12 Manhwa About Grief, Death and the Loss of a Loved One
Grief and loss can be incredibly hard to process, waves of which are often triggered by the simplest recollections - from smell to a short memory. While nothing will suppress sadness and the void we feel for the loss of a loved one, some things can help. Time is first on the list, and acceptance is another, but what also helps is to read the stories of people in similar situations. These stories could be from literary books to movies or manhwas that deal with grief.
Struggling to come to terms with their loss, many of the characters in these stories are still affected by the death or disappearance of a family member or close friend. Whether it was recent or years ago, the loss still drives their thoughts and actions, making it difficult for them to learn to live with loss. These grief manhwas demonstrate some of the realities of grief, and even if they can’t compare to the real experience, I think they are cathartic in their own ways.
+Manga That Will Make You Cry+
+Anime Movies That Will Make You Cry+
1.Her Bucket List
그녀의 버킷리스트 - Geunyeoui Bucketlist
When Rari's boyfriend tragically passes away, her entire world crumbles. She sinks into a deep sea of grief, eventually leading her to contemplate taking her own life. But before she does this, she decides to complete the bucket list her boyfriend had made with her, to commemorate the life he could not get to live. Unexpectedly, fate links her with Hansol, her neighbor, who has a soul-crushing story of his own. Despite the pain and darkness that has engulfed them, the two embark on a journey to discover that life can still be beautiful, even after enduring grief. This is a short story about the unpredictability of life's circumstances
+Chapters: 58
+Published: 2019 to 2020
+Genres: Drama - Romance - Slice of Life
+Authors: Hwang-yang [Story] Sop [Art]
+Serialization/Other works: Naver Webtoon
2.Amanza
아만자 - Big see
No one quite knows how to navigate Cancer, and while this sad, tragic manhwa does not claim to hold the answer, it manages to portray the physical, emotional, and mental struggles that envelop patients and their loved ones as they steer through this disease. With its simple art and sentences, Amanza states things as they are. There are no emotional cushions in this tearful story, so prepare your heart accurately. This is a story that deals with grief of the living - something that often happens when our brain becomes away of the fact that someone we love might soon pass away.
+Chapters: 110
+Published: 2013 to 2014
+Genres: Drama - Fantasy
+Author: Kim Bo-Tong [Story&Art]
+Serialization/Other work: Ktoon
3.Lethe (Doha GANG)
레테
This story takes place in a metaphysical space, a sort of 'in-between,' revolving around the themes of love, suffering, and the loss of a partner. After the death of his wife, this manhwa's protagonist becomes overwhelmed with a feeling of guilt - because he could not say goodbye to her - and of loss - both of love and purpose. Letting the ebbs and flows of life push him in any direction throughout many months, he finds himself walking in a tunnel with no real sense of direction, only to succumb to his own accidental death. He wakes up as a ghost, not understanding what is keeping him halfway between life and death, as there is nothing left for him in the human world.
+Chapters: 21
+Published: 2014
+Genres: Drama - Romance - Supernatural - Tragedy
+Authors: Gang Do-ha [Art&Story]
+Serialization/Other work: Daum Webtoon
4.Cat Funeral
고양이 장례식 - Goyangi Jangnyesik
A Cat funeral is a manhwa that places a cat in the center of its story, asking interestingly tough questions about love, the loss of loved ones, and the impact such events have on human existence. It follows exes who used to live together and raised a cat during that period of their lives. Years later, the cat passes away, and they decide to meet again to bury him together.
+Chapters: 7
+Published: 2009
+Genres: Drama - Romance - Slice of Life
+Authors: Hong Jak Ga [Story&Art]
+Serialization/Other work: Daum Webtoon
5.Diamond Dust
다이아몬드 더스트
Diamond Dust explores one of life’s saddest occurrences: diseases. Initially, this tragic manhwa will follow the early life of Hyerin, a piano prodigy who achieved the heights of fame by training up to 12 hours a day, closely forced and followed by her strict father. As a mentally traumatic accident takes over her life, she is left unable to play, with hands as stiff as wood. Later, she will meet JooWon, a musician from an indie band dealing with his own sickness. Don’t read this sad romance webtoon if you’re looking for something lighthearted.
+Chapters: 40
+Published: 2012 to 2013
+Genres: Drama - Romance - Music - Psychological
+Authors: Kang Hyung Kyu [Story & Art]
+Serialization/Other work: Daum Webtoon
6.Haru’s Curse
春の呪い - Curse of Spring
Haru's curse is a complex story about the diverse spaces people affected by grief must navigate. After losing her sister, Haru, to cancer, Natsumi becomes overwhelmed with the idea of living life without her by her side. But she also harbors guilt because she is now dating Togo, her dead sister's fiancé. Haru and Togo were together due to an arrangement between their families, but Haru was in love with him. Natsumi clings to Togo in a twisted way because she feels he's the only thing left of her sister. Following her struggles, the story delves into the mystery of human sadness and love. It also examines the limits of these emotions, simultaneously asking many questions, one of which: is it possible to miss someone so much that you become compelled to live their life instead of them? Although this is a manga, its style resembles manhwa character design, so I decided to include it here.
+Volume: 2
+Chapters: 8
+Published: 2015 to 2016
+Genres: Drama - Romance - Slice of Life - Psychological
+Author: Konishi Asuka [Story&Art]
+Serialization/Other works: Comic ZERO-SUM
7.My Kitty and Old Dog
내 어린고양이와 늙은개
My Kitty and Old Dog is a collection of short episodic stories told from the point of view of different cats and dogs - and sometimes from the artist’s own experiences with his pets. Both the art style and tales are simple, but they will manage to tug at various corners of your heart. The subjects they treat are soaked in innocence and raw emotions, and people who own pets might relate to a lot of the situations depicted through these narratives. You won’t find drama, darkness, or cynicism here. This emotional manhwa is a breath of fresh air and comfort and does not aim to accomplish much other than warm your heart and make you cry. Altough it does not directly deal with grief in every story, I think it is a welcomed account of lightness.
+Chapters: 215
+Published: 2011 to 2013
+Genres: Comedy - Drama - Slice of Life - Memoir - Pets
+Creator: Cho [Story&Art]
+Serialization/Other works: Naver Webtoon
8.Please Forgive Me
Please forgive me follows the life of a girl who lost her best friend to an accident and consequently suffered through various mental ailments due to that loss. She does not know how to deal with her emotions or understand them. Living in a society where feelings are brushed aside rather than labeled, explained, and felt or death with, she resolves herself to ignore her pain completely. But as they continue to grow, her ache and sadness become so debilitating that one day she is left with only two choices, one leading to tragedy, the other to a road filled with hardship and hope.
+Chapters: 24
+Published: 2018
+Genres: Drama - Psychological
+Author:Haechopari [Story&Art]
+Serialization/Other work: Naver Series
9.Duty After School
방과 후 전쟁활동
As they were going about the mundanity of daily high school life, a group of students witnessed the end of the world as they know it, brought forth by the invasion of the sky by mysterious purple orbs. First appearing harmless, the orbs soon showcased their tendency for unpredictable violence as they sporadically caused the death of millions. As the South Korean military forces soon diminished, the government imposed martial law and mandatory army enlistment for those 11 and older. The story follows a group of those enlisted students in their new lives. This manhwa is full of emotional repercussions, depth, substance, and eerie accuracy. It also deals with more ‘brutal’ and physical types of traumas.
+Chapters: 50
+Published: 2012 to 2013
+Genres: Action - Drama - Sci-Fi - Military - Psychological - School
+Authors: Ha Il-Kwon [Story&Art]
+Serialization/Other works: Naver Webtoon
10.The Horizon
수평선
Dark and gritty art where the lines between the protagonist and his environment blur serve to depict the heavy atmosphere of this manhwa set during a ravaging war. Although war stories are nothing new, the particularity here is that the perspective is given from that of a child, juxtaposing innocence and cruelty in a hauntingly dreadful world. After the death of his mother, a boy is left to fend for himself amidst the chaos and panic of bloodshed. Fleeing, he eventually finds a companion: a girl his age hiding between lifeless bodies. The Horizon is a masterfully told story and does not hold back in addressing and depicting some of the darkest facets of the human experience.
+Chapters: 21
+Published: 2016
+Genres: Drama - Adventure - Psychological
+Authors: Jeong Ji-Hoon [Story&Art]
+Serialization/Other work: Afternoon
11.Seasons of Blossoms
청춘 블라썸
Seasons of Blossoms tells the intimate story of a group of friends, focusing on one character in each of its volumes. The volumes are akin to seasons, the first one treating that of summer. And so, while the story begins with wholesome warmth and romance, those that follow it are etched in ice, grief, and anguish. Readers will experience different aspects of life through the struggles, progress, achievements, and setbacks of rotating protagonists - some of which have gone through very sensitive and traumatic situations. Be warned: you might continuously cry as you scroll down the panels. The theme of grief will not be portrayed before the start of the second season.
+Chapters: +100
+Published: 2020 to Ongoing
+Genres: Comedy - Drama - Romance - School Life
+Authors: Hongduck [Story] Nemone [Art]
+Serialization/Other works: Naver Webtoon
12.About Death
죽음에 관하여
About Death is a manhwa that attempts to treat the subject of our departure from life. Here, there are no circles of hell or ascension to the heavens; Death brings silence which quickly gets interrupted by the discourse of a rather odd and quirky God. As characters wait for what comes next, they engage in philosophical, comical, and intriguing conversations with their creator. Each chapter is independent of the other, and various themes, such as joy, regret, and sorrow, are treated simply yet compellingly. While I don’t guarantee that this manhwa will make you cry, it consists of a fast read that might make you ponder a question or two regarding a subject many of us avoid and lace with fear and heartache.
+Chapters: 27
+Published: 2012 to 2013
+Genres: Slice of Life - Supernatural - Psychological
+Authors: Sini [Story] Hyeono [Art]
+Serialization/Other works: Naver Webtoon
