Do you like to end your day with a good comics? I do too! Watching a comics before bed always helps me sleep better. One day, I thought, "Wouldn't it be amazing if everyone could enjoy this simple pleasure together?"
Well, here’s some exciting news! Webtoon Entertainment has partnered with Dot Inc., a company known for its barrier-free technology, to create the world's first tactile digital comics for visually impaired people.
Now, comics are no longer just something you "see" — they’re something you can feel!
It’s a whole new way to experience your favorite stories. Stay tuned for more updates!
01_What is a Tactile Webtoon?
So, what exactly is a tactile webtoon? Think of it as a digital comic brought to life through touch! With the help of Dot Canvas, the scenes in the comics are transformed into raised, tactile images that you can feel with your fingers. On top of that, Braille descriptions provide context, making the story come alive in a whole new way. What’s even cooler is that you don’t just read the dialogue — you can also sense the characters’ expressions and movements through tactile feedback and audio descriptions. Imagine experiencing a comics with multiple senses at once — pretty amazing, right?
“Yumi’s Cells” and “Hooky” were chosen for the first tactile projects. Both of these stories are already fan favorites, but now they’ve been reimagined as tactile comics so that people with visual impairments can enjoy them, too. To introduce this concept, Dot hosted a special demo event just for the visually impaired. Participants, from middle and high school students to college students and adults, got to experience comics through braille, touch, and sound. It was an inclusive and heartwarming event that showed how far technology can go to make stories accessible to everyone.
Introduction image of Naver webtoon 'Yumi's Cells' and American webtoon 'Hooked' implemented on iPad and Dot Pad
02_Experience the Magic of Tactile Webtoons with “Yumi’s Cells” and “Hooky”
With the Dot Pad, the beloved “Yumi’s Cells” and the U.S. hit “Hooky” are now available as tactile comics. These collaborations offer a new way to experience comics, blending touch, sound, and Braille descriptions into one immersive adventure.
03_What Makes Tactile Webtoons So Special?
To get a sense of how impactful tactile comics are, let’s hear from students at Incheon Hyegwang School for the Blind. Middle and high school students had the chance to try out the tactile versions of these comics, and their feedback was inspiring.
Ye-jun, one of the students, shared his thoughts: “It was my first time seeing Braille graphics on a Dot Pad, and I found it amazing that the comic’s images were represented through Braille. It felt like the story was flowing naturally, which made it really enjoyable!” He also mentioned a memorable scene from the “Hooky” comics: “There was a part where a broom appeared, but I’d never seen a broom before, so I didn’t recognize it at first. But when I heard the audio description that played alongside it, I realized, ‘Oh, so that’s a broom!’”
This unique blend of tactile graphics and audio descriptions makes the experience of tactile comics truly unforgettable, especially for those who rely on touch and sound to engage with stories.
Student Interactions with Dot Pad: From left to right, three students are experiencing tactile webtoons on the Dot Pad.
04_Second Session: Inviting Visually Impaired University Students
Seung-hee's Experience
Visually impaired university student Seung-hee shared her thoughts: “I’d only ever heard about 'Yumi’s Cells,' but being able to experience it myself was amazing! The scene where Yumi’s face and the cells enter her mind was especially memorable.”
Hwi-won’s Experience
Hwi-won shared her excitement: “I really loved the close-up scene featuring the three cells. Each cell, like the rational cell and the anger cell, had a unique expression, so it was easy to tell which one was which. I even thought, ‘Ah, so this is the rational cell!’ It was such a fun moment.
Ji-min’s Experience
Ji-min talked about her experience with “Hooky”: “I liked how the scenes were displayed in a big, clear way. The part with the owl was so adorable, and that’s what stuck with me the most. I also loved the scene where Dani’s surprised face was shown up close — it really left an impression. The expressions were so well conveyed that it made the story even more immersive.
(Left) Jimin smiles while touching an owl drawing on the Dot Pad. (Right) Hyunha explores a pencil drawing on the Dot Pad.
(Left) Heewon is smiling brightly as she touches a scene from tactile comics on the Dot Pad. (Right) Seunghee is also exploring tactile comics.
Yerim, who enjoyed Yumi's Cells as a drama, shared her thoughts about seeing it as tactile comics.
"I think it’s really nice that the character’s name shows up on the Dot Pad when the character appears big. Also, if there are more screen descriptions on each page, it’ll be even more fun and easier to enjoy the comics!" she gave us some great feedback.
A hand touching a Dot Pad displaying a scene from the Naver webtoon Yumi's Cells and the 'Hooky' logo.
05_Enjoying digital tactile comics with the Dot Pad – Here’s How You Start!
Wondering how you can read Webtoons on a Dot Pad? Let us explain it simply for you!
First, get your Dot Pad ready along with a PC or iPad that can connect to Dot Cloud. That's all you need to get started!
How to Enjoy Webtoons with the Dot Pad
🛠️ What You Need
- A Dot Pad
- A device that can connect to Dot Pad, an iPad, PC(or laptop)
🔐 Log In
- Log in to Dot Apps > Dot Cloud
- Select the folder where your content is stored.
🔗 Connect
- Choose the content you want from the selected folder.
- Connect your Dot Pad via Bluetooth.
- Press the "Print" button to send the content to the Dot Pad.
📖 Enjoy Webtoons
- Use the Dot Pad to navigate through the pages and enjoy the comics
➕ Add More Content
- If the content you want isn't on Dot Cloud, upload images or PDF files to Dot Canvas.
- The content will be displayed on the Dot Pad in real-time, ready for you to enjoy!
An image showcasing the process of uploading a Webtoon logo file to Dot Canvas and having it appear on the Dot Pad in real-time.
A Multi-Sensory Approach for Everyone
This project aims to create comics that go beyond visuals, making them accessible not only to visually impaired users but also to sighted users. By incorporating tactile elements, we’re crafting a new, multi-sensory way for everyone to experience comics.
A New Era of Webtoons
The future of comics is all about diversity — offering people new and exciting ways to enjoy stories. Our tactile comics will make comics feel more familiar, friendly, and accessible to all.Experience It for Yourself! Contact us at ahrum@dotincorp.com and experience a whole new way to enjoy Dot Webtoons.