wattpad platform continues its transformation efforts, with a deepened focus on ad-supported free content and expanded access for its global community of readers and writers.
David J Lee has previously led transformations at consumer technology companies like ZYNGA, Impossible Foods, and Best Buy’s move to e-commerce business.
AI Leadership and Technical Organization
Teo Taeyeong Jang has been elevated to Head of AI. Jang will build on WEBTOON’s existing AI capabilities, including content protection and anti-piracy innovations, content discovery, and the newly launched Translation Program, all designed to help creators reach new audiences.
His appointment comes as the company expands its AI transformation for internal productivity, while continuing to invest in AI-powered tools and experiences that support creators and enhance how fans discover and engage with their favorite stories.
Jang has held leadership roles at WEBTOON’s Machine Learning and AI Services teams since 2021. He was previously a Software Engineer at Samsung Electronics.
IP Business Leadership
Sean Shinhyung Kim has been elevated to Head of IP Business, where he’ll strengthen WEBTOON Entertainment’s IP ecosystem across its platforms and subsidiaries, strategically expanding its IP value chain in areas that can accelerate global growth. The role reflects WEBTOON Entertainment’s ongoing commitment to building one of the most dynamic IP pipelines in global entertainment and creating opportunities for Creators that extends from its main platform business to TV, film, gaming, merchandise, and more.
Sean Shinhyung Kim has excelled as a corporate leader at WEBTOON. Since joining the company in 2021, he has held leadership roles in Global Business Operations and Strategy & Research for WEBTOON.
All roles will report directly to President Yongsoo Kim. David J Lee will continue to report to CEO Junkoo Kim in his role as global CFO.
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About WEBTOON Entertainment
WEBTOON Entertainment is a leading global entertainment company and home to some of the world's largest storytelling platforms. As the global leader and pioneer of the mobile webcomic format, WEBTOON Entertainment has transformed comics and visual storytelling for fans and creators.
With its CANVAS UGC platform empowering anyone to become a creator, and a growing roster of superstar WEBTOON Originals creators and series, WEBTOON Entertainment’s passionate fandoms are the new face of pop culture. WEBTOON Entertainment adaptations are available on Netflix, Prime Video, Crunchyroll, and other screens around the world, and the company’s content partners include Discord, HYBE, and DC Comics, among many others.
With approximately 160 million monthly active users, WEBTOON Entertainment’s IP & Creator Ecosystem of aligned brands and platforms include WEBTOON, Wattpad--the world’s leading webnovel platform--WEBTOON Productions, Studio N, Studio LICO, WEBTOON Unscrolled, LINE MANGA, and eBookJapan, among others.
Press Contact:
Media Contact
Kiel Hume
kiel@webtoon.com
Investor Relations
Soohwan Kim, CFA
investor@webtoon.com
FAQ
What executive leadership changes did WEBTOON (WBTN) announce in April 2026?
WEBTOON announced a new global leadership structure, eliminating the Chief Operating Officer and Chief Technology Officer roles. It elevated leaders to Chief Product Officer, Chief Business Officer, Head of AI, and Head of IP Business, all reporting to President Yongsoo Kim to support a more integrated global organization.
Why did WEBTOON’s Chief Technology Officer Chankyu Park resign?
Chankyu Park resigned as Chief Technology Officer effective April 10, 2026, as part of wider leadership transitions. The company stated his resignation was not due to any disagreement regarding operations, policies, or practices. He will remain through May 2026 to transition duties, then serve as an advisor.
What is David J. Lee’s new role at WEBTOON Entertainment (WBTN)?
Effective April 10, 2026, David J. Lee’s title changed from Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer to Chief Financial Officer. Additionally, effective April 1, 2026, he was appointed President of Wattpad Corp., a Canadian subsidiary, with no material changes to his compensation.
What responsibilities will WEBTOON’s new Chief Business Officer have?
Chief Business Officer Leah Goeun Yeon will oversee WEBTOON’s Korean and Rest of World webcomic platform business, excluding Japan. Her role includes leading growth, marketing, content, and creator management, reflecting the company’s focus on scaling its global webcomic platform and strengthening creator relationships.
How is WEBTOON (WBTN) using AI in its business after the new Head of AI appointment?
Head of AI Teo Taeyeong Jang will advance WEBTOON’s AI capabilities in content protection, anti-piracy, content discovery, and its Translation Program. His role supports expanded AI use for internal productivity and creator-focused tools that help audiences discover and engage with stories more effectively across platforms.
What is the focus of WEBTOON’s Head of IP Business role?
Head of IP Business Sean Shinhyung Kim will strengthen WEBTOON’s IP ecosystem across platforms and subsidiaries. He will expand the IP value chain into areas such as TV, film, gaming, and merchandise, aiming to create more opportunities for creators and enhance global growth from WEBTOON-originated stories.