As the world becomes increasingly uncertain and volatile, it’s no surprise that apocalyptic stories have gained in popularity. The end of the world is a concept that has captivated the human imagination for centuries. From ancient myths and legends to modern-day science fiction, humans have always been fascinated by the idea of a global catastrophe that brings about the end of civilization. Various media have shown numerous renditions of how humanity will fare during these disasters.

In the world of manhwa, a type of Korean comic or graphic novel, the genre of apocalyptic stories mostly feature fantastical elements, and probably the most renowned among them is Solo Leveling. In that world, dungeons have sporadically appeared on Earth, bringing a slew of monsters and supernatural abilities. While it is undeniably a work of art, it’s a franchise that many are already familiar with. That being said, here is a few more notable apocalyptic manhwa that are also worthy of being checked out.

Omniscient Reader Shows the True Terror of an Apocalyptic Story

omniscient reader yuseung header image

Omniscient Reader follows the story of Dokja Kim, a rather relatable main character. He is an average office worker whose main hobby is reading web novels. To be exact, his favorite is a web novel entitled Three Ways to Survive the Apocalypse. He has been reading it since it first came out. The novel continues to provide constant updates although Dokja is the sole person reading it. So when the series finally ends, Dokja receives a special gift from the author. He is given the full manuscript of the story. Just then, the world starts changing into the web novel’s story, and Dokja is the only reader who knows how the story will unfold. Logically, he uses that to his advantage as he attempts to survive in this new catastrophic world.

Despite the very obvious advantage Dokjia has over the other participants, it doesn’t guarantee his survival. Dokja remains as vulnerable as the other characters, which is basically proof of how harsh the setting is. While Dokja is the main character of Omniscient Reader, he isn’t the main character of Three Ways to Survive the Apocalypse. He has to be very mindful not to let Jonghyuk die in this round, otherwise, nobody knows what will happen to him and the other non-characters of the novel.

Omniscient Reader is available to read in English on WEBTOON.

Tomb Raider King Turns Mythology and Legends Into Reality

tomb-raider-king-manhwa

Tomb Raider King is set in a world where mysterious tombs have suddenly appeared. Like in many games and movies, these tombs home a variety of treasures. Each one contains a relic, which either has a specific use or grants a specific ability. These relics have easily stirred humanity’s greed. Humans start to compete in hoarding and utilizing these relics for their own selfish gains. The main character, Jooheon Suh, calls himself a tomb raider. He basically has a small team, and they are tasked with exploring, excavating, and raiding the tombs assigned to them. While he is very good at what he does, that doesn’t stop him from being betrayed by his employer.

Of course, the story doesn’t end there. Jooheon is granted a second chance at life just as he breathes his last. Jooheon gets sent fifteen years into the past with all of his memories intact. Reasonably, he plans to get back at the individual who has sent him and his team six feet under. As the manhwa’s title implies, Jooheon is the king when it comes to hoarding relics. He doesn’t let even one of them slip out of his grasp. He is very greedy when it comes to relics, but that doesn’t mean he’s evil. He takes care of the innocent, as well as the people he is close to. Most of all, he doesn’t pull any of his punches when it comes to dealing with his enemies.

Tomb Raider King is available to read in English on Tapas.

Return To Player Aims To Save Everyone From Destruction

return to player manhwa

Gods and deities are usually depicted as benevolent creatures looking out for humanity. Well, that’s not the case in Return to Player. In this manhwa, ten gods have turned every human being into a player in their despicable game. The humans are forced to kill monsters or be killed by said creatures, and the only blessing to it is that they are also granted various supernatural abilities and items to help bolster their fighting prowess. Sehan Kim is one of these humans. He has been playing according to the gods’ wishes and ultimately manages to survive until the very end. Unfortunately, only he manages to finish the game — everyone else has died.

It’s not the end of the road for Sehan. He is given a chance to do a second playthrough, which he logically accepts. He returns to the past, right before everything has started. Knowing how the events and mission will unfold, he is resolved to alter the result of the game. Instead of surviving in that hellhole alone, he now wishes to save as many people as he possibly can.

Return to Player is available to read in English on WEBTOON.

The King of Gaming Bugs Turns Everything Into a Glitchy Game

King of gaming bugs

The game programmer Xander Song spends most of his time coding and fixing bugs for an exploitative gaming company. The project he is working on has a tight deadline, and he is the only programmer working on the bugs. Because of that, he turns most of the bugs into Easter eggs instead of fixing them. But that’s not the reason the manhwa is entitled The King of Gaming Bugs. When the game finally releases, the world overwrites itself into the world of Xander’s game. Xander now exploits the Easter eggs he has created to gain an advantage in his disadvantageous new world.

Xander’s development throughout the manhwa is the main reason why The King of Gaming Bugs is worth giving a read. He starts off as a wimpy introvert, but he quickly sheds off that personality when the worst has turned to worst. Xander unhesitatingly fights for his life and the life of others. He actively searches and exploits the bugs that he made, yet he still manages to retain his kind and caring soul. Of course, his slowly becoming overpowered is also an entertaining progression to witness.

The King of Gaming Bugs is available to read in English on Tapas.