New comic readers often ask whether manhwa and webtoon mean the same thing. The short answer: not quite. Manhwa is the general term for Korean comics, while webtoon describes the specific vertical-scroll digital format that most modern manhwa is now published in. Here’s exactly how the two terms relate, and which one you should actually be using.
What Is Manhwa?
Manhwa is simply the Korean word for comics, the same way manga is the Japanese word and manhua is the Chinese word (you can compare all three in manga vs manhwa vs manhua). Historically, manhwa was printed on paper and read like a traditional comic book, with panels arranged for page turning rather than scrolling.
What Is a Webtoon?
Webtoon is a format, not a nationality. It describes comics built for vertical scrolling on phones and browsers, usually released in full color and published episode by episode instead of print volumes. Webtoons can technically come from any country, but the format was pioneered and popularized in Korea.
How Manhwa and Webtoon Are Related
Almost every modern Korean webtoon is manhwa, since it’s a Korean comic. But not all manhwa is a webtoon, older or more traditional Korean comics were printed rather than published digitally. In short, webtoon is the modern, mobile-first evolution of manhwa.
Key Differences at a Glance
Manhwa can refer to any Korean comic, printed or digital, in any layout. Webtoon specifically means a vertically scrolling digital comic, typically released chapter by chapter on a platform or app. If you want to see how this scrolling format compares to Japanese manga specifically, read manga vs webtoon.
Format and Reading Style
Traditional manhwa uses page-based panels similar to manga. Webtoons remove pages entirely and present the story as one long continuous strip, designed to be read by scrolling down with your thumb, which makes them especially convenient for reading on a phone during a commute or a break.
Which Term Should You Use?
Talking about a comic’s origin? “Manhwa” is correct for anything from Korea. Talking about the scrolling digital format specifically? “Webtoon” is more precise. In everyday conversation, most readers use both terms interchangeably, and that’s fine, the vast majority of manhwa today is released as webtoons anyway.
FAQ: Manhwa vs Webtoon
Can a webtoon be something other than manhwa?
Yes. Since webtoon describes a format, comics from other countries can also be published as webtoons, though the term is most strongly associated with Korean manhwa.
Is all manhwa a webtoon?
No. Older, printed manhwa isn’t a webtoon. Only manhwa published in the vertical-scroll digital format counts as a webtoon.
Why do webtoons use full color while manga usually doesn’t?
Webtoons are built for color screens from the start, so full color is the default. Manga’s black-and-white tradition comes from its printed, page-based origins.
Ready to start reading? Browse the latest manhwa and webtoon titles on Manytoon.
Eiichiro Oda is the creator of the legendary manga series One Piece, one of the most popular comic books in the world. Born in 1975 in Japan, he is known for his ability to build vast worlds, emotional characters and inspiring stories about dreams, friendship and freedom.