The manhwa gained new prestigious highlights at the end of 2025 in South Korea, when the Comics Culture Research Institute, affiliated with the country’s Cartoonists Association, announced the winners of the Publication Manhwa Awards. The posthumous collection of the late artist Goraeng Sundae received the Artist Award, while the publisher Munhakdongne was recognized with the Publisher Award for the publication of Donden. This announcement, made on December 29, crowns works that, although different, share a deep emotional and narrative impact, reinforcing the relevance of the printed and artistic format within the Korean comics industry.
The selection was made by a panel of 12 manhwa experts, who chose the two winners from 24 titles previously highlighted as comics of the month throughout the previous year. With the support of South Korea’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the award reaches its third consecutive edition, establishing itself as an important quality benchmark. Therefore, the 2025 winners carry the weight of representing the trends and narrative excellence that marked the year in the country.
Emotion and Experimentation in Focus
The winning work by Goraeng Sundae, who passed away in 2024, brings together his stories in a collection that, according to the institute, offered “broad empathy and quiet comfort” to readers. Thus, the work was celebrated not only for its artistic merit but also for its ability to resonate deeply with the public, leaving a lasting impression. On the other hand, Donden represents a bold bet, as the short story collection, which narrates the struggle of a woman living as a foreigner in Japan, was published without the backing of a major online serialization platform or an already established name in the market.
The cartoonist Mallipo, responsible for Donden, described the publication as a “courageous experiment,” highlighting the value of independent narratives focused on complex social themes. Meanwhile, the award for Goraeng Sundae pays a significant posthumous tribute to the author’s legacy. Thus, the 2025 award balances the recognition of a recently lost icon with the encouragement of new voices and forms of publication, showing a diverse and vibrant ecosystem for Brazilian fans who follow the Korean scene.
