Over the last decades, manga has become a powerhouse in the global market, and its popularity has renewed its focus on graphic novels globally. We have seen this easily thanks to the rise of web comics, and if you did not know, a number of the Internet’s top comics come from South Korea as opposed to Japan. And thanks to a new survey,fans have learned just how difficult it is working as a manhwa artist.
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The report comes straight from the Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency after a team there did case studies on two manhwa titles, Solo Leveling and Roxana. These series were looked into as both their artists suffered declines in health while working, and the KOSHA learned some starting information while exploring these studies.
According to the survey, the organization learned 28.7% of manhwa writers admit to having depression while the national average in South Korea is 7.7%. The report went on to suggest that turnout was higher amongst creators for having suicidal thoughts, planning suicide, and trying to commit suicide.
READ MORE: Solo Leveling to Honor Late Artist in New Side Story
As the report went on, even more damning information was revealed as creators who admitted to getting negative comments on their work were “more likely” to be diagnosed with anxiety or depression. The group was also more likely to develop muscle disorders or health issues due to posture issues. And after surveying 300 artists, the majority of creators (51%) said their monthly income was between $1,600 and 3,200 USD.
Clearly, the Korean manhwa industry suffers from some infamous issues in the manga sphere overseas. In Japan, manga artists have spoken at length about their impossible schedules and demanding work. Creators like Yoshihiro Togashi of Hunter x Hunter have developed chronic health issues because of their careers. And sadly, it seems this phenomenon is now being witnessed in other countries that have embraced manga’s meteoric rise.
What do you think about this latest manhwa update? Do these results surprise you? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB.
