Why did the ‘Wind Breaker’ manhwa get cancelled
“Wind Breaker,” the long‑running sports manhwa (webtoon) by Jo Yong‑seok, was officially canceled on July 11, 2025 after Naver Webtoon (the platform) confirmed plagiarism allegations related to newly released chapters. Let us look into the key causes of this cancelation and what is the future of the manhwa.
🛑 Why it was canceled:
- Plagiarism / Tracing Controversy
The platform’s internal review found that several recent chapters bore “clear similarities in composition and structure” to other works. The author admitted he had “referenced guidance materials” too closely, reproducing scenes nearly identical to other sources. - Author’s Apology and Responsibility
Jo Yong‑seok acknowledged the mistake in the final chapter—citing the relentless pressure of weekly deadlines—and apologized, stating it was “clearly my fault.” He expressed deep regret, saying the decision to end the series was “extremely painful”. - Platform Action
Following discussions between the author and editorial staff, Naver decided to suspend serialization and remove the series due to the credibility concerns surrounding plagiarism.
📚 What happens next?
- The official publishing ended with Chapter 556 (Part 4, Chapter 177).
- While the platform version was discontinued, Jo Yong‑seok uploaded the final manuscript on his personal blog, aiming to provide fans with a closure.
- It’s considered unlikely the series will return to Webtoon, given the seriousness of the plagiarism claims.
🤔 Final thoughts
“Wind Breaker” was canceled due to confirmed instances of tracing and plagiarism in its later chapters. The author admitted fault, citing deadline stress, and both he and Naver Webtoon decided to end the series. The author has since released the remaining story via his personal blog. Now we will have to wait for any future upgrades from the author to see if there is still any hopes of the manhwa returning which is highly unlikely to happen.
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