Manhwas vs. Webtoons

There's this common misconception that Manhwas and Webtoons are the same since they are both Korean Language comics. Let me rebut this and say this is not completely right in my opinion. Many people use Manhwas interchangeably with webtoons and although it's not technically wrong it bothers me how they are classed as the same thing.

I feel like one of the major factors are how the medium is presented. I'll shortlist some of my observations on the given genre (correct me if I'm wrong):

1. Manhwas are presented in paperback book form or in magazines. This greatly restricts target audience (whether it's a tween, older teen or young adult magazine) which in turn feels like the author must meet the demands of what the audience wants. It's a good thing sometimes but generally the author should really be in charge of the story's creative direction. They also have editors, both a good thing and a bad thing, it stops the author from writing anything to choppy but again, restricts them from creativity.
   
   On the other hand, Webtoons are obviously posted online, free for anyone to view. Traditionally when hosted on sites like Naver, they get money based on hits and popularity I'm assuming. It actually gives the artist more freedom in writing the story and the audience is not restricted. The demographic is anyone that has a computer and likes comics.An example includes my all time favourite webtoon, Cheese in the Trap. It's set in college instead of high school, it deals with money/family problems and touches more on the psychological pressures, love, friendship and confronting your demons.
   If it was in a magazine, it'd be set in a high school and the focus would be on romance.
2. Webtoons are really great since they have no set restriction on them in terms of length of chapters. Sometimes you have a lengthy chapter, sometimes you have a really short chapter. The author can go with what they feel fits the given chapter and the flow of the story is retained, instead of being rushed or being ended abruptly.
   
   We know that Manhwa, manga and manhuas (chinese comics) have to tell their story in about 30 pages or less (on average). They also have to capture the reader's attention from the first chapter and continue to drop cliff-hangers to steadily retain their audience. If it's too slowly paced, it might not appeal to the masses so much. Though I think that the fact that some do some so so skillfully and noting that some tell it beautifully in oneshots, is a pretty amazing feat.
   
   



3. I haven't read a tonne of Webtoons but the ones I've read use decompression in their comics. Basically it means they are a series of images depicting movement such as the character walking around admiring scenery or the character going about their daily life. It's almost, as tv tropes describes it, a "cinematic experience".
   It adds another layer for the storytelling and lets you appreciate the art. It literally represents how a picture can tell a thousand words.
   
   You don't see this so much in manhwas since they have page restrictions.
    
4. Another creative add-on to webtoons is they can really take you by surprise in their way of telling a story. Sometimes it's pretty abstract and avant garde.
   
   Annarasumanara is a really nice example of a girl who meets a magician. He tries to teach her magic while she goes through troubles concerning school, having enough money to feed her sister, getting sexually harassed and the one track mind of getting a good education = getting a good job = success. The author also uses multi-media aspects like real photographs and money etc. and really seems like surrealism art in comic form.  I'll elaborate on it some other time when I re-read it and review it.

I feels like I really bagging out Manhwas but I have read some pretty good ones but Webtoons and manhwas shouldn't really be considered the same thing. The only thing they have in common is the Korean language. I guess you get a completely different feeling from webtoons and manhwas.