Japanese Manga Vs. Korean Manwha

By Marcio Guastavino
September 21, 2006

Manga readers all over the world have increased to a large amount during the years, enjoying the stories and art of artists and publishers of all kinds. It's safe to agree that there are way too many mangas to list, and thus many of those mangas will go unread or missed out by many. With the Japanese market of manga sweeping the nation, Korean manga will too try its hand to become as popular. But what exactly are the main differences between a Japanese manga and a Korean manga? To most people the differences may not matter; they are enjoying a good story while experiencing the talent of artistry in any manga. This may be a true, but the differences are still there.

I'll start with some of the more obvious differences; one being that Korean manga is actually called manwha. Another difference is found in the sound effects that are sometimes used in manga. For example, when a move is stated but kept in its original lettering, these letterings will obviously be kept in their original language be it Japanese or Korean. Names will be different as well for the same reason. The names in Korean are much harder to pronounce, in my opinion, but that really doesn't ruin anything. A bigger difference would come into play when ancestry or religion is involved. Different gods and goddesses reside in both cultures and could have a great effect on the story or how one interprets its meaning. Being from a completely different culture all together, the American public may not see that big of a difference. However, sometimes manga likes to tread into cultures other than those that are familiar. Hellsing is a good example of this as it pits the Vatican against unholy vampires and demons, which is a very touchy subject. But in truth, no matter where the manga came from or what religion, culture, or ancestry, the fact remains that most manga are fictitious and shouldn't be taken so seriously.

And now, for the most important difference between both types of manga (manwha): the art. I recently picked up a copy of Dragon Hunter, a manwha series having to do with dragon slayers and shamans. When I looked at the art the biggest difference that I could see is in the detail. While the art clearly portrays what is taking place through each scene, it doesn't emphasize every detail until it really needs to. This could be to show the reader that there is more importance in a scene than in another, or perhaps a battle that requires further detail may be taking place. In another manwha called Ragnarok , the same type of style can be seen. While in a Japanese manga, detail can be found in almost every page. Berserk, for example, shows more definition in its characters. Now, I'm not saying that one art style is better than the other. There are more important aspects for a good story than that. One may prefer that the art style signify important details only when needed. Others may prefer to get every little detail possible in their mangas. No artist is the same, and this is what makes reading manga all the more interesting. Regardless of what your tastes may be, with the growing Korean market and the already popular Japanese market, I recommend checking out both. You may find something you enjoy from both sides of the spectrum.