RIDI
| Private | |
| ISIN | 🆔 |
| Industry | Content |
| Founded 📆 | 2008 |
| Founder 👔 | BAE Ki-sik |
| Headquarters 🏙️ | , , |
Area served 🗺️ | Global |
| Products 📟 | Manta (platform), RIDI |
| Revenue🤑 | $200 million (2022) |
| Members | |
Number of employees | |
| 🌐 Website | ridicorp |
| 📇 Address | |
| 📞 telephone | |
RIDI Corporation (commonly known as RIDI) is one of South Korea's largest digital content companies offering e-book, webnovel, and webcomic services.[1] The company owns both RIDI (formerly Ridibooks),[2] a digital content platform catering to Korean users, and Manta, a global digital comics service.[3][4]
History
Founded in 2008 by Kisik Bae, RIDI initially started as an e-book platform in South Korea under the name Ridibooks. In 2017, the company expanded its content offerings from e-book to include webnovels (or webfiction),[5] and later ventured into webcomics.[6][7] In November 2020, RIDI introduced Manta, a subscription-based digital comics platform targeting the North American market.[8]
In February 2022, RIDI raised $99.4 million in a funding round led by Singapore sovereign wealth fund GIC, along with other investors including Korea Development Bank, NVESTOR, and Atinum Investment, at a valuation of $1.3 billion.[9][10][11] RIDI then became the first content platform startup in Korea to achieve unicorn status.[1]
In March 2022, the company underwent a rebranding process, changing its platform name from Ridibooks to RIDI to establish itself as a content platform to consume all types of content.
Content
E-book
RIDI initially focused on e-books and offered RIDI Paper, an equivalent to Amazon Kindle, and e-book services on other mobile devices such as smartphones, tablets, and PCs.[8]
Webnovels
RIDI expanded its services by introducing webnovels, which involved breaking down books into shorter chapters and presenting them in a serialized format optimized for mobile readers.[8] Notable titles include Under the Oak Tree by KIM Suji,[12] which is set to be published in print by Inklore, a new imprint of Penguin Random House.[12] The title is also available as a Kindle version available on Amazon.[13]
Webcomics
Building upon their extensive portfolio of intellectual properties (IP) acquired through e-books and webnovels, RIDI recognized an opportunity to venture into webcomics.[5] By adapting their original textual IPs into a webcomic format, RIDI now offers webcomics in both Korean and English through the RIDI and Manta platforms. Notable titles include:
- Under the Oak Tree (RIDI and Manta[14])
- Disobey the Duke if You Dare (RIDI and Manta[15])
- Finding Camellia (RIDI and Manta[16])
- The Superheroes of Class F (Manta[17])
See also
- Manta (platform)
- Webnovel
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Wang, Catherine. "Korean Webcomic Platform RIDI Hits Unicorn Status With GIC-Led Round". Forbes. Retrieved 2023-07-05.
- ↑ "리디, 리디북스 서비스명 `리디`로 변경…콘텐츠 플랫폼으로 도약". 매일경제 (in 한국어). 2022-03-31. Retrieved 2023-07-18.
- ↑ Frater, Patrick (2023-07-06). "Manta, Korean Webtoons Firm, Hatches In-House Production Facility, Launching Ten Comic Series (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 2023-07-07.
- ↑ "리디의 웹툰 구독서비스 '만타', 웹툰시장의 넷플릭스 꿈꾼다". it.donga.com (in 한국어). 2021-04-30. Retrieved 2023-07-18.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 "ICv2 Interview: Moonseok Jeong, Manta COO & Head of Content". icv2.com. Retrieved 2023-07-05.
- ↑ 오, 유교 (2023-05-25). "[K체인저스]⑨글로벌 웹툰 신흥강자로 떠오른 리디". Asia Economy (in 한국어). Retrieved 2023-07-25.
- ↑ 이코노미스트 (2022-08-21). "‘웹툰·웹소설’ 플랫폼으로 변신한 리디, 어떤 성과 낼까?". 이코노미스트 (in 한국어). Retrieved 2023-07-25.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Jang, Jiwon (2022-05-23). "RIDI CEO BAE Ki-Sik Interview - How Korean webcomics platform RIDI emerged as unicorn". Forbes Korea. Retrieved 2023-07-05.
- ↑ 황금빛 (2022-04-02). "유니콘 '리디'…고평가받은 '만타'의 경쟁력은?". 블로터 (in 한국어). Retrieved 2023-07-25.
- ↑ Global, K. E. D. "Ridi becomes first Korean content platform unicorn". KED Global. Retrieved 2023-07-05.
- ↑ "RIDI' valuation doubles in a year after digital contents launch in N. America - Pulse by Maeil Business News Korea". pulsenews.co.kr (in 한국어). Retrieved 2023-07-18.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 MacDonald, Heidi (2023-06-28). "Syndicated Comics". The Beat. Retrieved 2023-07-05.
- ↑ "S. Korean web novel Under the Oak Tree joins Amazon Best Seller chart - Pulse by Maeil Business News Korea". m.pulsenews.co.kr (in 한국어). Retrieved 2023-07-05.
- ↑ Comments, Adi Tantimedh | Last updated | (2023-06-22). "Under the Oak Tree: Manta Announces Season 3 of Romance Series". bleedingcool.com. Retrieved 2023-07-05.
- ↑ Aoki, Deb (2023-03-17). "Syndicated Comics". The Beat. Retrieved 2023-07-05.
- ↑ "Three Romance Comics Make Their Return to Manta". The Nerds of Color. 2023-04-07. Retrieved 2023-07-05.
- ↑ "Manta Announces Its First-Ever Original Action Series, The Superheroes of Class F". CBR. 2023-05-21. Retrieved 2023-07-05.
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