Words by Lorraine Giron
From music to food, Korea’s influence has gone beyond its popular culture. Aside from the aforementioned, there is another medium that is gaining global popularity recently. These are South Korean digital comics, also known as Webtoons! Many of the hit Korean dramas Filipino viewers love are actually adapted from webtoons. The variety of webtoons make it a good source material for live action dramas.
Webtoons are accessible through many manga platforms, but the most convenient is by downloading the LINE Webtoon app by Naver. With this app, you can enjoy reading translated chapters on the go. One has to be patient because some ongoing webtoons are not frequently updated. If you have time and are interested in knowing more, here are some of the good webtoons that you can start with:
8. Tower of God
Photo Credits to Tower of God wiki
Tower of God was written and illustrated by Lee Jong-hui under the pseudonym SIU. The webtoon follows the life of a boy named Twenty-Fifth Bam, who has lived underground in a Tower all his life. He only has Rachel, his best friend, as a companion. However, Rachel is determined to see the stars in the night sky at the top of the Tower at any cost. Therefore, she leaves Bam and goes inside the Tower. Saddened by this, Bam enters the tower in search of Rachel. To make it to the top is no easy feat and fans will enjoy Bam’s journey to the top.
7. Noblesse
Photo Credits to Goboiano
Noblesse was written by Son Jeho and illustrated by Lee Kwangsu. Noblesse is not your typical vampire story. The webtoon follows the life of Cadis Etrama Di Raizel, also known as Rai, who has awakened after 820 years of sleep. Because of this, he has no idea about the modern world. He has successfully reunited with Frankenstein, his royal servant, in a high school in South Korea. With his help, Rai enrolls in the school, learns more about the new civilization, and befriends a group of students. Together, they battle against secret organizations that seek power and control over the world. Noblesse has a unique and intriguing story and characters, which is why it is not surprising that it is one of the most popular manhwa created.
6. The Gamer
Photo Credits to Goodreads
The Gamer is written by Sung Sang-Young and illustrated by Sang-Ah. Han Ji-Han is an ordinary high school student who is obsessed with playing video games. One day, he acquires “The Gamer,” a special ability to treat the real world the same way characters in a video game RPG would. He can “level up,” increase his stats, see other people’s power levels among others. However, his life totally changes once he discovers the Abyss, a completely new world for people with the same ability as his. The Abyss is divided into four districts controlled by three factions. The webtoon follows Ji-Han as he grows stronger in order to protect himself and the people he loves against dangerous situations brought by The Abyss.
5. Oh! Holy
Photo Credits to Anime-Planet
Oh! Holy is written and illustrated by Ahyun. Jamie Oh is that quiet and loner kid in school. Which is why he gets shocked when perfect school idol Holy Joo talks to him on the first day of school. Jamie and Holy are actually childhood best friends but when Jamie had to move houses in the past, he overheard Holy say that they weren’t friends in front of other boys teasing them. Because of this, Jamie became quiet and unsociable. With Holy reaching out again, will they be able to regain their friendship? What adventures are in store for them?
Fans love Oh! Holy because of its humor. It is perfect if you’re looking for a lighthearted read.
Photo Credits to blackandyellowotakugamers.com
ALSO READ: BTS Drops Webtoon and Fans are Loving It So Far
4. My ID is Gangnam Beauty
Photo Credits to Tea Manga
My ID is Gangnam Beauty was written and illustrated by Kee Maeng Kee. The webtoon follows the life of Kang Mirae who has been bullied all her life for her weight and appearance. This eventually led her to undergo plastic surgery before college. With her new and attractive face, one might think that life will finally be smooth sailing. However, this completely backfires on Mirae as she is subjected to the pressures of being a “pretty girl.” Worse, she is still ridiculed for being a “Gangnam Beauty.” “Gangnam Beauty ” is a derogatory term used to describe someone who became pretty because of plastic surgery. Gangnam is known for being an affluent area in Seoul and it is where many plastic surgery clinics reside.
What makes the webtoon stood out among the other stories with a similar premise was its interesting take on a cliche yet sensitive topic. It is actually a more realistic portrayal of how society perceives plastic surgery. My ID is Gangnam Beauty was adapted into a drama in 2018 starring Im Soo-hyang, Cha Eun-woo, Jo Woo-ri, and Kwak Dong-yeon.
Photo Credits to Kpopmap
3. Cheese in the Trap
Photo Credits to Goboiano
Cheese in the Trap was written and illustrated by Soonkki. It is one of the most popular webtoons created. The webtoon follows the life of Hong Seol, a student who just came back to university after taking a break. She works hard in order to obtain her university’s scholarship. Seol gets involved with Yoo Jung, a popular senior and it makes her life harder. However, in the latter years of their university life, Yoo Jung is suddenly acting like they’re close. What is with their love-hate relationship? What could possibly be Yoo Jung’s motive in getting close to Seol?
First of all, I love the art style in Cheese in the Trap. Second, I love the characters because I personally see myself in Seol. Yoo Jung is such an interesting character, and you will know why once you read the webtoon. Lastly, the story and how it is paced is different and exciting. Cheese in the Trap was adapted into a Drama in 2016 starring Park Hae-jin and Kim Go-eun.
Photo Credits to MyDramaList
2. True Beauty
Photo Credits to Amino Apps
True Beauty is an ongoing webtoon written and illustrated by Yaongyi. The webtoon follows the life of Jugyeong Lim who was bullied by her peers in her previous high school (and even her family) for being unattractive and ugly. She is described to have acne and mono-lids, characteristics which don’t fall under Korea’s beauty standards. However, this changed when she started binge-watching beauty videos on YouTube. After mastering the art of makeup, her look has completely changed and she is now considered the most beautiful girl in her new high school! However, her ordeal is not yet over. How long will her newfound fame last? Most importantly, how long can she conceal her true “self”?
1. Lookism
Photo Credits to Anime Planet
Lookism is the one that got me into reading webtoons and still remains as my favorite webtoon. It is written and illustrated by Park Tae Joon. Lookism refers to prejudice or discrimination based on physical appearance. From the title, you can already form an idea as to what the webtoon is about.
Lookism follows the life of Daniel Park who, like many other protagonists, is bullied and harassed for being fat and ugly. Unable to tolerate it anymore, he transfers to a new school in hopes of a fresh start. However, the night before his first day at his new school, he obtains a new body and ends up looking like the perfect guy–handsome, tall, and muscular!
With a new body, he is now able to live the life he has always wanted. People look up to him and he is able to enjoy the many perks that come with his pretty face. By reading the webtoon, you will be able to find out how Daniel will juggle living with two bodies in the midst of regaining his self-esteem!
Aside from bullying, the webtoon also tackles many relevant issues such as extortion, animal cruelty, stalking, and criminal violence. Lookism does a good job in a way that the fantasy aspect does not take away the realistic portrayal of such issues.
What are your favorite Webtoons? Let us know in the comments!
