- Updated on: July 21, 2022
- by Ernie
While some main characters might struggle in strength, being weak, there are also Korean comics where we get to see main characters struggling financially. Poor main characters have a difficult life and have to go through a lot of obstacles to feed, survive and go through life … in some other cases, their financial status might be just for comic relief in the manhwa series.
In this blog, we will be looking at 11 of these titles from Korea where the financial status of the protagonist is not in a healthy condition. We will look at these characters, the plot of the series and how they are about to navigate their stories… let’s begin.
Table of Contents
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Korean Comics Where the Main Character is Poor
Table of Content
11. RUN, BONG-GU, RUN!
| Poor MC | Plot | Character | Art | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
12/20 |
6/10 |
6/10 |
6/10 |
30/50 |
Run, Bong-gu, Run is an old manhwa, it was launched in 2003. The manhwa tells a tale of love and hope for humanity. It is a slice of life focusing on the drama around a poor family. The mother and her son leave their small town and head to Seoul to look for his long lost father … just a desperate woman with no resources, things do not like bright.
10. SWEET BLOOD
| Poor MC | Plot | Character | Art | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
12/20 |
6/10 |
6/10 |
6/10 |
30/50 |
This manhwa ran from 2011 to 2015. If you love some boy love action, intense Yaoi romance, then you are in the right place. A young boy is abandoned by his parents, now fending for himself, he is living from hand to mouth. Sooho’s life is about to get even worse with the arrival of a vampire king from another world.
This fantasy Korean comic has a focus on the effects of poverty. It also touches on romance, just that in this case the bond is between a vampire and a human teenager. The plot is great and the characters are well developed. The manhwa is written by Se Young Kim.
9. BUJA’S DIARY
| Poor MC | Plot | Character | Art | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
13/20 |
7/10 |
7/10 |
7/10 |
34/50 |
Buja’s diary is a collection of short stories, thirteen in number. It was launched in 1995 and has a gripping artistic take on Korean society. The stories range from drama, slice of life, and historical with a central theme on countryside poverty.
The manhwa is written and illustrated by Seyeong O, a legendary Korean comic author. It does portray some themes which some people might not be comfortable with, however, it is as realistic as a work of art can get.
8. THE MAN WITHOUT TALENT
| Poor MC | Plot | Character | Art | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
13/20 |
7/10 |
7/10 |
7/10 |
34/50 |
The man without talent is the oldest comic on this list as it was released in 1985, spanning 6 chapters. The plot shows the struggles of a creative person in modern society. It features the life of a cartoonist, camera salesman, ferryman, stone collector and even comedians.
The creatives struggle to make ends meet, failing in his business over and over again and becoming a laughing stock to friends and family. It is a tragic drama and the slice of life will make you emotional … the dangers of poverty are highlighted in this series and while the art style might not be too familiar, the plot is amazing.
7. 3 LEVEL COMBINATION
| Poor MC | Plot | Character | Art | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
15/20 |
7/10 |
7/10 |
8/10 |
37/50 |
This manhwa was released in 2008, it consists of 3 chapters and 25 volumes. The webtoon belongs to the science fiction genre, it is set in a school and features a lot of androids and robots.
There is also a bit of romance and lots of drama in this series. It revolves around a poor young boy known as Hogu, who lives with his sister and grandmother in a dystopian future where robots have become commonplace. Hogu finds love in a robot girl’s arms and that’s where his story will begin.
6. ELEGANTLY POOR
| Poor MC | Plot | Character | Art | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
16/20 |
8/10 |
8/10 |
8/10 |
40/50 |
Run, Bong-gu, Run is an old manhwa, it was launched in 2003. The manhwa tells a tale of love and hope for humanity. It is a slice of life focusing on the drama around a poor family. The mother and her son leave their small town and head to Seoul to look for his long lost father … just a desperate woman with no resources, things do not like bright.
5. EVEN IF YOU DON’T LOVE ME
| Poor MC | Plot | Character | Art | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
16/20 |
8/10 |
8/10 |
8/10 |
40/50 |
A 2020 manhwa by Pando, it centres on the gap between social classes, with a focus on the effects of poverty. The plot is centred on a boy’s love relationship. The poor Min Ji Wook manages to get into Daehon high school, an exquisite school that caters to the elite of the society.
Ji Wook decided to escape poverty and create a better life for himself by graduating with the best grades and being admitted into a top university, but his plans are about to be derailed after coming in contact with Joo Seung Eon and Kwon Hyung Seo.
Joo Seung Eon is the son of Korea’s largest conglomerate group while Kwon Hyung Seo is the son of Ilkang group chairman… they both treat him differently but when these rich kids show an interest in him, his life is about to get more complicated.
4. CASHERO
| Poor MC | Plot | Character | Art | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
16/20 |
8/10 |
8/10 |
8/10 |
40/50 |
Cashero is a successful 2015 manhwa in the supernatural and comedy genre, it consists of 20 chapters. Cahsero has a second part that ran from 2015 to 2016, having 30 chapters. It has a special focus on poverty. Our main characters are siblings with super powers yet still poor. The manhwa is written and illustrated by Team befar, the art style is unique and beautiful, with hilarious dialogues to match.
3. ANNARASUMANARA
| Poor MC | Plot | Character | Art | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
18/20 |
8/10 |
8/10 |
9/10 |
43/50 |
A coming of age manhwa with a psychological feel to it, this romantic drama is set in a school and it was released in 2010 with 3 volumes and 27 chapters. This is one of those manhwa where the art is a perfect fit for the story, it is authored by II Kwon Ha.
Annarasumanara is extremely realistic. It follows the life of Yun Ai who has wanted to be a magician since she was a kid. Now a high school student living in abject poverty, she is unhappy with her life and desperately hopes for a change. After meeting a real magician at the fair, her hopes are rekindled and she will chase her dreams.
2. DOWN AND DIRTY
| Poor MC | Plot | Character | Art | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
18/20 |
8/10 |
9/10 |
9/10 |
44/50 |
Authored by John, the Korean comic is a boy’s love manhwa that touches on one of the most controversial industries. Choi Hyungdo is poor but he is an attractive young man. To be able to survive, he gets a waiter job during the day and a “specialized” actor at night. A weird relationship begins to form between him and the owner, leading us to more drama.
1. JASAL BOY
| Poor MC | Plot | Character | Art | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
19/20 |
9/10 |
9/10 |
9/10 |
46/50 |
Suicide boy by Park Gee is an excellent manhwa, it has a unique take on themes that will make you sick to your stomach. It is a hilarious manhwa, excelling in dark humour. It tackles themes like bullying, poverty and mental illness. The 17 year old high school boy is broke and suicidal, this webtoon does well to educate the readers on self-harm.
Conclusion
That’s the end of this blog, Manhwa with poor main characters are not so mainstream so I hope you will enjoy these titles. Head over to the comment section and let us know your favourites from the list.
