Solo Leveling created a huge buzz online, captivating several fans globally thanks to its compelling narrative and terrific action scene. Solo Leveling is among the Winter 2024 biggest hits, and the manhwa-based anime received immense support from fans for its art, execution, and direction. Despite generating an enormous fanbase after its debut, many fans aren’t aware that the anime actually began as a popular Korean webtoon (manhwa) series.
Solo Leveling has undoubtedly played a vital role in increasing the Webtoon series’ popularity, captivating several new readers to the lesser-known world of Korean Webtoons. With the announcement of Omniscient Reader Viewpoints‘ animation debut and Tower of God Season 2 immense success, the Korean Webtoon series continues to become the center of attention in the anime-manga industry.
However, the global storytelling platform suffers from the same tragic fate as any manga platform: piracy websites. Surprisingly, Naver Webtoon, a Korean-based platform, has filed a DMCA subpoena request for over 170 piracy websites, leaving fans anxious.
Legal Crackdown: Korean Webtoon Platform Targets 170 Piracy Sites, Stirring Concerns Among Fans
Naver Webtoon’s recent actions against piracy websites have shaken the entire manga-anime industry. Reportedly, the Korean Webtoon platform has filed a DMCA subpoena request for over 170 piracy websites and is currently preparing legal action against only three big piracy sites.
Naturally, within hours the news took over the entire internet, leaving fans worried about their go-to piracy sites’ future. The Webtoon Publisher Kakao also disclosed their plan to take down the largest comic piracy website in the world, starting with the letter ‘M’ by collaborating with Japanese publishers.
The Webtoon platform’s legal action has created a lot of commotion in the manga-anime industry. Although piracy sites promote unlawful distribution, they have also introduced several fans to the lesser-known world of Korean Webtoons. One of the biggest reasons behind Solo Leveling‘s immense success is the manhwa’s enormous popularity in the community, thanks to such piracy websites.
Fans are left in a bittersweet state where supporting piracy sites seems to be the only viable option. Not to forget, the Webtoon platform provides a very unpleasant experience for readers, especially with its paid services charging the user for every chapter.
Unfortunately, if Naver Webtoon’s legal efforts succeed, it could jeopardize the potential animation debut of popular manhwas like The Beginning After the End, The Legend of the Northern Blade, and many others. Webtoon’s decision to take legal action against piracy websites while ignoring the request for a more affordable monthly subscription model has left many fans frustrated.
On top of that, the similarity among most webtoons prevents new readers from getting into the genre. Regardless, the Tower of God, which is another popular manhwa-anime series, is making waves online with its prequel, resuming after four long years.
Tower of God Season 2 Return Sparks Enthusiasm Across the Anime Community
Owing to the Tower of God Season 1’s popularity, the prequel received a positive response from the fanbase, despite the four-year-long delay in its release. Season 1 left fans at a cliffhanger with Rachel’s sudden betrayal, leaving Bam and viewers full of questions and frustration. Season 2 starts with Bam joining FUG to save his friends from an unknown life-threatening danger.
Bam is also portrayed as deeply traumatized by the betrayal, making several fans sympathize with his character. The once cheerful and innocent kid is now the secret weapon destined to kill Jahad, The King of the Tower. Since only an irregular can kill Jahad because they are not from within the Tower, Viole becomes the ideal candidate for FUG’s plan to execute the king.
Currently, Season 2 showcases our beloved protagonist starting from scratch on the quest to climb the Tower. Viole joining a new team despite still being deeply scared by Rachel’s betrayal was a heart-breaking moment for several fans. The series also introduces some fresh faces, with Ja Wangnan stealing the most spotlight.
Tower of God Season 2 is available on Crunchyroll
