AlthoughNetflix’s live-action seriesSweet Homestarted with little fanfare, its unique blend of horror and superhero elements amid a ‘monster’ apocalypse quickly captured the hearts of audiences worldwide - making the show one of the streaming service’s top Korean series and earning it three seasons of content. With the series ending last summer, for those craving a more intense scare and a deeper dive into the story and its characters, there’s no better way to experienceSweet Homethan by exploring the manhwa that inspired it all.
Netflix’sSweet Homeis based on the webtoon of the same name by Kim Carnby and Hwang Young-chan. The original series was published on Naver, aKorean Webtoon platform, from 2017 to 2020, and was later made available in English. Similar to the Netflix adaptation, the story revolves around the residents of the Green Home apartment complex as they grapple with a monster apocalypse. Unlike traditional zombie narratives, inSweet Home, people who are infectedwith the telltale virus are not turned into the undead. Instead, they transform into monstrous creatures born from their deepest fears, traumas, and regrets.
Junji Ito Would Love The Sweet Home Manhwa
The Series Expands and Deepens the Junji Ito Style
While the Netflix live-action series does indeed capture the essence of theSweet Homemanhwa, the changes it makes to adapt the story to a television-viewing audience not only alter the plot in some ways, but also significantly change the story’s overall vibe. This is especially evident in the tone and atmosphere, as well as in how the characters interact within this setting. While the Netflix series emphasizes suspense, the manhwa leans more heavily into a horror-themed environment.
The horror inSweet Homediverges from the typical manhwa, manga, or comic book fare. It delivers a more intense and unsettling experience. To be sure, itechoes the style of Junji Ito, whose masterful storytelling leaves a lasting impact on readers long after the story concludes. Specifically,Sweet Homeskillfully incorporates classic Junji Ito elements: the eerie atmosphere of Green Home apartments, a setting where the horrors of everyday life were already palpable, even before the monster apocalypse. This blend creates a haunting narrative that lingers, much like Ito’s signature works.
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Moreover, there areSweet Home’s disturbing monster designs— once seen, are not easily forgotten — draw viewers in, making them eager for more. There’s also Hwang Young-chan’s distinctive art style, which effectively translates the terrifying atmosphere of a horror film onto paper, giving each panel an unsettling, creepy feel. But perhaps most crucial to the manhwa excellence is the psychological horror that Carnby’s story and Hwang’s art evoke in the manhwa.
While monsters lurking in dark hallways are frightening enough, what’s even harder for readers to move past are the residents’ inner demons—everyday fears and regrets that readers themselves may relate to — brought to life in horrifying detail when a resident becomes infected. Indeed, zombies have nothing on monsters born from a person’s own twisted psyche, creatures that suddenly leap from mere figments of imagination to living, breathing predators hellbent on living their best lives as monsters.
Sweet Home’s Manhwa Tells A More Complete Story Than Netflix’s Adaptation
Omitted Sub Plots Get Time To Shine In The Original Manhwa
Beyond offering a more immersive experience than the Netflix series, theSweet Homemanhwa provides fans with several additional benefits. Firstly, readers can enjoy the complete narrative, including subplots omitted or altered in the Netflix adaptation, which adds richness to the overall story. Moreover, the manhwa allows for a deeper exploration of the characters, a crucial aspect that cannot be overstated. The story’s most compelling elements stem from the characters' backstories and experiences, often proving more terrifying than the monsters themselves. By delving into these personal narratives, themanhwa crafts a more nuanced and unsettling horror experience.
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A prime example of this is found in the story of protagonist Hyun Cha. An acute introvert, Hyun avoids social contact — even with his own family. His world is turned upside down by their tragic death in a car accident, leaving him to live alone without the buffer his parents and sister once provided to the outside world. Things go from bad to worse when Green Home, where he and his family lived, becomes engulfed in the monster apocalypse. Paralyzed by his personal fears, Hyun is haunted not only by his inner demons but also by the grotesque monsters lurking just outside his door.
So, while theNetflixSweet Homeseries offers an interesting and compelling iteration of Carnby and Hwang’s monster apocalypse, fans are missing out on a more fulfilling experience if they don’t explore the richer, more vibrant world that the creators built in the manhwa. To be sure, theSweet Homemanhwa offers the depth and complexity that separates the very best horror stories from the rest.
Sweet Home
Sweet Home follows the story of Hyun-soo, a reclusive high school student who moves into the Green Home apartment complex after losing his family. When a mysterious epidemic turns people into monstrous creatures, Hyun-soo and the residents of Green Home must band together to survive, confronting their inner demons and the horrifying threats outside.
