Star Trek Celebrates 60 Years: Discover the New Webtoon Series ‘Stargazers’ and ‘Recollection’

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By Yoo-rim Jeong, iNews24 — The celebrated U.S. science-fiction series Star Trek is marking its 60th anniversary this year by reaching fans in a new format: webtoons.

On May 18, Webtoon Entertainment, the U.S. arm of Naver Webtoon, said it will join a campaign celebrating Star Trek’s 60th anniversary. As part of the collaboration, two original webtoons — “Stargazers” and “Recollection” — will be published on Webtoon Entertainment’s English service. “Stargazers” launched on May 17 (local time); “Recollection” is scheduled for release in the second half of the year.

Since the first TV series premiered in 1966, Star Trek has expanded its intellectual property across films, novels, games and animation. This is the franchise’s first time presenting its IP as a webtoon specifically optimized for smartphones.

Industry observers say the partnership reflects a broader trend: global franchises are turning to webtoons to connect with younger audiences. With many longtime fans aging, attracting new users has become a priority, and webtoons offer a mobile-native way to reach younger readers. Naver Webtoon’s global platform, WEBTOON, estimates that roughly 75 percent of its North American users are Generation Z (born in the mid-1990s through the early 2010s).

Webtoon Entertainment, which has been pushing into overseas markets, hopes to boost awareness by adapting IPs that resonate with Western audiences and have established fandoms. The company sees this as a way to draw in people who might not normally read webtoons.

The company has already established collaborations with major entertainment firms. In March, Webtoon Entertainment teamed with Blizzard Entertainment to publish the 40-episode original webtoon “Overwatch: Undivided” to mark Overwatch’s 10th anniversary; the title attracted an estimated 10,000-plus readers on its first day.

A Naver Webtoon spokesperson said companies that own global franchise IPs are using Naver Webtoon as a platform to expand fandoms and build out their fictional worlds. The spokesperson added that the company plans to continue fostering a virtuous cycle and driving growth through diverse collaborations.