I confess that I have read martial arts novels for quite some time, but I don't know well about martial arts genre other than the fictional novels. The most major medium of martial arts genre is indeed novels, regardless of in Korea, China, or in Taiwan, but as there are many famous Chinese martial arts dramas based on Kim Yong's original novels and as martial arts comics were absolutely popular in Korea for some time, it would be accurate to say that I lack in knowledge of such genre. For the same reason, I have only heard of the name by the artists, Ryu Ki-woon and Moon Jung-hoo, but did not read it. The webtoon 'GOSU' would probably be the only authentic martial arts genre webtoon in LINE Comics that is currently enjoying high popularity and it actually is the debut work of the two artists. 'GOSU' is a masterpiece which can easily be recommended to the previous fans of and other martial arts comics, and also, to the readers who have only read martial arts novels before like me or those who do not know about martial arts genre at all. Let's take a look at it briefly.

 

First of all, the story of the webtoon can be defined as 'authentic martial arts' genre. After going through the early phases, 'GOSU' literally depicts legitimate 'martial arts'. In terms of it's materials, the webtoon represents authentic martial arts that looks back at pre-2000s. It can be recognized by simply by opening up Wikipedia to read the three-line to the plot.

 

However, the genre of martial arts is basically an aged genre as I have written many times when I reviewed martial arts webtoons (or other works that advocated such genre). It's a genre in which minor details can be changed, but in a bigger perspective, it can be described as a genre that is defined by certain settings and worldview, specific descriptions of characters, their particular lines and actions, and the terms that are unfamiliar to beginners. The reason why most of the martial arts webtoons are close to an oriental fantasy that only burrows the style of martial arts genre or why they cannot win people's popularity is due to such nature of the genre.

 

Nevertheless, GOSU has very low entry barriers. With the fainting support of martial arts fans who are now minorities, it could not have taken the top spot at LINE Comics which is a major platform. The trick is thanks to the placement of the relatively light episodes which were yet enough to demonstrate the webtoon's charms in the early to mid chapters.

 

Anyone who reads the early stages of the webtoon will realize that the episodes are actually funny enough to read without knowing anything about martial arts. The webtoon does not necessarily highlight the settings and background of the typical martial arts story protagonist, Gang Ryong and the enemies that appear aren't some gangs with martial arts secrets (though they surely appear later). More than just considering for readers who do not know anything about martial arts, the remarkable story that will purely impress most fans of webtoons by itself welcomes the guests who are not familiar with the genre.

 

Through such episodes, GOSU reveals the personality of many characters including Kang Ryong, indicates of future events, and grabs the readers' attention with the quality that can indeed make the readers feel sorry for viewing them freely. Even if the readers do not take the 'martial arts' into consideration, they can still find the webtoon sufficiently attractive in every aspect only by watching the few early incidents that happen in the webtoon. The amazing power of the story.

 

The webtoon has one of the top drawing qualities in LINE Comics, solid episodes with almost no flaws, and the characters who are classic and yet, quite fresh. It is a masterpiece that can be acknowledged in many ways, but the story developed during the middle chapters is a bit disappointing. However, I would still like to recommend reading it without hesitation because I do want to see the end of the story as a martial arts genre, and most of all, because the webtoon itself is capable of enduring a little boredom.