Korean manhwa now has a special place in my heart. It’s because of them that webtoons took off in a big way, and that is amazing. Everyone should be catching up on them because some truly great manhwa rival some of the best manga I’ve read over the years. And now we have a new contender, a supernatural thriller known as The Blood Of The Butterfly by HONGDUCK.

The Blood Of The Butterfly is a relatively recent addition to the LINE Webtoon app, being released in August 2021. With 45+ chapters and illustrative work being done by Nemone, the story is shaping up to be an engaging one. It was already a hit locally, hence why it is now being translated for an international audience. And for a good reason.

From romance to action, Shojou to Shonen, Korean webtoons have stepped up their game immensely. You’d think that they’d all be flowery and cute, something Korean dramas have made abundantly clear they excel at. But they are also very, very good with darker stories that have elements of horror and psychological thriller in them. I mean, just look at the movie Parasyte.

But the almost delicate whimsy of The Blood Of The Butterfly combined with its twisted subject matter makes it a real hidden gem of a treat. I don’t read a lot of twisted stories, gory webtoons are just not my cup of tea. But this one is unique in how it combines fantasy with grittiness. Let’s see if it’s something up your alley too!

The Blood Of The Butterfly Premise: Creepy Crawlies All Over?

The world is being overrun by giant insects that are threatening humanity’s extinction. The only ones brave enough to fight them are the Butterflies, super-powered groups of humans that were created by scientists to counteract the Bugs.

These Butterflies are a massive inspiration for our protagonist, Maehwa Baek, who considers them heroes. But then something happens to Maehwa that brings him right to the people responsible for them. And suddenly, his world is thrust into chaos.

Why does he black out when he catches himself bleeding? And can’t he remember more than a decade of his life? These are questions he’ll finally have to confront.

The Breakdown: A Unique Mix Of Fantasy Horror And Mysteries To Uncover!

This has probably been the first action webtoon to have me hooked in months. It blends the fantastical art style with a serious story that is a clear slow burn, but not annoyingly so. A lot of webtoons overdo it with the thriller aspect and leave nothing up to the audience to figure out, but not here.

The story goes to a few weird places, which always leaves you guessing. The plot twists it takes don’t feel wasted or excessive, despite the pacing. When you think you have the story figured out, it throws you off by not taking a predictive route. It’s unusual and even a bit creepy, but it all works so well.

It’s engaging in a way good mysteries should be, with a huge emphasis on building this terrifying world and how our protagonist comes to play a part in all of it. And make no mistake, the characters here are complex, with their motivations fueling the fire of the secrets that burn around them.

Also, the art is gorgeous. For a visual story, that is always important.

The Verdict: Worth A Try!

Listen, this is a relatively new release, so you have just enough chapters to binge through but not enough where it’ll be overwhelming. Personally, it’s doing something different compared to other webtoons in the same genre, and it’s a welcome change.

I think The Blood Of The Butterflies is worth the read if you’re a fan of fantasy mysteries with a hint of dystopia.