Most anime fans are familiar with manga, which are Japanese comic books, but few are familiar withmanhwa, manga’s Korean counterpart. Manga has grown significantly in popularity in the past few years. While it has always been popular in Japan, it seems the United States and the Western world in general have found an unstoppable appreciation for this entertainment form, including anime.
Manga’s success has been outstanding. TheOne Piecemanga seriesby Eiichiro Oda is now the best-selling piece of literature written by a single person of all time, outselling the Batman comics and J.K. Rowling’sHarry Potter. However, what some anime fans don’t know is that many of their favorite manga series aren’t Japanese at all.
Manhwa is the general Korean term for Korean comics and has introduced stories such asSolo LevelingandThe God of High Schoolto a global audience.Manhwa is directly influenced by Japanese manga and is often confused with thembecause of their similar style and storytelling techniques.In addition to their immense popularity in Korea, Manhwa comics have branched outside the Eastern market into U.S.-based outlets such as Webtoon. Furthermore, manyManhwa have been adapted into movies, dramas, and television shows.
The 30 Best Webtoon Series Everyone Needs to Read
Webtoon has a little of something for everyone, with well over a million titles to choose from. Here are 30 of the best manhwa on the platform.
From Webtoon to Manta, Manhwa Fans Have Plenty of Reading Options to Choose From
Luckily for manga fans looking to get into manwha, the stories are available in similar places. One of the primary spots to find themost popular and newest manhwa seriesisWebtoon.The basic version of Webtoon is free to download. Once downloaded, Webtoon readers can use a Coins system to view available stories. Readers also have the option to unlock exclusive episodes for different amounts of time.
Furthermore, Coins also allow readers to gain early access to the newest comics by purchasing a Fast Pass. Webtoon also has free-browsing options, such as Daily Passes that refresh daily or Free Coins that are periodically given during promotions. Lastly, Webtoon exclusive original series are free to read, and ongoing series are updated weekly.
While Webtoon is undoubtedly the most popular comic library, according to GameRant,Manta is another great option for reading manhwa. This subscription-based platform allows readers access to all comics for a single, straightforward fee of $4.99 monthly. Manta is available to comic readers through a website and mobile app, with a highly-rated interface that immediately displays the highest-rated series, completed stories, and top hits in a specific genre.
However, aside from these recommended resources, a plethora of other libraries exist, such as Tapas, Tappytoon, Lezhin Comics, Toomics, INKR Comics, and Pocket Comics.
What Are Manhwa’s Unique Traits?
Manhwa, in the form that is known and experienced now, has grown in popularity in recent years. As such, the style and approach of manhwa creators can be defined asmore modern and technology-influencedcompared to the manga industry, which can be still quite traditional. This is why the majority of popular manhwa are webtoons, and this form of digital publication inevitably influences their look and style.
Many manhwa, includingSolo Leveling, are digitally colored. Furthermore, they are often conceived to be read vertically, making the experience significantly different from that of a manga. Finally, manhwa creators seem to privilege topics and genres that are proven to be successful, such as fantasy or isekai. Anotherincredibly popular manhwa genre is the Villainess one, or Otome, where the protagonist is reincarnated inside a story-based romance videogame, usually in the role of the evil antagonist.
There is No Limit to the Variety of Manhwa Stories Available to New Readers
Perhaps the most well-known manhwa series in 2024isSolo Leveling.Based on the manhwa webtoon series,Solo Levelingis an action-adventure fantasy anime originally created by Chugong.The story follows Sung Jinwoo, who is slain in the depths of a high-level dungeon. He is reborn, however, and this time, he has a plan. Utilizing a unique program that only he can see and interact with, Jinwoo begins leveling up remarkably fast, and he now intends to use his newfound strength to cure his mother’s illness and rise up in the world.
Aside fromSolo Leveling,there are countless other series perfect for manga fans hoping todive into the world of manhwa.Great starter seriesincludeEleceed, Legend of the Northern Blade, Leveling Up with the Gods, Limit Breaker, Mercenary Enrollment, Omniscient Reader Viewpoint,andThe Beginning After the End.
While manga has an infinite number of stories to explore, fans often find themselves wanting to explore the stories of other Asian cultures as well. Manhwa, comics from Korea, are the perfect transition into discovering what the world’s storytellers have to offer. From the similar art style to the recognizable storytelling tactics, manga fans won’t feel a massive change from manga to manhwa. However, through websites like Webtoon or Manta,manhwagives readers the key to unlocking a whole new world of stories, waiting to be explored.
