K-Webtoon Review: Black Winter
If you’re looking for a Korean webtoon to break your heart for simply no reason, I can guarantee you that Black Winter is the one.
Black Winter Webtoon Review
The story is set in a fictional Joseon era and features the innocent and peaceful lives of three childhood friends: Seol Haesa, Do Hwaye, and Son Muho.
Theme: Drama, Tragedy, Historical, Fantasy
Author/s: INA
Chapter count: 115 with 4 side stories and a special prologue and review
Status: Completed in Korean, currently 70+ for English
Where to read: KOREAN | ENGLISH
About Black Winter
One winter night, their friendship turns into turmoil as a foreigner suddenly abducts Hwaye. Muho and Haesa were left wondering what had happened to their dearest friend. Their lives turn upside down when a tragedy occurs at Haesa’s house involving Haesa and Muho’s younger brother.
Haesa unexpectedly runs to the rundown house at the top of the mountains, where she meets Yoo Ahn, a piercing red-eyed man, who seems unaware that time has gone by. The two end up developing a friendship that will later uncover the hidden connection they have with each other.
Meet the Characters
Seol Haesa
Haesa is orphaned and has lived in a poor household. She worked to collect medicinal herbs in the mountains to provide a living for herself and her grandmother. Despite her efforts to become on good terms with her uncle’s family, she is constantly abused. Haesa takes refuge in the mountains, where she meets Yoo Ahn.
Yoo Ahn / Roshua
A foreigner who lives in Joseon. He is woken up by Haesa in his slumber and is the owner of the rundown mansion on the mountain. Yoo Ahn is initially a cold character, as he would prefer to sleep over going out. He would eventually soften up to the villagers. Throughout Haesa’s time staying in Yoo Ahn’s house, she observes that the homeowner is not a normal person. Yoo Ahn is also on a quest to stop the curse that’s been within him for a long time.
Do Hwaye
Haesa’s childhood friend. Hwaye came from a lowly family; she’s often the talk of their neighborhood because of her quality clothing. She’s living with her grandma, whom she treats dearly. One night, she’s abducted by a group of foreigners who mistake her for Haesa and is confined in a foreign country. It will take her a lot of years to come back to Joseon with strong discontentment with Haesa.
Son Muho
Muho is from an aristocratic family that is close friends with the King. At a young age, he met Hwaye and Haesa and became close with them. However, his family strongly opposes his relationship with his commoner friends. Muho continued to resist his family and still meets with his friends along with his brother, Muha. One night, their friendship turns into shambles when Hwaye disappears and an unfortunate incident happens to Muha. Muho grows up to become a highly skilled officer, vowing to find and protect the childhood friend he lost.
Why should you read it?
If you enjoy reading historical manhwas and want to try something new, this could be the story for you. But here’s a little spoiler: It will break your heart. You’ll feel sorry for the leads, given their current situation. You will, however, learn to appreciate the small things in life. The plot is more dramatic than romantic. It mostly focuses on the problems and surprising stories of each character. Even though Yoo Ahn is a little different from the others, his story is compelling enough to keep the manhwa interesting!
Oh, and the male characters, as well as the antagonists, have strong visuals that are impossible to resist! If you enjoy webcomics with drama and unexpected twists, make sure you include this.
