It's best that Chinese awareness on piracy is remedied and that they don't read the piracy, but it's really difficult. According to Research Institute of Convergence Contents Industry in Sejong University, Homin Joo said he earned only KRW 150 thousand that was a profit from serialization for three months due to piracy of 'With God'. Comics-related employees said many Korean webcomic artists were shocked by too low views of popular comics in China and damaged by failure to earn even translation fee. 

Figure 1. Pirated version of 'With God'

The copyright infringement is applied to an offence subject to complaint in China, so damaged webcomic artists have to directly search for and report pirated versions to China. But, it's really impossible that they have to report a lot of versions one by one and that Korean webcomic companies report them to China.  That's why it's important that Chinese webcomic companies try to take an action in reporting them when Korean webcomic companies conclude an agreement with them.

In addition, if Korean webcomic companies can't make a profit with their webcomics directly, making a profit through the second publication right is important. The second publication right is suitable for aims of Chinese contents companies such as Tencent. If Korean webcomic companies can't influence in Chinese companies only with comics' publication right, I think Chinese companies actively protect the copyright through the second publication right in China. For that, Korean webcomic companies need to negotiate with Chinese ones on an open situation a little bit for the second publication right.

Figure 2. 'Tales of the Unusual' serialized as Chinese version

The publication rights of games based on Chinese popular comics were sold for KRW 8.5 billion. A TV drama 'Cheese in the Trap' originated from a webcomic will be exported by KRW 2.4 billion that is the best price of Cable Broadcast to Chinese contents companies and an episode 'Beauty Water' of 'Tales of the Unusual' is concluded an agreement with Chinese movie production company. These are evidences Chinese contents companies take an interest in the second publication right.

Some people think an agreement related to the second publication right decreases a profit in China and is unhelpful. But, Korean contents created by the second publication right are reimported to Korea and thus such publication right increases profits of Korean webcomic companies and webcomic artists. Even though it's not a webcomic, 'MU Origin' created by IP of 'MU Online' in China was reimported to Korean game market, which increased a profit of 'Webzine' creating 'MU Origin' and reduced the development fee.

Figure 3. 'MU Origin' created by IP of Korean game 'MU Online' in China

Like this, the strategy customized countries serving webcomics will bring Korean webcomics to success in the global market.