South Korean comic book fans used to hang out in neighborhood comic cafes called "daebonso." However, times have changed and now, the market for ‘webtoons’ or e-comic book services, is bigger than that of paper comic books.

The 14th Bucheon International Comics Festival opened on Wednesday in Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province for a five-day run, ending on Sunday.

This year's festival is ushering in the new age of “smartoon,” which are comic services available on mobile gadgets such as smartphones.

Pages are turned or magnified with a simple touch on the center of the screen. Readers can choose what page to read next and even concoct their own stories.

In addition, the festival introduces digital comic books written by foreign writers as well as a wide range of related exhibitions and hands-on events.