Manhwa

Manhwa (Hangul: 만화, Hanja: 漫畫) is the general Korean term for Manga (漫画). Outside of Korea, the term usually refers specifically to South Korean Manga.

Manhwa style

Manhwa has been influenced by the dramatic modern history of Korea and resulted in diversity of forms and genre, but including a mainstream style similar to manga. Distinctive manhwa can be found in editorial comic strips, artistically-oriented works, and webcomics serials.

Typical characteristics of manhwa:

• the style of character designs - manhwa aimed at teenage girls (which make up the majority of English-translated series) have a distinctively angular style of abstraction which contrasts with the more "cute" and rounded style of their Japanese, Chinese and western equivalents. This is the most obvious difference at a glance, but does not necessarily apply to manhwa aimed at boys or adults.
• The face and eyes are often exaggerated in a cartoon style while the figure is more realistic in proportion.
• the left->to->right direction of the book (still quite obvious, but not very reliable, as some manga and manhua are 'flipped' around to the western way)
• the Korean name of the author/artist - usually double-barreled and with syllables that do not exist in Japanese (usually the most reliable method, the only exceptions being when a culturally-neutral pseudonym is used, or when the artist is of Korean ethnicity but resides in another country such as the USA)
• the untranslated sound effects (not always present) are in hangul, not kana or hanzi.

There are now a number of publishers specializing in English translations of Korean comics, and by and large they are unafraid of calling them "manhwa".

North American audience

Due to the Manga-boom, mostly only the works that are almost undistinguishable from mainstream Manga were published in North America. Recently, long-running webcomics serialized via Internet portal sites (e.g. Media Daum) and personal homepages have become both the creative and popular basecamp among the younger generation in Korea.

Direction of text

Manhwa is read in the same direction as English books, horizontally and from left to right, because hangul is normally written and read horizontally, although it can also be written and read like Chinese and Japanese, that is, vertically from right to left, top to bottom.

Theoretically, the reading direction of manhwa should make it more accessible to Western audiences when compared to Japanese and Chinese comics, but so far the relative obscurity of Korean culture has canceled out this apparent advantage, and the word remains relatively unknown in the English-speaking world. Instead, English translations of manhwa have achieved success by targeting the manga and animé community, to extent than manhwa are often marketed as "manga".

Animation and Live-Action adaptations

Unlike Japan, animations based on Korean comics are still relatively rare (though there were several major hits in the late 80's and early 90's with titles such as Dooly the Little Dinosaur and Fly! Superboard). However, live-action drama series and movie adaptations of manhwa have occurred more frequently in recent years. Full House in 2004 and Goong ("Palace" or "Princess Hours") in 2006, are prominent examples as both have been accounted as the best dramas of their respective years.

In 2007, The Great Catsby, an award-winning Korean webcomic, was adapted into a live-action drama, after a run as an on-stage musical in 2006. The title will also be adapted into a feature film in late 2007.

Priest, a popular manhwa that has been translated to English in recent years, will also go into production as a movie by U.S. film studio Screen Gems. To be released in 2008, it is produced by Sam Raimi, directed by Andrew Douglas, and will star Gerard Butler as the title character.

Korean manhwa publishers

• Daiwon C.I.
• Haksan Publishing
• Seoul Culture Corporation
• Shinwon Agency Corporation

North American manhwa imprints

• ADV Manga
• CPM Manhwa
• Dark Horse Manhwa
• DramaQueen
• DrMaster Publications
• Ice Kunion
• Infinity Studios
• Media Blasters
• NETCOMICS
• NBM ComicsLit
• TOKYOPOP

See also

• Manga
• List of manhwa by English title
• List of Korea-related topics
• Contemporary culture of South Korea
• Manhua
• Korean animation

External links

Manhwa information

• "Understanding Manhwa": history, culture, recommendations etc
• "Korean Comics in the U.S., Part 1, Comic-Con International 2004," Jade Magazine.com, Sep. 2004
• "Korean Comics in the U.S., Part 2, Manhwa Sampler," Jade Magazine.com, Sep. 2004
• "Sang-Sun Park, Les Bijoux Comic Artist," Sequential Tart.com, Aug. 2004
• Manhwa site for "Demon Diary" (마왕일기)
• "Infinity Studios and Manhwa," Anime Tourist.com, 16 June 2004

Festivals

• Bucheon Manga Information Center
• Bucheon International Manga festival
• Seoul International Comics and Animation Festival
• Dong-a/LG International festival of comics and animation

Manhwa on mobiles

• Moonk Mobile Cartoon

Associations

• Cartoon & Animation Society in Korea
• Seoul Cartoon
• The Korean Cartoonist Association
• Korean Women Cartoonist Association
• Amateur Comics Association
• Korea Amateur Comic Land

Information and studies

• Korean Society of Cartoon & Animation Studies
• Seoul animation center
• Puchon Cartoon Information Center
• The Korea Society Manhwa Exhibit