Viewer Emotional Response to Webtoon-Based Drama: An EEG Analysis

Abstract

Amidst entertainment market uncertainties, cross-medium content extension has emerged as a powerful strategy. Webtoons, digital cartoons, stand out as significant resources. However, limited research has delved into effective strategies for extending these narratives. Acknowledging the crucial role of evoking viewer emotions in content success, this study investigates viewer emotional responses. Departing from conventional methods, we employ neuroscientific measurement—specifically, electroencephalography (EEG)—to capture real-time viewer emotions during content consumption, assessing valence and arousal. We examine the impact of webtoon-drama similarity on viewer emotions and scene attributes that heighten emotional responses. By integrating EEG data, interview insights, and scene analysis, our findings underscore intensified emotions when drama scenes mirror webtoon elements, particularly in sets and directing. Effective replication relies on drama-specific attributes such as choreography, original soundtracks, and casting. This study contributes academically by using EEG to evaluate webtoons’ value as original sources and practically by offering concrete webtoon extension strategy.

Keywords:

• Webtoon
• content extension
• viewer emotions
• neuroscience
• electroencephalography

Acknowledgments

We extend our gratitude to Professor Sung-Phil Kim, Biomedical Engineering at Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, for his invaluable guidance in the design and analysis of the EEG experiment. We also wish to express our sincere appreciation to all participants for their dedicated time, effort, and valuable contributions, especially in light of the challenging COVID-19 situation.

Disclosure statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Data availability statement

The data are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported by the [Ministry of Science and ICT], Korea, under the ITRC (Information Technology Research Center) support program [IITP-2023-2020-0-01749] supervised by the IITP (Institute for Information & Communications Technology Planning & Evaluation); and the [Ministry of Education of the Republic of Korea], the National Research Foundation of Korea [NRF-2019S1A3A2099973].

Notes on contributors

Jaeyoung Park

Jaeyoung Park is a PhD student in Media and Communication at Korea University. She actively participates in interdisciplinary research at the Smart Media Service Research Center. Her primary focus is investigating the effects of new media within the context of the entertainment business.

Soyoung Wang

Soyoung Wang attained her MA degrees in Media and Communication from Korea University. She presently serves as a project manager for SmartThings Energy service at Samsung Electronics. Her research interests encompass the effects of emerging media and AI on individuals, industries, and society.

Seungji Lee

Seungji Lee holds a PhD in Human Factors Engineering from Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology and currently serves as a manager in the Department of Digital Marketing at Kyongnam Bank. Her research pursuits revolve around neuromarketing and consumer neuroscience.

Seungbeom Seo

Seungbeom Seo is an undergraduate student double majoring in Biomedical Engineering and Electrical Engineering. His current focus revolves around acquiring and interpreting neural signals across various domains. He is particularly passionate about research in neural decoding and Brain-Computer Interfaces.

Nayoung Lee

Nayoung Lee is an undergraduate student specializing in Industrial Engineering. Through her involvement in the Smart Media Service Research Center, she actively contributes to interdisciplinary research. Her primary focus lies in the realms of data analytics and artificial intelligence.

Seongcheol Kim

Seongcheol Kim is a Professor in the School of Media and Communication at Korea University, holding an MA and PhD in Media from Michigan State University. He is co-editor of Digital Business and associate editor of Telecommunications Policy. His research interests include digital business, media industry and new media.