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“Feed Him Treats, He’ll Talk Back”: My Daughter is a Zombie ‘Ae-yong’ bot Hooks Tamagotchi Generation

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“Feed Him Treats, He’ll Talk Back”: My Daughter is a Zombie ‘Ae-yong’ bot Hooks Tamagotchi Generation
Type	Other	Genre	New Technologies

“Feed Him Treats, He’ll Talk Back”

: My Daughter is a Zombie ‘Ae-yong’ bot Hooks Tamagotchi Generation

This content shows how IPs can live beyond their original format by offering gamified,

AIpowered character interactions.

It taps into nostalgia and Gen Z engagement patterns in ways that could reshape how we think about

character monetization.

Naver Webtoon launched an AI chatbot for "Ae-yong" from “My Daughter is a Zombie” ahead of the movie

release, using their Character Chat platform. This isn't just another transmedia move from Webtoon

to film – it's Naver's first jump into persistent, interactive AI products. Gen Z already loves Tamagotchi-style

digital pets and chatbots like Zeta, which is huge among Korean teens. "Ae-yong" works similarly but with

more depth.

Fans can feed, pet, or play with him, and he evolves from making cat sounds to having full conversations

based on how much attention he gets. The bot even discusses movie characters and actors, making

the whole IP experience more immersive.

Early results show Webtoon traffic bumped up after the teaser dropped, suggesting Character Chat could be

a solid retention and monetization tool.

♦ AI-Driven Fandom Ecosystem Extension

Naver turned passive fans into active caretakers by adding this gamified, conversational layer.

This builds stronger emotional investment and keeps IP relevant way longer than traditional

consumption cycles, potentially boosting fan lifetime value significantly.

♦ Scalable Transmedia Monetization Model

Character Chat creates new revenue streams by turning character interactions into standalone products.

It shows how even supporting characters can drive IP growth across different formats, building loyalty-

driven ecosystems that could work globally.

Source

The Korea Economic Daily. (2025. 7. 27)

Source

The Korea Economic Daily