Prior to the existence of Line Webtoon, printed comics were the standard. However, in 1997, Korea was hit by a major financial crisis: the IMF Crisis. Due to the impact the crisis had on the economy, many people could only afford to rent and not buy comics. The sales of manhwa (Korean comics) plummeted during this time. When high-speed internet was introduced by the Korean government during this same period, comic fans could then scan, translate, and share both manhwa and Japanese manga for free. This led to a decline in comic rental shops, and created an opening for the beginning of Line Webtoon.
