Ji-Hoon Jeong, also known as JH and famous for being one of the most thought-provoking Korean webtoon authors around, has graced us with his most ambitious—and easily the most accomplished work to date, finally expanding his range from imaginative but borderline surrealistic dystopian parables to a more grounded, lived-in narrative setting. It feels almost cozy in comparison but aims for the same heights when it comes to writing quality.
The Boxer tells the story of Yu, a silent, emotionless boxer whose intense mental trauma coming from a childhood of abuse has given him a savant-like ability to perceive time as if in a slow motion. Yu
...
is trying to find the light that once spurred him to engage with the sport. Failing to find it, he is slowly consumed by the darkness as his coach is trying to shape him into an even more effective tool of destruction, devoid of weaknesses inherent to regular athletes. Who do you reckon will prevail in this bout?
I've encountered some dark sports-themed comics in my life, and this one sure pulls no punches in terms of the sheer depth and variety of upsetting aspects. People die here and get hurt in more ways than one, and easily triggered readers will find some of the scenes very disturbing. Besides, this is not really a story about boxing per se any more than, say, Taiyo Matsumoto's Ping Pong is a story about table tennis; the sport setting is merely a canvas to explore social concepts and character psychology. It is certainly not a realistic take on boxing—nor is it intended to be one. Much like in his previous works The Horizon and Mosquito Wars, JH has a lot to say on the topics of abuse, trauma, war, ambition, love, human condition, power balance, parenting, growing up, and the meaning of life—and many of his takes are as biting as ever, if not outright depressive at times. Furthermore, much of this is told visually, leading to all sorts of powerful imagery. It is a great read but not an easy one. Thankfully, those who didn't get to fully enjoy his other stories because of the rather heavy-handed didacticism will, perhaps, find this one a lot more palatable thanks to the more grounded setting, developed plot structure, and a surprisingly lovable cast of characters which help put the author's social commentary and exercises in ethics into a far more relatable context. And just like in his previous works, the takeaway is, ultimately, uplifting—though you may only be able to reach it after having suffered a heartbreak or two along the way.
Yu, the protagonist of the story, is by no means its hero. He is an empty husk, a vessel for his coach's ambition. A lost child who hasn't simply given up on the world—he doesn't even *know* the world to begin with, his mind all too haunted by his traumatic past. All the positive emotions and experiences we regular people have and take for granted in our daily lives are as good as alien concepts to him. In contrast, all the other boxers he encounters have unique, vibrant personalities that make Yu look even more like the unperson he is. But everything changes inside the ring. There, all these bright personalities with rich and interesting lives get to taste the same fear, despair, and helplessness as they realize their opponent might actually not be another human like them. Pity and compassion, pride and arrogance quickly give way to a single emotion: all-consuming terror. As he mechanically dismantles his opponents with surgical, lightning-fast strikes, and as he strips away their desires and dreams by crushing their will to fight back, Yu—and by extension, the audience—cannot help pondering why people box in the first place. Unburdened by worldly affairs, he approaches boxing from a place of deep existential enquiry. Is hitting other people fun? Can problems actually be solved with violence? What drives people to persevere in the face of defeat... furthermore, in the face of imminent death? They will eventually die anyway, so what's THEIR reason to stand up to it? What is Yu, himself, trying to accomplish in the ring? This seemingly one-sided attempt at a genuine communication, a desperate plight for meaning, produces no satisfying response. But the author doesn't need to throw around vacuous statements and vain attempts at profundity when he can simply put the audience square in the characters' head-space and give personal context to their actions—which is exactly what he does, to a wonderful effect.
Yu's journey is one of redemption: not of his sins but of his own tucked-away humanity. It is a search for vulnerability required to reach and heal a deep-seated trauma. It is a quest of discovering unconditional love that is the key to the joy of life. It's a beautiful, touching character arc, but certainly not the only one you'll grow to love when reading The Boxer. The other boxers' bouts with Yu drive their own personal development, and even smaller characters get a surprising amount of depth in relatively little screen time in a testament to JH's efficiency in narrative delivery. After the main arc ends, the story loops around to the beginning to take a look at some of the other key characters introduced early on and recontextualize some of the themes and questions it raised, integrating a side-plot every bit as worthy as the main one into the complete package. The quirky, off-beat humor from Mosquito Wars also makes a return, and this time JH actually managed to avoid unwanted tonal whiplash. It serves as a welcome reprieve from the otherwise oppressively heavy atmosphere; a reprieve The Horizon sorely needed among all its doom and gloom, in my opinion.
I think it's fair to say that The Boxer shows a delightful evolution of Ji-Hoon Jeong's writing, and it will rightfully take its place as one of the best "non-sports" sports drama around. It's a wild emotional ride with not one but TWO immensely satisfying, cathartic endings—that's two more than what you get on average! Absolutely do yourself a favor and read it; it is available in English on Naver Webtoons' website and app, and some of the pivotal chapters even have a very nice built-in soundtrack. I, for one, already cannot wait for the author's next work.
 Alternative TitlesJapanese: 더 복서 More titlesInformationType: Manhwa
Volumes: Unknown
Chapters: 123
Status: Finished
Published: Dec 4, 2019 to May 4, 2022
Theme:
Combat Sports
Serialization:
Naver Webtoon Authors:
Jeong, Ji-Hoon (Story & Art) Statistics Ranked: #1562 2 based on the top manga page. Please note that 'R18+' titles are excluded. Popularity: #392
Members: 45,629
Favorites: 1,871 Available AtResources | Reviews
Filtered Results: 33 / 35
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Jul 31, 2022
Ji-Hoon Jeong, also known as JH and famous for being one of the most thought-provoking Korean webtoon authors around, has graced us with his most ambitious—and easily the most accomplished work to date, finally expanding his range from imaginative but borderline surrealistic dystopian parables to a more grounded, lived-in narrative setting. It feels almost cozy in comparison but aims for the same heights when it comes to writing quality.
The Boxer tells the story of Yu, a silent, emotionless boxer whose intense mental trauma coming from a childhood of abuse has given him a savant-like ability to perceive time as if in a slow motion. Yu ... 
Oct 21, 2021
This is my first time writing review.
The boxer is manhwa that has the same creator as The horizon. At first i just thought that this is just regular sport manhwa but more than that The Boxer has an amazing character that really amaze me and exceeded my expectations. Story: 7/10 The story is about Yu the boy who is getting bullied by other strong people in school and put no resistance. One day he punch the bullies while being watched by one of the greatest boxing coach in the world and got scouted to be pro boxer. Character: 9/10 I feel the strongest aspect of this manhwa is the ... 
Aug 25, 2022 Recommended Well-written 
(Spoiler-free review)
Verdict - The Boxer is a 10/10 Masterpiece. The Boxer is a magnificent depiction of not just the art of boxing, but the human struggle. After reading his other masterpiece, The Horizon, I was heavily interested in how one would translate from a apocalyptic dystopian survival horror to a sports webtoon about boxing. Needless to say I was not disappointed. The titular Yu is akin to One Punch Man's Saitama - extraordinarily overpowered. Many dream to be in his position, having the power to achieve greatness at the pinnacle of their craft. However, author Ji-Hoon delves deep into the human psyche, and shows the reader that ... 
Oct 20, 2022
There is something about The Boxer that makes it truly fascinating. "But what?" I sometimes ask myself. "What makes it so fascinating?" The truth is, I'm not too sure myself. It's hard to describe. I could write about the story or the characters or the fights, but they are only a fraction of what makes The Boxer so great. There are so many things I love about The Boxer. I love how the author gives the side characters so much depth. I love how the story is predictable yet exciting. I love how each fight tells a story. A story about hatred, a story about
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Oct 28, 2021
look at me here after all this time doing a review! Anyway, I want to talk about this work that I thought was incredibly good!
The Boxer is now my top 1 sports manhwa. He is good in many aspects. Development, story, characters, etc. It is a manhwa that gives you a very, very strong message of what life is like and how it works. And I think this is very good to do, showing the reality, how every single thing in this world is very difficult. I love how each story has its own way of being told. Even the least interesting of the ... 
Oct 11, 2023
"All these stars are actually shining just for you."
Really fun binge and satisfying ending. So I've developed this bad habit recently of starting random series that pique my interest for a volume or two just to get that dopamine dosage of starting a fresh new series. I thought it would be the same for The Boxer but I was somehow engrossed enough to read almost the entirety of the main storyline in less than a day. Like holy hell my pace hasn't been this fast for a manga/webtoon since BASTARD. The only other big boxing series I've experienced so far is Hajime no Ippo & Megalo Box, ... 
Apr 2, 2024
what is the purpose of life? was the question in my mind while reading this. On the surface what looks like a manhwa about boxing, well it isnt. Though boxing is present there, this manhwua is much more than it. having read the pervious works of JH(the author) i was looking forward to this and it didnt disappoint. A dark manhwua with a bit of comedy to keep the readers entertained is what this manhwa is made of.
story 9/10: YU being the main character. The story doesnt only revolves around him but the poeple he meets throught out his journey of finding "LIGHT" (the purpose ... 
Feb 11, 2022
I have never written a review because I usually find that other reviews would be more helpful than mine. However, I cannot stay quiet about this series. I have had many anime and manga that I have thoroughly enjoyed but very, very few have legitimately changed my life and touched me in the way that the Boxer has.
It transcends the sports genre and though it tackles themes in certain arcs that many sports manga/ manwha touch on (such as hard work vs. natural talent) those are not the themes of this manwha. This story is not about talented boxers beating each other half to ... 
Jun 15, 2024
La obra es bastante repetitiva, va orientada a la psicología de los personajes y la verdad es que hay capítulos enteros que te hablan de personajes secundarios que únicamente sirven de escalón para que nuestro protagonista siga avanzando y se hace algo pesado, al inicio es entretenida pero al final se hace aburrida a mi gusto. El protagonista es un emo que ha tenido una vida dura y la cual no conocemos hasta el final de la obra, y el entrenador es un tronao que te apetecería chafarle la cabeza contra el suelo por lo enfermo que está. El romance del prota con la chica
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Feb 10, 2022
so this is my first review, i chose the boxer to be my first because it has just ended on webtoon for people without fast pass, or at least the main story ended
art 9/10 i really like the art, its simplistic for the most part, but when jh wants to have a really well drawn scene they make a really well drawn seen its stunning story 8/10 the main story is pretty simple, yu gets picked on bullied then one day injae one of our characters stands up for him, gets his shit rocked then Yu does the same to the people who beat up Injae, then ... 
Nov 14, 2021
The Boxer webtoon is both dark and wholesome at the same time. For a series to combine two polar opposite elements is rare, but this webtoon does it to a degree to which it can be called genius.
Sports, comedy, action, slice of life- Story(8/10) Characters(9/10)(Personally, this is the highlight) 'The dead are happier than the living...but the happiest are the ones who haven't been born.'-This is the attitude of the Mc(Yu) of this webtoon...He lacks any kind of personality, feels no emotions and basically has no faith in life. Despite this, you cant help but root for him and hope that he too can have a normal ... 
Oct 28, 2021
I want to mention that this is my first review, so ignore the eventual mistakes, this review doesnt contain spoilers, so read freely.
The boxer is a sport manwha that really kept me intrigued along the story, its made by the same author as The Horizon, so it has some dark and life questioning things. Story: 8/10 The story is something quite simple at the beginning, its about a boy named Yu, which is getting bullied at school, but he doesnt really care about it. One day, he meets a coach which is interested about him, about his senses and his talent.Yu decides to learn how to box, and ... 
Jan 6, 2022
Beautiful, im fan of this serie for over a year and i reccomend it a 100% except if you are sentimental over some topics, might not be the best for u to see it, anyways lets summary: "You've got the raw talent. Or you're the underdog. But do you have the heart? Do you have what it takes? Let's see what you're made of! The real fight starts now!" Yu is our Mc that seems pretty bland if you didnt read fewer more chapters, but you discover his backstory little by little (if you want to see it go to chap 97-98) LITTLE SPOILERS HERE
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Apr 5, 2022
This is my first time writing a review, so it might be a little congested and confusing to read. Hope I still get my point across tho :)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The boxer is not really about boxing. Yes, there is lots of boxing involved, but it's primarily used as a vessel to carry the themes of the story, ideas like effort, talent, strength, weakness, and power. These themes are interlaced throughout the story, adding weight to the narrative, and asking thought-provoking questions about the very nature of our struggles and hardships. Each character's motivations are explored fully, they all have a reason for stepping into the ring, a backstory, ... 
May 30, 2022
Review contains spoilers including for the ending. Be warned.
Story: The arc-by-arc story for The Boxer is very high quality. After being introduced to Yu and see his start in the boxing world, he very much becomes a secondary character, almost a force of nature. The story instead gets told primarily from the perspective of his latest boxing opponent as we learn their past, why they got into the sport, how they became who they are today and what led them to stand in the ring opposite to Yu, before he inevitably creams them. The overarching story with Yu deals heavily with abuse, depression, and a search for ...
Feb 10, 2022
This is the type of comic that I just stumbled upon, I hadnt read reviews or anything and didnt know what to expect. I enjoy spokons a lot so I figured it was worth a try, then it so happened that ive been reading it weekly since the tenish chapter.
The story is more than fine, it has its cliches and some predictability, but serves its purpose to convey a feeling and and showing the story, hardships and growth of the protagonist Yu. The art is very good, it uses common angles and the action is easibly understandble. The best thing regarding art about this webtoon is ... 
Feb 5, 2022
Man, this was just terrific. I am simply speechless by how good this was. It made me feel excited, sad, scared, happy, intrigued, and utterly entranced. I was glued to this story from the beginning to the end. It was not preachy, nor lacking in any manner. It was just sublime, focusing on the essence of boxing, building up the side characters, and laying out its narrative. It never dragged on one bit for too long, instead giving each arc its deserved attention. I genuinely enjoyed this Webtoon so much! I usually am geared toward the thriller genre, but this Webtoon exceeded all my expectations
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Jan 24, 2022
Until i read the last couple chapters (Light 1-3), I'd say this was sitting around a solid 8. But trust me, this story gets hella good near the end not that it was good from the beginning anyway. Anyways:
Story (7/10) A pretty simple story of different people and their stories as they learn from their battles and defeats of Yu. It doesn't feel rushed, it's not a masterpiece of writing but is still a simple one that makes it work. Art (8/10) Simple, clean, gets emotions across very well. I'm a guy that likes a lot of detail in art, so I favor manga style of art ... 
Jul 12, 2022
One of the best Manhwa I have seen in a while great main character and goes through a lot of development. His fist is as fast as a rocket and all his fights are super enjoyable. However, as I continued to read it, I somewhat lost the passion I had for this series. I don't know if the story got worst or I just changed but never less NO REGRETS reading this. I really enjoyed how they portrayed the protagonist as the antagonist and it really added depth to the series because you would end up rooting for his opponent
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