A platform closely resembling the notorious illegal webtoon and web novel site Newtoki has reappeared online, just days after its operator announced an April 27 shutdown. New access links for a site bearing Newtoki's name, logo, and user interface have begun circulating through Telegram channels, suggesting a continuation or a sophisticated copycat operation.
Within a week of the original Newtoki's closure announcement, a Telegram channel sharing new site addresses gained over 15,000 subscribers. The operator of the new site indicated that while previous data is too large for immediate transfer, they intend to restore content similar to that previously offered across Newtoki, ManaToki, and BookToki—sites known for distributing pirated webtoons, manga, and web novels.
This resurgence directly challenges South Korea's upcoming emergency site-blocking system, scheduled to take effect on May 11. The new policy aims to drastically shorten response times by allowing immediate access restriction upon detection of illegal sites. However, its limitations are evident, as it can only block access, not completely shut down operations, which requires identifying and prosecuting operators, a difficult task when servers are located abroad.
Officials acknowledge that operators can easily relaunch under new domains if they retain their content, a scenario that appears to be unfolding. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism stated the new system is the most effective administrative measure available for improving response speed, but recognized that dismantling these platforms fully necessitates international cooperation and successful law enforcement against operators. Newtoki was previously considered the largest illegal webtoon site in Korea, with its operator reportedly having acquired Japanese citizenship, leading to calls for extradition.
Source: News1 (Eun-bin Shin)
