Your Guide to Manhwa: What It Is and Where to Read It

Manhwa is the Korean version of Japanese manga, and a general term Koreans use for comics and cartoons. But outside the country, it’s a specific term used for South Korean comics.

These are the things you should know when it comes to this particular form of literature.

Etymology of Manhwa

Derived from the Chinese manhua, which translates to “impromptu sketches,” manhwa has slowly gained popularity due to Japanese manga’s growth as a major influence on Japanese culture, and subsequently, the rest of the world.

Because of their similarities, manhwa is often confused with Japanese manga and Chinese manhua by people who are unfamiliar with these distinct styles.

Though both manhwa and manga were derived from Chinese manhua and share the same meaning, they have since evolved and gained their own distinct styles and themes.

Manhwa Culture

Historically, manhwa has struggled with strict censorship. When it was first gaining popularity, political and social movements had a big part in censoring manhwa, labeling it an obscene art form. Manhwa Haengjin, the first manhwa magazine, was quickly shut down in 1948 because authorities disliked the cover.

Much like today’s video games, manhwa was demonized by politicians, teachers, and lawmakers as encouraging a culture of sex and violence. At one point, children were punished for owning them, and confiscated manhwa were burned in Korean schoolyards.

People who create manhwa are called manhwaga, which translates to “cartoonist.” The rise of online content has made the reader-author relationship more dynamic. In some ways, they’re closer, but there are some manhwa writers whose identities are unknown, with only their pen names to identify them.

Manhwa attracts a wide variety of readers with its own wide range of available genres. Recently, BL (boys love) which are homoerotic stories about men, and Soonjeong (the equivalent of Japanese Shojo), which are romantic stories have gained a massive following. Both genres are aimed at young women.

Isegye, which translates to “different world,” has proven popular as well. Here, a protagonist is transported or reincarnated into a different world which often has fantasy themes. Psychological stories are also becoming common due to our growing interest in things that are dark and morbid.

There’s manhwa out there for people of any background and taste. It’s a free-for-all hobby, so you don’t have to worry about not finding anything to your liking.

How Do You Read Manhwa?

Unlike manga, which is read from right to left, manhwa is read horizontally and from left to right, much like English books. It can also be read vertically from right to left, and top to bottom.

Best Manhwa to Read Right Now

It’s easy to get overwhelmed with a long list of all the manhwa you could read. Here’s a few of my personal picks that should give you a well-rounded introduction to these comics:

1. True Beauty by Yaongyi

True Beauty explores South Korea’s fixation on appearance-based beauty. A shy, geeky girl watches countless beauty videos and decides to use makeup. Thanks to that, her popularity skyrockets. But what if everyone finds out about her true self?

2. Tower of God by Siu

Tower of God follows Twenty-Fifth Baam, a rather normal looking boy who enters a mysterious tower in search of his one and only friend, Rachel. The tower is home to countless puzzles, unique environments, special powers, and treasures that will test his skills and dedication to Rachel.

3. Bastard by Youngchan Hwang and Carnby Kim

Bastard follows the tale of Jin Seon, whose father is a serial killer. Frequently bullied at school and forced to be an accomplice to his father’s murders, he turns into a dark and brooding person. When his father takes an interest in a person who showed Jin kindness, will he finally find the courage to defy his father?

4. Magician by Serae Kim

Magician follows the exploits of three characters: Ethermask, an immortal magician looking for the secrets to his immortality; Iremi, a prodigy magician whose powers are unknowingly sealed; and Enzu, a talented swordsman seeking revenge for his father’s murder. They meet friends, uncover secrets, and face danger as they travel the length of the continent.

5. What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim? by Jung Kyung-yoon

Kim Mi-soo has been the perfect secretary to her narcissistic boss, Lee Young-joon for more than 9 years. But now she’s quitting and no one knows why. When no amount of bribing and cajoling changes her decision, Young-joon finally realizes how precious she was as his secretary, and maybe more.

Where Can You Read Manhwa?

Manhwa’s all the rage right now, with online content being the main catalyst for its most recent boom.

It’s even proven popular enough to be a threat to the Japanese print manga. Unfortunately, pirated versions may be the only options to read English translations of some webtoons, but let’s support the creators by checking out their works from legitimate sources.

Below are my top 3 favorite websites for reading manhwa. They offer both free and paid content, so there’s a lot of flexibility for you. Start your manhwa reading journey using the websites/apps below!

1. Webtoon (Browser and App)

In my opinion, Webtoons is the best platform out there for manhwa. It’s available for browsers and as an app, making it convenient and accessible.

All the series in Webtoons are free. There are certain restrictions though: generally, you can only read one chapter a day from a completed manhwa series. Ongoing series have regular release dates. All chapters will eventually be released for free, but if you want to quickly read through a series, you’ll have to buy coins to unlock them. It’s a balanced way of supporting creators while still making the content accessible for everyone.

2. Tapas (Browser and App)

Tapas has a wide selection of manhwa available, spanning a variety of genres. They offer a pretty balanced mix of free and premium content.

For premium content, the first few chapters are free. Anything beyond that will need “ink,” the site’s currency. Ink can be bought with real money, or earned through watching ads in their mobile app.

3. Toomics (Browser)

Toomics is a fairly new manhwa platform. One particularly awesome feature is that you can view a schedule of when new content will be released. You can buy coins to unlock individual chapters or purchase a monthly subscription for unlimited access to their content.

Manhwa in a Nutshell

Manhwa is an entertaining art that combines visual imagery with prose to deliver a unique story. Though some people consider it a thing for kids, manhwa has worthwhile stories that are relatable and can resonate with a wide range of demographics.

It’s definitely worth exploring, especially if you’re looking to expand your reading habits. It’s easy to understand, with a lot of options to choose from. This is an art form that’s perfect if you only have a few minutes to spare but still want to destress. Try it out sometime!

Do you have your own favorite manhwa, manga, or manhua? Share them in the comment section below!

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