"No, I'm more of a manga person than a Webtoon fan."
I have heard such words before.
Back in my university days, during a discussion with friends, the topic of Webtoon came up. As an otaku who had been reading Webtoon for over 10 years, I couldn't hold back and was about to start listing my recommended works.
However, suddenly confronted with the declaration of "I prefer manga over Webtoon," I, feeling a bit dazed, asked my friend again.
"So, what Webtoons do you know?"
Now it's 2024, an era where Webtoon has exploded in popularity across borders. Among them are many popular works being read in Korea, Japan, China, and the United States, riding the wave of globalization. The commonality among these works is...
Works that can be seen in the overall ranking of LINE Manga. They somehow feel familiar.
[blogcard url="https://manga.line.me/periodic/gender_ranking"]
"Reincarnation," "Return," "Revenge"... I want you to remember. Among the Webtoons you know, how many works do you think do not include these words?
After talking with my friend, I immediately went home and searched online for "the difference between Webtoon and manga."
There may be various differences according to different sites, but generally, they say the same thing.
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① A vertical reading format optimized for smartphones and tablets
② Differences in expression (color, panel style, etc.)
③ Differences in readers (since they can be read quickly, the audience is lighter)
Hmm, I see. That's an interesting story. So how about this.
Let's go back 16 years. As a fourth grader in elementary school, I occasionally visited my relatives' house. When I went to play, my cousin's older brother was always either playing games on the computer or surfing the internet.
One day, however, he was unusually reading a manga. Of course, it was on the computer screen. "Aren't mangas supposed to be read in books?" I thought, and I became curious enough to ask him the title of that manga. Seeing a character with a face I had never seen before, which looked a bit eerie, he chuckled and answered.
The super popular work 'The Voice of the Heart,' serialized from 2006 to 2020. As you can see, the character's face is distinctive.
[blogcard url="https://comic.naver.com/webtoon/list?titleId=20853"]
I never dreamed that this would become a historical work marking the heyday of Webtoon in Korea. But you can rest assured. I have no intention of starting the success myth of Webtoon here.
What I want to confirm here is a very simple question: "How did Webtoon become vertical reading in an era without smartphones?"
From the 2000s, when I began to touch Webtoon, it was already permeating the strict Korean society regarding comics. Although the market size was still small, thanks to popular works that continuously increased their view counts, there were few users who raised objections to the characteristic of vertical reading in Webtoon.
Now, let's take a rough look at the works from that time (even just the art is fine).
A popular work that started serialization from 2006 to 2007. It can only be read in Korean, but it's available for free, so I hope you take a quick look at the first episode.
[blogcard url="https://comic.naver.com/webtoon/list?titleId=15640"]
[blogcard url="https://comic.naver.com/webtoon/list?titleId=23182"]
[blogcard url="https://comic.naver.com/webtoon/list?titleId=23183"]
What do you think? Even though these works are nearly 20 years old, they look quite different from what we see today. The above works are not just random selections of unpopular titles; they were all super popular, occupying the Top 10 on NAVER WEBTOON (Japan's LINE Manga) at the time.
Let's put aside any personal opinions about them being a bit outdated or average, and instead, I want to point out what caught my attention.
"Wait, isn't this pretty much the same as manga?"
Exactly. It's manga read horizontally, with panels separated.
Simply stacking manga pages vertically creates the format of Webtoon as it was back then. So let's return to "The difference between Webtoon and manga" point #1. Is Webtoon really "read vertically"?
I want to take my time discussing how Webtoon evolved into its current form. For now, let me introduce just one work. It's not the historically significant "Voice of the Heart" mentioned above, but rather the top action series of the same era, "The Strong One" (2008), which also gained immense popularity.
[blogcard url="https://comic.naver.com/webtoon/list?titleId=720127"]
Unfortunately, there is no Japanese version of this work. If you want to read it, you'll have to translate it yourself from NAVER WEBTOON. However, for those who can't read Korean, let me briefly explain. "The Strong One" can be summed up in one sentence as "A gritty story about a guy who just wants to become the strongest, with no romance or love comedy involved."
Gun Taeyob "No way, no way! The path I walk is the path of a warrior! The historical and mythical strongmen I respect all walked the path of solitude! Women are unnecessary on the path of the strong! We are the invincible solitary squad!" (Translated by the author)
－ "The Strong One" Episode 4
Of course, there are couples in the story. However, their presence is so minimal that you might as well think there aren't any. The protagonist, Gun Taeyob, is a delinquent who is strong enough to pacify a region since his middle school days. However, his motivation is solely to become "the strong one." He doesn't threaten regular students or steal from them just because he's strong. He is simply a foolish guy who is only interested in fighting other strong guys.
Gun Taeyob "(Recalling the opponents he has defeated) Looking back, those guys were such formidable foes that I even doubt how I managed to win... I chased them down, ready to bleed and sweat, and finally defeated that monster... The only thing I learned from fighting them was one thing: defeat. The moment I somehow crawled out of that quagmire, I became stronger. Sorry, but I have Saiyan blood flowing through me. Thank you so much. I truly appreciate it. Thanks to you, I will become even stronger." (Translated by the author)
－ "The Strong One" Episode 13
His transfer to a new school marks the beginning of "The Strong One" story. Of course, there are no elements of reincarnation from a distant future or any return themes. Moreover, there are no SSS-level cheats, so Gun Taeyob sometimes loses and occasionally resorts to underhanded tactics, while gradually growing as a person.
Those who have listened up to this point might be thinking.
"This sounds like a typical manga story. Why are you acting so high and mighty?"
Yes. Just from the description, this work might seem like a typical action delinquent manga, so what makes it so special?
What I want to convey to all readers here is that "The Strong One" is not just an action manga. It can be said to be one of the first true "Webtoon works" that added destructive direction while understanding the vertical reading system.
Quoted from Chapter 6 of 'The Strong One', available for free on NAVER WEBTOON.
Regarding 'The Strong One', which was pioneering for its time, Mr. Park stated the following.
“Anyway, I’m from the generation that first opened a manga and it was 'Dragon Ball'. Of course, I like various other genres, but during the time I debuted, there was particularly no action in Webtoons. Even now, but back then the competition for debuting was fierce, so I wanted to utilize my unique competitive edge and try action. I thought I could do it.” (Translated by the author)
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Here, Mr. Park also adds a self-deprecating comment saying, “I thought that if it’s action, the story doesn’t matter,” but rather, the plot of 'The Strong One' can be considered a strength of the work, as it has been well-received so far.
Gun Taeyob “He’s weak. My brother is just pretending to be strong, but he’s actually weak. Just like my dad. But I’m much weaker than that. So I thought I had to get a little stronger.” (Translated by the author) - 'The Strong One' Chapter 48
Choi Gandoo “I wanted friends. Friends who could joke around, sometimes fight, and spend time together casually… friends who I could rely on in dangerous times… I wanted friends who were weaker than me.” (Translated by the author) - 'The Strong One' Side Story Chapter 13
Teacher “(Remembering Gun Taeyob) He was the first person who could express his dreams so clearly. Father, have you ever seen the smile of a boy who might have a certain dream? It’s such a refreshing smile that even an old man like me feels rejuvenated.” (Translated by the author) - 'The Strong One' Chapter 37
Simply wanting to fight and become stronger. There’s nothing more to say; the straightforward motivation of the character faces surprisingly deep messages and the weight of the plot. The world depicted in this work includes not just the content of violence in school, but also the fervor of a boy wanting to be recognized by those around him, worries about the future, and the pains of growth.
Of course, even with the emergence of 'The Strong One', questions about how to read it have not been resolved. A few more changes are needed for Webtoons to reach their current form. I hope that this piece can convey to the readers the era when 'The Strong One' boldly thrived as a step forward.
Reading Webtoons that don’t have a Japanese version is tough, but I definitely want to recommend this work to beginners who can read Korean…
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Gun Taeyob “Don’t call me leader or boss with those embarrassing words. I’ve never been good at grouping since birth, and I hate being above anyone even more. A man becomes friends after fighting. So from now on, just call me… 'The Strong One'. Keep it simple.” (Translated by the author) - 'The Strong One' Chapter 6
Park Juhyun
Born in 1998, from South Korea. Working at a Japanese animation studio since this year. Realized that he has spent over 100,000 yen on early access to Webtoons over the past 15 years. Currently writing articles about Webtoons with the desire to earn back what he spent through view counts.