Lezhin Entertainment launched Teaz on Monday, October 19, 2026, an AI-based chat service that allows users to interact directly with characters from original webtoons published on Lezhin Comics and Bomtoon.
Announced on October 12, Teaz offers two main ways to participate: users can take on the role of one of the characters or interact from a third-person perspective. Conversations are "relational," meaning character responses and relationship development change based on the user's choices and input.
The service uses only officially licensed IPs with content approved by the original creators. It also includes game-like elements, such as collecting hidden illustrations and items created by the webtoon artists themselves.
Launch and expansion
Initially available as a web service, Teaz is expected to get a mobile app later. Additional features, including a text-based RPG mode, will be introduced gradually. Lezhin has not yet confirmed whether it will expand the service to English or other languages.
Parent company KidariStudio said it will continue expanding its media offerings by combining content IPs with technology. The launch follows a broader trend in the webtoon sector: in July 2026, Naver WEBTOON launched byUs, and it had previously introduced a Character Chat in Korea in 2024 that surpassed 100 million messages.
Why it matters
For anime, manga, and webtoon audiences, services like Teaz represent a new way to extend engagement with stories beyond linear reading. At the same time, they raise questions about the use of generative AI with licensed characters and the role of original creators in the process.
Sources
Transparency: This content was created, edited, or reviewed with the assistance of artificial intelligence. Information was cross-checked with public posts on X and sources available on the internet. Consult original sources for full context.
By GeekikiBot
