Chapter 68
Chapter 68
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 68
Chapter Title: Back to Nature
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◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ LiliaToon conference room.
The meeting, starting earlier than usual, had everyone looking weary.
Still, a meeting was a meeting, so they were chugging coffee to wake up and somehow staying focused.
"Alright, we'll go with that on this agenda... Jo-wan PD, what's the status on the Dasimaling author?"
After wrapping up a few items, it was time for the PDs' routine reports.
Lately, all sorts of rumors were flying around, and the Dasimaling author's personal blog serial had risen to the top of the list.
The one handling matters with Dasimaling author right now was PD Lee Jo-wan.
So, he cleared his throat and answered the Team Leader's question cautiously.
"Yes. We've sent an email warning of potential copyright infringement reports and proposing either taking down the work or signing a contract."
"Any reply yet?"
The Team Leader scratched his head nonchalantly with his pen and asked again.
Since it was a task he'd personally assigned, he stared seriously at PD Lee Jo-wan, expecting a positive response.
The blog reactions were pretty good anyway, and he figured recontracting would let them scoop up those dozens of readers from the blog.
"No reply yet. But I expect to hear back today, so I'll report immediately."
The Team Leader figured the Dasimaling author's response would be one of two things.
Contract or refuse.
Contract would be great.
Refuse would be a shame.
But since it was just a hobby piece on a blog that wasn't making money, he assumed they'd likely recontract.
So he nodded indifferently to PD Lee Jo-wan's report.
"Okay, handle it that way. If they push back to litigation, we'll need to loop in legal right away, so report the moment you hear."
Unlike the nonchalant Team Leader, PD Lee Jo-wan felt uneasy about treating a creator's work so lightly.
But he'd crossed the point of no return long ago.
Lee Jo-wan.
He knew full well that his colleagues called him the "Early Finale Machine," playing off his name.
Doing your job well meant toeing the company line.
Cutting works that didn't perform.
Polishing unique concepts into mass-appeal hits.
And if authors balked, squeezing them with breach-of-contract penalties.
He'd started in this because he loved comics, but the reality was a nonstop chain of tasks against his ideals.
'This isn't why I became a PD...'
He knew this could seriously hurt Dasimaling author, but he couldn't refuse.
'Whatever. It's just work.'
He was an employee first, PD second.
Do what you're told, or quit.
So even knowing better, he'd sent that email to Dasimaling author.
Even hounding a personal blog hobby project felt too much.
He thought his conscience was worn out, but apparently not.
He tried to shake off stray thoughts and focus on the Team Leader's dry spiel.
Then, mid-meeting.
His pocket buzzed with a new email.
"...Got it. For that work, we'll keep the story direction but amp up exposure per episode."
As discussion on another project wrapped, PD Lee Jo-wan informed the Team Leader about the email.
Dasimaling author's reply boiled down to this.
[Understood. I'll set the serial episodes to private on the blog.] "What? Just giving up like that?"
The Team Leader scowled, clicked his tongue, and muttered to himself.
But he didn't react much beyond that.
It was within expectations anyway.
"Fine, got it. Looks like recontracting with Dasimaling is off the table now. Find us similar-vibe works."
"...Understood."
With that, PD Lee Jo-wan closed his eyes briefly, guilt washing over him for erasing yet another creator from the world.
Regret wouldn't bring back the authors who'd already quit.
'Haa...'
His head grew even more tangled.
'I want to quit.'
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ ◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Hello, this is Dasimaling.
The work I was serializing on my blog has been flagged for similarity to my previous completed series on LiliaToon.
As a result, I received a copyright infringement warning from LiliaToon and have agreed, switching the episodes to private.
I'm truly sorry for confusing readers with this sudden action. I hope to return someday with new works or resolved issues.
Thank you for loving my work all this time.
Comments disabled on this short notice.
The moment the notice went up, all of Dasimaling author's blog webtoon episodes went private.
It was brief, and the readership wasn't huge, but the ripple effects weren't small.
With comments locked, real-time followers had nowhere to vent and wandered to personal SNS or communities.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ 📰 Community Post [Dasimaling Author Update] (Screenshot of the blog notice) Remaking her own past work and serializing it as a hobby on her blog, but got axed for copyright. 💬 Comments — Anon Her own work, and no copyright? — Anon — It was on their platform, so yeah. — Anon — Nah, it was free on personal blog. Still flagged? — Anon Isn't LiliaToon that famous platform? — Anon — Yeah. — Anon Big platform LILIA TOON! — Anon Typical no-class company. — Anon They scout personal author blogs? Scary... Such community posts.
📰 SNS @origuakgwak 1hr ago Whoa, this platform is legendary. Taking down even hobby comics on an author's personal blog? (Screenshot of Dasimaling's notice) 💬 Replies — @fiiiiiiida 40min Even picking fights over hobby blog serials? Gotta cancel my LLT sub... — @umg11102 38min LLT is like that? No more payments starting today. Poor author ㅠㅠ ⭐ Top Reply — @alaoals302 30min My sister serialized on LLT, says they treat authors like disposable tools. Since they own the creators, this is just business as usual there. — @loveJkin 27min ↳ Reply Whoa ㅠㅠ Tough break for your sis... — @lilifolia1020 3min Has your sis actually serialized there? These types always spout secondhand BS. — @dongdongchoco13 2min Wait, isn't this normal...? Platform owns the IP if serialized there. Why the outrage? Such SNS reactions too.
Thus, Dasimaling author's notice spread across SNS, communities, personal blogs, even author forums.
Why did it blow up so much?
Simple reason.
Dasimaling's new blog serial was doing way better than expected.
A public blog anyone could see.
Thus, anyone could share it.
Plus, steady uploads at solid quality despite being freeform—it was buzzing.
So Dasimaling's comic was floating around sites and SNS knowingly or not.
Hence, the fallout hit LiliaToon harder than they anticipated.
[Hello, Author. This is OaO Management, advancing alongside creators.] [Greetings. PD Yoo Han-jin from Repid Platform, here to help Dasimaling Author.] [Attorney Choi Han-woo here. Reached out after hearing your story.] And the ripples reached Dasimaling author positively.
Management, platform PDs, even lawyers offering help.
"What is this...?"
He hadn't expected it to escalate like this and was flustered.
But also deeply moved, chest tightening.
'Not the time for this.'
But he couldn't freeze.
Shaking off the emotion, he dove into drafting a thank-you email to his supporter who'd kept him drawing.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "Total chaos out there."
Scouting SNS and communities, things were unfolding as I'd hoped.
Well, the work spreading farther than expected amplified it, but not in a bad way.
Honestly, a tiny bit.
Just a smidge of show-off urge hit me.
That turret song my streamer buddy always blasts popped into my head.
Anyway, good for the author—what's the harm?
And the clean notice from Dasimaling played a role in the spread.
'Pro is pro.'
She's been through the wringer, clearly.
Knows what to say and what to skip.
Her prior email was crisp too—signs of experience.
'Now, what to do with this...'
Watching my plan play out was fun.
But this unforeseen snag had me a bit thrown.
An email to Dasimaling.
Super long, but summary: immense gratitude beyond words.
And now flooded with offers from platforms, management, even lawyers.
Can't decide solo—wants my input.
'Hmm...'
For Dasimaling, this is a once-in-a-lifetime shot.
Major platform handles copyright, steady serialization means a job.
'Less pay than I give, though.'
More money's useless if it vanishes next month.
Freelancers crave stability for a reason.
Look at my support—even I'm not immune to whims.
If I cut it suddenly, she'd starve.
'I get it, but it's tricky.'
"Hm..."
Logically, let her go.
But then my read ends abruptly again.
That's why I asked for private serialization.
'Defeats the purpose.'
I pursed my lips, reread the email.
Sighed long, decided.
'Yeah, keeping her is selfish.'
I could factory her into my collection, churning webtoons on demand.
But how's that different from LiliaToon?
'She deserves a better, stable home.'
Plus, she checked with me first, not jumping at offers.
An upright person like that succeeding big benefits readers too.
So.
'...Let her go.'
Feels like rehabbing an injured wild animal and releasing it.
Unlike beasts vanishing without word.
[Thank you so, so much. And no major changes to episodes, so I can keep sending new chapters first like before. No, I will. Plus merch, books, signatures—whatever, you'll get first dibs. Truly grateful.] "...Feels good, anyway."
Dasimaling and I can keep a solid connection going forward.
And first dibs on webtoons? Perfect.