In this post, you'll learn:

• The most overused clichés in today’s webtoons

• Why webtoon quality is declining

• What’s happening behind the scenes of the comic industry
  
  

Are you still reading webtoons? How often?
Websites show millions of views on series with flashy titles — but are they worth it?

As a webtoon reader of over 10 years, I’ve seen a concerning trend: a flood of low-effort art, recycled plots, and an obsession with romance-driven fantasies. Korean beauties, European or Chinese princesses transported into fantasy worlds, and tortured knights in RPG-like settings dominate the charts.

Cliché After Cliché: Where Did the Stories Go?

The modern male lead must be toxic, emotionally unavailable, but — of course — irresistibly handsome. Romance often lacks any emotional depth, and if the main character has abs, that’s all the explanation you’ll get.

In Webtoon Canvas, the LGBTQ+ genre is booming — but where are the new, gripping adventures? Where are the well-thought-out plots and the emotional journeys?

Is the Webtoon Industry Losing Its Soul?

It feels like creators are no longer creating stories — they’re chasing algorithms. Instead of originality and depth, many webtoon authors focus on copying what’s currently trending in hopes of quick popularity. As a result, plot quality drops, art becomes rushed, and the soul of storytelling disappears.

I’ve grown distant from webtoons. Eight years ago, I could read 10 series in one sitting. Today? I open one and feel the urge to close it immediately.

Behind the Scenes: Harsh Workloads and Poor Pay

Let’s talk numbers. I was once offered $100 to draw 50 full panels. That’s less than $2 per frame — not even enough to cover bills, let alone protect my health or time.

With tight deadlines, artists are forced to produce massive amounts of content weekly just to stay visible. Speed has become more important than quality, and the results show.

Even though Korean webtoons hit 850 million sales and US comic sales reach 1 billion, the question remains: Are people reading out of love — or out of lack of options?

Final Thoughts

If you're new to webtoons, today's stories might seem fine. But for long-time fans, it's hard not to notice the decline. Until the industry changes its pace and values quality again, many veteran readers and creators will continue to feel disconnected from what once inspired them.

But let me not be a grumbling old woman and list the most popular titles of 2021 according to the Korean Creative Content Agency (KOCCA):

- "The Beginning After the End"

- "Solo Leveling"

- "Sweet Home"

- "The God of High School"

- "Noblesse"

Who will raise the quality of webtoons? Not 3D gray boring backgrounds, not huge distances between frames, not stories about entering the game world. Where is the real drama, the pain of the characters, and the aesthetics?