A Study on the Influence of Standardized Field Training on the Career Identity of Webtoon Majors

This study conducted semi-structured, in-depth interviews with five graduates majoring in webtoon and analyzed the data by applying Moustakas’(1994) phenomenological analysis procedure. The purpose was to explore howparticipation in a standardized field training semester influenced their careerawareness, professional identity, creative attitudes, and the reconfiguration of theircareer and major perceptions after graduation. The analysis yielded five key themes. First, participants recognized the realities of the industry by experiencing longworking hours and collaborative structures during the training. Second, feedbackfrom writers and editors contributed to technical growth, emotional support, andmotivation. Third, participants re-identified roles suitable for themselves and shiftedfrom a writer-centered perspective to a team-based role recognition. Fourth, workefficiency, collaboration skills, and the acceptance of feedback were enhanced. Fifth, the training experience contributed to the reconfiguration of career perceptionsafter graduation through portfolio utilization and job adaptation. This study holds academic significance as one of the first qualitative inquiries intostandardized field training among webtoon majors and provides foundational datafor improving internship programs in webtoon education. However, it is limited byits small sample size and confinement to a single institution. Future research shouldexpand the sample, adopt mixed-method designs, reflect industrial changes, andconduct long-term longitudinal studies.