• Cartoon and Animation Studies
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• s.46
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• pp.85-106
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• 2017

With the media's shift into the digital era in the 2000s, comic book publishers attempted a transition into the new medium by establishing a distribution structure using internet networks. But that effort shied from escaping the parallel-page reading structure of traditional comics. On the other hand, webtoons are showing divers changes by redesigning the structure of traditional sequential art media; they tend to separate and allot spaces according to the vertical scroll reading method of the internet browser and include animations, sound effects and background music. This trend is also in accordance with the preferences of modern readers. Modern society has complicated social structures with the development of various media; the public is therefore exposed to different stimuli and shows characteristics of differentiated perceptions. In other words, webtoons display more relevant and entertaining characteristics by inserting sounds and using moving texts and characters in specific frames, while traditional comics require an appreciation of withdrawal and immersion like other published media. Motions in webtoons are partially applied for dramatic tension or to create an effective expression of action. For example, hand-drawn animation is adopted to express motions by dividing motion images into many layers. Sounds are also utilized, such as background music with episode-related lyrics, melodies, ambient sounds and motion-related sound effects. In addition, webtoons provide readers with new amusement by giving tactile stimuli via the vibration of a smart phone. As stated above, the vertical direction, time-based nature of animation motions and tactile stimuli used in webtoons are differentiated from published comics. However, webtoons' utilization of innovative techniques hasn't yet reached its full potential. In addition to the fact that the software used for webtoon effects is operationally complex, this is a transitional phenomenon since there is still a lack of technical understanding of animation and sound application amongst the general public. For example, a sound might be programmed to play when a specific frame scrolls into view on the monitor, but the frame may be scrolled faster or slower than the author intended; in this case, sound can end before or after a reader sees the whole image. The motion of each frame is also programmed to start in a similar fashion. Therefore, a reader's scroll speed is related to the motion's speed. For this reason, motions might miss the intended timing and be unnatural because they are played out of context. Also, finished sound effects can disturb the concentration of readers. These problems come from a shortage of continuity; to solve these, naturally activated consecutive sounds or animations, like the simple rotation of joints when a character moves, is required.

• 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.