TOP MANHWA & WEBTOONS of 2022...

You clicked because you were running out of webtoons to binge, didn't you? Or you might've just had a curiosity as to what Manhwa is, either way The Korner has your fix. For those of you that didn't know manhwa is the name given to any form of South Korean animated webcomic such as 'Solo Levelling'. They have genres which follow specific character archetypes on a multitude of twisting addictive storylines.

During the year these are a few that kept me glued to a screen during lectures. Honestly, I may have RSI in my thumbs from obsessive scrolling.

PLAYER

To start things off we have 'Player' illustrated by Oh Hyeon-Jun, the unique art style made this manhwa stand out especially distinguishing it from the others in this list. I especially enjoyed the bold colours used and the art style really emphasises the flashy fight scenes.

Seoljin the protagonist of this story escapes his harsh daily reality with webtoons often daydreaming as the main character of his own farfetched comic, unfortunately for him things go wrong after he posts a comment online. All I'm willing to say is you should really feel bad for this brother because the things he gets put through and he didn't ask for any of it.

Player is currently ongoing at 124 chapters, so there is plenty to read depending on if you like pace yourself, or like me you'd rather squeeze as much in one night as you can and spend the rest of the next day waltzing around like a zombie.

Omniscient Readers Viewpoint

The Omniscient Readers viewpoint is on a whole other level of storytelling it's a matrix of stories and plot points that collide all because the reader knows way more than their supposed to. Imagine the world you're living in right now turning upside down into your favourite book, anime or TV show. The one thing you know inside and out, beginning to end you'd be unstoppable, at least until you remember you aren't really the lead. 

With 127 chapters and ongoing this manhwa is for readers who prefer a well written story with depth and characters that have differing identities that snowball developing independently of the main character as well as manic fight panels. 

This manhwa constantly reminds the audience that it's a story within a story as it toys with the readers viewpoint. The mind-bending concept incorporates perspective, essentially points of view into the characters skill set. I'm a big fan of anything psychological and although it's mild, this will definitely keep your eyes burning through the night.

The Beginning After the End

The Beginning After the End or B.A.E, as the title is way too long to write each time is based in a world of magic, politics and monsters. As one of many reincarnation manhwas that doesn't follow the over-powered main character trope, although the lead is considerably stronger than his co-stars, the story itself highlights how the memories & trauma of a past life influence decisions in another life. 

163 chapters of detailed flash backs & internal monologues gives the reader a gaping window into the effect of ambition, wealth, power and authority from retrospective standpoint.

 This Manhwa is set a cut above the rest because of the depth in world building allows the audience to follow along in the politics as well as conspiracies surrounding different characters as well as abilities.

 Would you have the resilience to begin again after the end? while being faced with constant reminders of your shortcomings & mistakes at every turn.

I can guarantee you will be setting reminders for chapter release dates!

The Worn & Torn Newbie

To contrast the other Manhwas on the list, this gem is more comedic & light-hearted with using key dialogue panels to engage the reader. The whimsical writing style and illustration complements the whacky scenarios the lead and his companions find themselves in.

113 ongoing chapters, the story follows failed gamer as he is given another shot at glory in a farfetched VR world everyone is obsessing over. 

Being a big fan of Sword Art Online; an anime that explores RPG gaming by using VR tech as a focal point, similar to The Worn & Torn Newbie, I can say it has a similar feel but takes it a step further by finding a plethora of ways to incorporate RPG/MMORPG gaming terms and common player personalities into the manhwa, creating a surreal yet addictive and relatable world that immerses the reader.

Dungeon Odyssey

Although Dungeon Odyssey is a recent release with the 1st chapter debuting just last month on the 28th of September, this manhwa was included in this list for the potential development and the nuanced approach to dungeon manhwa.

 Most Dungeon manhwa shy away from highlighting certain aspects, for example the cultivation & strategic sides of the dungeon genre which some consider mundane, when done right can be just as thrilling and eye catching as the explorations or battles.

Contrary to popular dungeon-based manhwa/webtoons, Dungeon Odyssey focuses on characters who start their lives in the dungeon 'Dungeon Babies', as they venture back into the dungeons to battle with floor bosses and reclaim various treasures. The audience is given countless ideas from the world building alone in the very first few chapters, adding to the potential of the story. 

The writing and the art are nothing short of excellent, but the real star is the concept and the possible directions the manhwa could go as it is only 20 chapters and ongoing, yet still so exhilarating.

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