What’s the Difference?
Manhwa and webtoon are often used interchangeably, but they do not mean the same thing. While they are closely related, one refers to a medium, and the other refers to a format. Understanding this distinction clears up most of the confusion.
What is Manhwa?
Manhwa is the Korean term for comics. It refers to comics created in South Korea, regardless of whether they are published in print or digitally. Historically, manhwa existed long before webtoons, originally appearing in newspapers, magazines, and printed volumes.
Today, many manhwa series are published digitally, but the term itself describes origin, not format.
What is a Webtoon?
A webtoon is a digital comic format, not a nationality. Webtoons are designed to be read online, usually through vertical scrolling on smartphones and tablets. They are often published in full color and released episodically.
While webtoons originated in South Korea, the format is now used worldwide. Creators from many countries publish webtoons, meaning not all webtoons are manhwa.
The Key Difference
The simplest way to understand it is this:
- Manhwa = where the comic comes from (South Korea)
- Webtoon = how the comic is presented (digital, vertical format)
Most modern manhwa are webtoons, but not all webtoons are manhwa.
A Korean comic published in print is still manhwa, even if it is not a webtoon. Likewise, a vertically scrolling digital comic created outside Korea is a webtoon, but not manhwa.
Why the Confusion Exists
The confusion comes from the fact that South Korea pioneered the webtoon format. As webtoons became globally popular, many readers were introduced to manhwa through webtoon platforms, causing the two terms to blur together.
Over time, “webtoon” became associated with Korean comics, even though the format itself is no longer exclusive to Korea.
If you want to explore further, it also helps to understand how manhwa compares to other comics, such as Manhwa vs Manhua.
Important Links
- What is Manhwa?
- Manhwa vs Manga
- Manhwa vs Manhua
- How to Read Manhwa?