• Cartoon and Animation Studies
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• s.36
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• pp.469-491
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• 2014

Webtoon has developed the method that makes it possible to express sound visually. Also we can also hear sound in webtoon through the development of web technology. It is natural that we analyze the sound that we can hear, but we can also analyze the sound that we can not hear. This study is based on 'dual code' in cognitive psychology. Cartoonists can make visual expression on the basis of auditive impression and memory, and readers can recall the sound through the process of memory and memory-retrieval. This study analyzes both audible sound and inaudable sound. Concise analysis owes the method to film sound theory. Three main factor, Volume, pitch, and tone are recognized by frequency in acoustics. On the other hand they are expressed by the thickness and site of line and image of sound source. The visual expression of in screen sound and off screen sound is related to the frame of comics. Generally the outside of frame means off sound, but some off sound is in the frame. In addition, horror comics use much sound for the effect of genre like horror film. When analyzing comics sound using this kinds of the method film sound analysis, we can find that webtoon has developed creative expression method comparing with simple ones of early comics. Especially arranging frames and expressing sound following and vertical moving are new ones in webtoon. Also types and arrangement of frame has been varied. BGM is the first in using audible sound and recently BGM composed mixing sound effect is being used. In addition, the program which makes it possible for readers to hear sound according to scroll moving. Especially horror genre raise the genre effects using this technology. Various methods of visualizing sound are being created, and the change shows that webtoon could be the model of convergence in contents.