Some manhwa, or Korean comics, on the publishing platform Webtoon are complete, such as My ID is Gangam Beauty. Many, like KILLMAX, are paused indefinitely. For readers who wish to enjoy fresh content on a continuing basis, this obviously can be disappointing. Rest assured, Webtoon consistently updates its collection with new purchases and original productions.
A few recent releases introduce hefty promises in their openings, which imply their continuation. From The Druid of Seoul Station to The Predator, the content is unique across the genres. Here are four of the best slated to continue on Webtoon through the end of the year and, hopefully, into 2022.
The Druid of Seoul Station
The Druid of Seoul Station, by liveBear, Mun Sung Ho and Jin Seol Woo, begins as many unlikely hero stories do. The main character, Suho, is immediately characterized as a normal city boy. The first few panels display his text messages to family and friends, while he walks through the streets of Seoul, South Korea. The seemingly ordinary day escalates quickly as Suho is abruptly transported to a brutal world with monsters and two moons. Atypical to most isekai manhwa plots, the real conflict begins when he returns home and realizes the creatures from this foreign planet are infiltrating his world.
The opening, while fast and brief, serves to introduce numerous questions: What planet did Suho go to? How and why? What can this city boy, who texts while walking, do against the intruding monsters? The manhwa is a true action story. It uses fun onomatopoeia and moves at a wicked pace with plenty of fighting scenes and a touch of gore. As there are so many questions in terms of plot, character and world to explore, the series is sure to continue for the foreseeable future. New chapters are released every Sunday.
66,666 Years: Advent of the Dark Mage
Destiny is a common theme in fantasy, but it is traditionally something a hero finds when they come of age. That isn't the case in 66,666 Years: Advent of the Dark Mage, by PASA, TARU and Hwabong. The main character is a powerful dark mage named Diablo Volpir, who was sealed into an abstract limbo state by 12 gods. 66,666 years later, he is reincarnated as a newborn named Jamie Welton and raised by his affectionate, biological family. Even as a baby, Jamie remembers his past life and retains his personality as Diablo. At age 9, he trains to face the 12 gods once more.
This manhwa is for fans of high fantasy and magic fighting systems. The art includes fashionable nobles, gorgeous estates and vivid colors. Additionally, there is a hilarious incongruity between Diablo's interiority as a powerful dark mage and Jamie's exteriority as son to a fawning family. Clearly, Jamie/Diablo has a long way to go before he can defeat the 12 gods; therefore, the manhwa will have longevity for readers. New chapters are released every Wednesday.
Leveling Up My Husband to the Max
The arranged marriage with a cold partner is another popular trope, particularly in romance, but Leveling Up My Husband to the Max, by Uginon, Nuova and Curlin, adds a uniquely brutal twist. The first chapter begins with Amber, the female lead, facing execution. The subsequent panels quickly recap 10 years worth of failed marriage before Amber, her husband and their unborn child are framed and killed for treason by the land's emperor.
Yet, the manhwa doesn't end there. Instead of dying, Amber regains consciousness in her 20-year-old body on the day of her wedding. With this opening, full of twists, Leveling Up My Husband to the Max teases an in-story decade of pining, misunderstandings and relationship building to come. It also includes a political element, the treason the emperor frames Amber's family for, which must be addressed to save them from execution in the future. New chapters are released every Thursday.
The Predator
The Predator, by Chi Chi and Shin Heebin, is a thriller, marked for mature audiences due to violence and strong language. From the warning alone, it promises a plethora of primal gore, and its first chapter begins to fulfill that promise. The art style is unnerving, with creepy shadows on the characters' faces, muted color filters to create a darker atmosphere, and closeups on mouths and eyes.
Tension arises from realistic, emotional issues from the perspective of the main character, Sangjin. He's a part-time employee who faces an unreasonable boss, a dishonest co-worker and disrespectful customers. Sangjin is quick to temper; the reader might guess he's the titular predator from the first time he approaches a victim. However, the manhwa deviates from a typical, realistic thriller when he takes his victim to his home. Sangjin lives with a human-eating monster, and that's only the surface of the story's thrills. New chapters are released every Saturday.
From flesh-eating monsters to unlikely heroes, these four series offer a variety of ongoing material. Like many of its manhwas, Webtoon too is ongoing with new updates. As it hosts writing contests for comic creators, rises in relative readership and more, the platform promises even more content in the near future.
