What is Manhwa?

 

What is Manhwa?

Have you heard of Manhwa before?

I'm sure you did, or you wouldn't be here, right?

Maybe you have read a lot of Manga and want to read something new.

Or maybe you are just curious about what Manhwa is.

If this is what happens to you, then let me tell you everything you should know before jumping into the Manhwa world.

Shall we begin?

What is Manhwa?

Manhwa is a general term Koreans use for the Korean comic-style or printed cartoon, which, more lately, has been used to describe South Korean comic books.

But unlike Japanese Manga, which uses page arrangement from right to left, the page order in Manhwa is from left to right, following the Western reading style.

What's its etymology?

Manhwa (만화) is a general term for comics, including animated cartoons.

Both Manhwa and the Japanese term Manga (漫画), are derived from the Chinese term Manhua (漫画). Which means “impromptu sketches,”

How did it start?

You may think that Manhwa is a copy of the Japanese Manga. But that is not correct; the Manhwa has its history. 

You should know that, historically, the first appearance of Manhwa in South Korean print media was in the early twentieth century during the Japanese occupation.

South Korean cartoonists used it to criticize the Japanese occupiers who continued to colonize Korea in the 1910s. 

Throughout this occupation, the Manwha continued its anti-Japanese propaganda, critiquing how the government treated the people and calling for freedom.

And throughout the late 20th century, it shifted from politics to children's cartoons and humorous illustrations.

They even created a magazine called Manhwa Segye, especially for Manhwa.

At that time, Manhwa was used for political propaganda during the Korean War to boost the morale of weary citizens. And in the early sixties of the last century, its popularity increased following the Korean War.

Because of that, there was strict censorship.

Politicians and academics have criticized it as promoting sex and violence and as a type of depraved art.

All those kids who confiscated Manhwa got punished for having it. But that could not prevent it from expanding more than ever.

How did it become popular?

What has it become now?

You should know that in the early part of this century, its popularity increased dramatically because of its free display on the internet.

And I think its similarity to Japanese Manga also helps a lot. People who do not know the difference in their patterns get easily confused.

Where Can You Read Manhwa?

Manhwa is considered a threat to Japanese print manga. Because of its spread all over the world, unfortunately, pirated versions may be the only option to read English translations of some webtoons, but let’s support the creators by checking out their works from legitimate sources.

Here are some of my favorite websites for reading Manhwa. They offer you both free and paid content. So you can choose what you like.

Webtoon (Browser and App)

For me, Webtoon is one of the best platforms to read Manhwa. It is available on browsers and as an app, making it convenient and accessible.

All the series on Webtoons are free. However, there are limitations: for the most part, you can read one chapter a day from a completed manhwa series. The Progressing Series has regular release dates. 

But eventually, all the chapters will be released for free. However, if you want to read through the series quickly and unlock them, you'll need to buy coins. It is a balanced way of supporting creators while making the content accessible to everyone.

Tapas (Android, IOS, Browser)

They call themselves the YouTube of comics. 

It feels a bit correct to me. Mostly due to having a wide selection of Manhwa available. And divided by genre to make it easy to find. They provide a well-balanced combination of free and premium content.

If you do not have money to buy "ink" the site currency, then, to earn it, you'll need to watch ads in their mobile app. Because the first few chapters are free, but anything beyond that will need "ink."

Tappytoon (Android, IOS, Browser)

Have you heard of the Solo Leveling series?

Tappytoon is the home of that Manhwa, and like the other platforms, you can browse series by genre or recent updates.

You can read the first few sample chapters for free, and use tokens to access the rest of the series.

Why should you read Manhwa?

Even if some people think Manhwa is for children, that does not change the fact that it offers valuable tales that are realistic and can resonate with a wide variety of demographics.

If you have watched a lot of Manga and Anime, then I highly recommend you to the Manhwa.

Because Manhwa is simple to understand with many options, if you only have a few minutes to spend yet want to relax, this is the ideal kind of art. Give it a try!

Conclusion: What is Manhwa?

That brings us to the end of this article I hope you understand what is Manhwa? and how it starts.

Btw, where did you hear of Manhwa? Tell me in the comments...