Have you heard the term “hallyu?” “Hallyu,” also called the “Korean Wave,” refers to the increasing global popularity of South Korean pop culture, including music, film, television, and comics.

Korean comics, or “manhwa,” have been largely digital since the early 2000s. As smartphones grew more common, the industry standard became full-color art and vertical formatting for easy scrolling. Manhwa really took off internationally in 2014, when Naver’s Line Webtoon app became popular with younger readers for its digital access and free chapter model. Now, some titles are popular enough for physical print editions. The following series are available at Davenport Public Library. (Descriptions below provided by publisher.)

Villains are Destined to Die
In the Easy Mode of Daughter of the Duke Love Project!, you play as Ivonne, the duke’s long-lost daughter who quickly gains the affection of the various male characters to win the game. Very easy! In Hard Mode, you play as “villainess” Penelope Eckhart, the duke’s fake daughter who starts her adventure with negative affection points. Very hard…and filled with gruesome deaths?! Misunderstood and pining for love, one girl finds that she has much in common with Penelope and tries again and again to get her “good ending.” She is granted one more try…when she falls asleep and wakes up as Penelope herself in the hostile world of the game!

Solo Leveling
The weakest of the weak, E-class hunter Jinwoo Sung has no money, no talent, and no prospects to speak of. And when he enters a hidden dungeon that fateful day, he ends up being left to die in the aftermath of a horrendous tragedy. At death’s door, Jinwoo is suddenly invited to be a “player” by a mysterious voice. Desperate to live, Jinwoo jumps at the chance…but what is this strange new leveling system that only he can see?

Tower of God
Twenty-Fifth Bam must journey skyward in a mysterious tower if he has any chance of reuniting with his best friend Rachel, even if that means facing his own death. Before mysteriously disappearing into the tower gates before his very eyes, Rachel cautions Bam to forget all about her. Unwilling to lose her, Bam enters the Tower completely surrounded by Shinsu — a divine and magical water, at his own peril. The Tower itself contains multitudes of floors as vast as continents, each one with its unique geography, language and culture. Confronted by skillful tests each step of the way, Bam meets powerful guardians and otherworldly environments, making his quest to the top no easy feat. At each level Bam is constantly tested for his strength, dexterity and wit. With help from fellow travelers and unlikely villains, Bam makes both allies and enemies in order to find Rachel.

The Dangerous Convenience Store
College student Yeo Eui-joon works the graveyard shift at a convenience store to pay his bills. The shift sucks, but the money’s good, and the customers—mostly mobsters and hoodlums—don’t cause too much trouble. That might be due to Gunwoo, a tall, hunky gangster who frequents the store for booze and cigarettes. He’s scarier than the rest of the clientele, but seems to have a soft spot for Eui-joon, defending him from the more volatile customers. Could there be more behind Gunwoo’s protective actions? And if so, is Eui-joon prepared to be a part of Gunwoo’s violent world?

True Beauty
After binge-watching beauty videos online, a shy comic book fan masters the art of makeup and sees her social standing skyrocket as she becomes her school’s prettiest pretty girl overnight. But will her elite status be short-lived? How long can she keep her real self a secret? And what about that cute boy who knows her secret? Caught in a love triangle between a mystery man and a bad boy, Jugyeong navigates high school and her personal life while her self-esteem and romantic life are constantly in flux.

During the month of May, look for the “Hallyu: The Korean Wave” displays at all three branches for more Korean pop culture recommendations.