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Whether you enjoy romance, fantasy, mystery, or horror, you can be sure to find a webtoon that fits your tastes. If you’ve never come across webtoons before, you may be wondering what exactly they are. Simply put, they’re digital comics and first started in South Korea to meet the rising demand for graphic novels. As a result of the convenience of being able to read online and the diverse manhwa available at the click of a mouse, webtoons have garnered millions of readers worldwide.
But what makes manhwa different from manga? Well, manga refers to Japanese comics and is primarily hand-drawn and produced in black-and-white print. While manhwa is the term for Korean comics, and tends to be drawn digitally with coloured panels. Although manhwa is most popular for romance and horror due to popular k-drama adaptations (Love Alarm, Sweet Home, True Beauty, etc.), a variety of other genres exist and there is bound to be one that you like.
Hence, if you would like to try reading manhwa but have no idea where to start, here is a helpful guide to the best webtoon platforms for first-time readers and how to use them.
1.
First up on the list is Webtoon, a platform that originated in South Korea. Holding the biggest base of readers and creators alike, Webtoon is undoubtedly one of the top sites for reading webtoons. A reason for this is the huge array of manhwa available – from action to romance to comedy, there are dozens of webtoons that fall under each genre. This makes Webtoon your best bet for finding the perfect manhwa for you.
As well as manhwa, there are comics by creators all over the world, offering unique stories and gorgeous art styles that cater to all audiences. All of these comics will fall under one of the two categories on Webtoon: Originals and Canvas.
Original webtoons are published regularly, generally once a week. For readers who don’t want to wait for the next episode, it is possible to read ahead by unlocking unreleased episodes (usually up to five episodes can be unlocked) through coins. Coins are the currency used on Webtoon and can either be bought from the Coin Shop (this must be done on the Webtoon app) or earned from Free Coin events. Whereas, Canvas webtoons are independently published by creators, meaning they can be published on other platforms and have less structured schedules. Canvas episodes tend to be free, but the more popular webtoons may have locked episodes that can be unlocked by watching video ads.
For completed webtoons, the first few episodes are free to read and the rest will require Daily Passes. Everyday, you will receive a Daily Pass which enables you to unlock one episode for 14 days. Alternatively, you can unlock the episodes with coins to skip the wait and read them at any time.
Popular Series on Webtoon
Omniscient Reader
The Remarried Empress
Operation: True Love
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2.
Much like its name, Tapas comprises a variety of webtoons, as well as novels, and is perfect for trying something new. Among the genres, romance, fantasy romance, and BL webtoons are the most abundant, so those wanting to read a diversity of romance stories should try Tapas. You may recognize some of the romance manhwas on the platform, such as Business Proposal and What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim, both of which were made into hit K-dramas. Another benefit is that it has a forum that connects you with other readers and creators, which can allow for fun discussion and sharing opinions on your different series.
Similar to Webtoon and Tappytoon, Tapas has their own currency called Ink. This can be purchased in their Ink Shop on either the website or app. You can also earn Free Ink by watching ads.
Premium series may have locked episodes that can be unlocked using a specified amount of ink or Free Episode Tickets. Some series have WUF (Wait Until Free) episodes. For these, you can select one of the episodes marked with the WUF icon and a countdown will begin (the waiting time differs for each series). Once the countdown ends, the episode will stay unlocked for 72 hours and you may repeat the process to unlock another WUF episode. To access WUF episodes, you must use the app.
Popular Series on Tapas
From Maid to Queen
All-Master Necromancer
More Fun
3.
Based in South Korea, Tappytoon is a digital reading platform which, like Tapas, offers both comics and novels. The range of genres is smaller than Webtoon, with most webtoons falling under action, romance, and BL. Out of the trending series on the platform, there are many manhwas about royal romance or “levelling up” in a video game world. So if you’re a fan of these types of stories, Tappytoon will likely have what you’re looking for.
To explain how Tappytoon works, the first five episodes are typically free while the rest must be unlocked with points. These “points” can be purchased on the Purchase page of Tappytoon or earned for free by watching ads. For webtoons labelled as Time Till Free, the first three episodes are free. One free chapter can be unlocked every 24 hours and read for the next 48 hours. However, the most recent episodes must be unlocked through points. While a guest account can be used, it is recommended that you create an official account in order to earn Free points, access Time Till Free episodes, and keep track of any purchases.
Popular Series on Tappytoon
Ashtarte
I Stan the Prince
Marked by King Bs
Shop K-Manhwa at DKshop!
4.
Lezhin is another popular platform that previously ranked first for paid webtoon apps in South Korea. Its range of action and fantasy comics is much smaller than the other platforms, but it has a large selection of BL webtoons – making it one of the top sites for those interested in BL stories. One downside is that it doesn’t have a comment section like Webtoon, so there is less interaction with other readers and the creator.
On Lezhin, you must use Coins to unlock episodes (the price may be 20-30 coins, depending on the series). Coins can be purchased in bundles from their shop (you must log in for this). They can also be earned for free from their special promotions or bought by getting enough Points (you will receive points by logging in daily).
Like Tapas, certain series will temporarily become WUF (Wait Until Free) and can be found in the Free page of the platform. This allows episodes to be read for free (but requires logging in) and works in a similar way to Tapas’ WUF system. After clicking on the episode labelled Free Episode, the countdown timer begins and once it ends, you can unlock the next episode in the series.
Popular Series on Lezhin
Uncanny Charm
Lucia
Lost in the Cloud
5.
Last up on the list is Manta. While Manta is less well known than the other platforms, it offers just as much quality in content. The web layout is simple, making it user-friendly; however, like Lezhin and Tappytoon, it does not have a comment section. The collection of genres is also small, with most webtoons falling under the BL and romance genres.
Episodes on Manta are unlocked with Free Pass, which is similar to the WUF system used by Tapas. One Free Pass is given every 24 hours and can unlock one episode in a series for 72 hours. However, for the most recent episodes, you must subscribe to Manta Unlimited, an exclusive membership program, for a subscription fee of $4.99/month.
Popular Series on Manta
Winter Wolf
Betrayal of Dignity
I’ve Become a True Villainess
Sign up & Receive 2 DK Points
Conclusion
Now that you’re familiar with the digital comic platforms, how about exploring what else webtoons have to offer? From book versions of webtoons to merchandise, there are a multitude of products for those who can’t get enough of their favourite series – and they can be purchased right here on Delivered Korea! We sell exclusive products from Korea and ship them worldwide, so they are available to everyone. To have a look, simply click into our DK Shop (https://shop.delivered.co.kr/) and under the K-Hobby tab, you can easily find our Manhwa Books and Manhwa Merch collections.
