Korean manwha, or Webtoons have recently seen a surge of popularity, to the point that it has breached the mainstream. With numerous titles being made into adaptations, whether it’s in the form of an anime like with Tower of God, or being turned into a live-action adaptation such as Netflix’s Black Knight, it’s suffice to say Webtoons are here to stay for the foreseeable future.
Given the vast options to choose from, it can be rather confusing to figure out just where to start. Fret not, we got you covered with our personal picks of Webtoons that you need to check out.
Solo Leveling
In a world where hunters, human warriors who possess supernatural abilities must fend off against powerful monsters in order to protect the human race from annihilation, hunter Sung Jinwoo, who is dubbed as the “weakest hunter” finds himself in an endless struggle to survive and provide for his family.
One day, Jinwoo stumbles upon a dangerous double dungeon hidden within a low-rank dungeon that nearly wipes out his entire party. After narrowly surviving, a mysterious program called the System chooses Jinwoo as its sole player, granting him the rare ability to level up in strength.
Solo Leveling is perhaps one of the most talked about Webtoon out there, and with good reason given its legendary status. Packed with intense fight scenes, gorgeous art, and a pretty interesting plot, Solo Leveling is one series that power fantasy fans will need to have on their list.
The Breaker
The Breaker follows the journey of Shioon, a high school student who finds himself being entangled in a world of martial arts and hidden powers.Constantly bullied, Shioon witnesses the exceptional fighting skills of his new English teacher, Chunwoo.
Determined to become his disciple, Shioon must prove his unwavering determination by putting his life on the line. As Shioon enters the Murim, the secret world of martial arts, he embarks on a life-changing adventure under the tutelage of his mentor.
The Breaker is a series for the martial arts fans out there, the action sequences in the Webtoon feature explosive expressions and well-choreographed fight scenes that will satisfy you cravings.
Tower of God
The story centres around a boy named Twenty-Fifth Bam, who has spent his life trapped beneath a mysterious tower, accompanying him is his one and only close friend, Rachel. One day, Rachel finds her way into the mysterious tower, which is said to grant anyone who reaches the top any wish.
Not wanting to be left alone, Bam manages to enter the tower as well, and in order to make his way to the top, he is forced to complete a dangerous challenge at every level.
What makes Tower of God interesting is the world-building the series presents the readers, in both the Tower itself, and its unique magic system called Shinsu. The Webtoon also does a good job at how they flesh out the characters in the series, giving them depth as a person.
Lookism
Lookism follows Park Hyung Seok, an unpopular high school student who is often looked down on and bullied by his fellow students for his obesity. After being bullied and harassed every day, he takes out his anger by lashing out at his mother and decides to move to Seoul and start a new life.
Days before he starts his new life at school, Hyung Seok finds himself waking up in an attractive and handsome body. It turns out, he can switch between the two bodies when one wakes the other, the handsome one during the day, and the original at night.
The story of Lookism offers a unique plot while at the same time, tackles a prominent issue in the real world about discrimination based on looks.
Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint
Kim Dokja was an average office worker whose sole interest was reading his favourite web novel “Three Ways to Survive in a Ruined World”. But when the novel suddenly becomes reality, he is the only person who knows how the world will end.
Caught off-guard with this realisation, Dokja uses his understanding to change the course of the story, the world, as he knows it, by solving and conquering challenges known as scenarios.
Watching Dokja’s race against time to alter the course of fate is addicting, adding in beautiful art and stunning fight sequences with a plot that gets more interesting as it progresses. Given the recent buzz that this series might be getting an anime adaptation, it’s the perfect time to catch up to the Webtoon.