The popular Naver Webtoon 'Windbreaker' has halted serialization following allegations of tracing (the act of copying drawings).
Jo Yong-seok, the artist of 'Windbreaker', acknowledged the recent controversy over tracing Japanese manga at the end of episode 177 titled 'The Remains of Sincerity', which was released on the 11th, and announced the halt of serialization.
The artist stated, "Some scenes referenced in my work were similar or almost identical to images from other works, and this is clearly my mistake."
He added, "Having lived a life chased by deadlines for many years, I lost sight of the standards I should uphold as a creator due to my impatience. I am deeply sorry to the readers."
Due to the halt in serialization, the conclusion of the story that could not be shown has been revealed through highlight scenes and written explanations on his personal blog.
Naver Webtoon also stated, "Similarities in composition and direction to other works have been confirmed in the original manuscript of 'Windbreaker', leading to the decision to halt serialization and service of the work."
'Windbreaker' is a sports webtoon that depicts the events that unfold when the protagonist, who enjoys cycling, participates in an amateur cycling competition.
It has been serialized for nearly 12 years since 2013 and is a long-running and popular work on Naver Webtoon, translated into English, Japanese, Chinese, and more.
In addition, in 2023, webtoons such as 'I Want to Date a Girl' and 'Can I Cancel My Confession?' were also embroiled in plagiarism controversies and were suspended through announcements. In response to the repeated plagiarism controversies, Naver Webtoon has promised to develop detection technology and strengthen monitoring.
