The Horizon

Add to My List

Add to Favorites

Alternative Titles

Japanese: 수평선

More titles

Information

Type: Manhwa

Volumes: 3

Chapters: 21

Status: Finished

Published: Mar 30, 2016 to Jul 21, 2016

Genres: Adventure, Drama

Theme: Psychological

Serialization: Comica

Authors: Jeong, Ji-Hoon (Story & Art)

Statistics

Score: 8.69¹ (scored by 51,588 users)

¹ indicates a weighted score.

Ranked: #67²

² based on the top manga page. Please note that 'R18+' titles are excluded.

Popularity: #139

Members: 112,597

Favorites: 5,309

Resources

Namu.wiki

8.69

Ranked #67Popularity #139Members 112,597

ManhwaComicaJeong, Ji-Hoon (Story & Art)

Add to My List

Volumes: /3

Chapters: /21

Edit
Synopsis

In a world ravaged by war, a young boy walks down a lonely road in the aftermath of his mother's death. Along his journey, he witnesses military tanks, dead bodies, and his beloved city in ruins. With eyes clouded by anguish, he pushes himself to keep moving forward.

One morning, he meets a girl in an abandoned bus where he spent the night. Moments after their encounter, the area turns into a battlefield, and the pair escapes into a long abandoned lane. The two strangers decide to walk together to the end of the road, thus beginning a companionship that will ignite new hope inside their shriveled hearts.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Edit
Background

The Horizon is originally a webtoon series that was published in print by Jaedam Books on December 1, 2016. The series was published digitally in English by SpotToon in 2017 in horizontal-reading format. It was later published in vertical-reading format by Tapas, and by Lezhin from September 3, 2020, to October 20, 2020. Webtoon Entertainment currently holds the license and published the vertical-reading format version on August 28, 2021. The volumes were published by Yen Press under the Ize Press imprint from June 20, 2023, to December 12, 2023. The series was also released in Spanish by Kibook Ediciones from August 11, 2023, to December 7, 2023.

More characters
Characters

The Boy

Main

The Girl

Main

Man in a Suit

Supporting

Strange Man

Supporting

Girl's Father

Supporting

Driver

Supporting

Novelist

Supporting

Boy in Forest

Supporting

Girl in Forest

Supporting

Child

Supporting

Reviews

Sep 19, 2025

SkyBlue1012

Recommended

The Horizon is a manhwa with a story that is tragic, cruel, and deeply depressing. Yet, I find solace in how the final chapters adopt a calmer, more melancholic tone.

The opening chapters are brutal and unflinching. They serve as a powerful introduction, making it clear that although the protagonists are children, this is not a story meant for children nor is it a world they should ever have to witness, let alone endure.

One arc that stands out to me is the one involving the old, seemingly mad man who begins to follow the two children. It’s a masterfully crafted segment that plays with the reader's ... expectations leaving us uncertain whether he is a potential companion or a lurking threat. What ultimately happens to him is both shocking and satisfying.

Above all, the greatest strength of this manhwa lies in its art. The illustrations are exceptional, hauntingly beautiful. They capture the bleak, tragic atmosphere of the world so vividly that words often become unnecessary. In fact, even when dialogue is sparse, each panel tells its own story clearly and emotionally. The art doesn’t just complement the narrative, it elevates it.

However, I do have a share of criticisms.

Firstly, the narration. I believe the story would have been stronger without it. Much of the narration simply describes what is already evident from the visuals, lines like "The boy and the girl met," or "They stared at each other." These do little more than state the obvious. The art speaks for itself, and I feel the impact would have been greater had the story relied more on dialogue and silence, rather than narration that adds little depth.

Secondly, the story lacks context. We are shown the aftermath of a war, but we are never told why it began, how far it spread, or why no larger forces such as governments or international organizations intervened. The absence of this background leaves a void in the world building, making the setting feel more like a backdrop than a fully realized reality. I understand that mystery can be powerful, but in this case, a bit more information could have strengthened the weight of the narrative.

Thirdly, the recurring motif of “a boy and a girl pair holding hands” becomes repetitive and clichéd. It begs the question: why always a pair like this? Why not two friends, a band of survivors, or even strangers forced to rely on each other? Exploring different types of relationships could have added more depth and variety to the emotional landscape.

Lastly, the character development is perhaps the weakest aspect of the story. The boy and the girl's name are not even revealed. This anonymity, while possibly intentional, makes it harder to form a lasting connection with them. Their story may linger in the mind, but the characters themselves risk fading into abstraction. They never even introduce themselves to one another, and that absence of identity limits the potential for meaningful growth or evolution.

And yet, despite these shortcomings, The Horizon still left a mark on me. Its greatest virtue is its boldness, it does not flinch from darkness or sorrow. It shows the world as broken and merciless, but it does so with honesty.

Open

Gift

Sep 13, 2025

Gobeux

Recommended

Well that was depressing. I noticed at the top of the manhwa section this short story and decided to give it a read blindly.

It conveys innocence, agony, and above all else existentialism very well, focusing entirely on a small boy and girl wandering an apocalyptic world driven to despair by war.

Characters may be scarce within the story, however, each of their impacts are strong and give the reader plenty to think about each step of the way.

Highlights would definitely be the chapters involving "the man in the suit" and the flashbacks of the girl. These chapters truly are the story at it's best; ...

Open

Gift

Dec 17, 2023

whiteflame55

Mixed Feelings

For much of the run of this series, it felt mainly like tragedy porn. We've all seen stories like this, both in anime and elsewhere: everything goes wrong, people die and are mangled, and it's easy to walk away from it feeling like all the writer wanted to do was make you sad. Up to the last couple of chapters, I would have said it's just that: well done tragedy porn, and no doubt given it a lower score. It's the same problem I had with Grave of the Fireflies, only more gratuitous and without much insight into why things are happening. Frankly, this series ...

Open

Gift

More stacks

Interest Stacks

Good Unadapted Manga Part 13

by Akazukin619

50 Entries · 23 Restacks

ULTIMATE MANHWA STACK

by FenexXuX

50 Entries · 31 Restacks

Short webtoons to read on the go [Manwhas]

by Wanhua_25

14 Entries · 6 Restacks

More recommendations
Recommendations

More news
Recent News

North American Anime & Manga Releases for December

Here are the North American anime, manga, and light novel releases for December. Week 1: December 5 - 11 Anime Releases Code Geass: Hangyaku no Lelouch (incl. Hangya...read more

Dec 28, 2023 8:44 AM by Aiimee | Discuss (3 comments)

North American Anime & Manga Releases for September

Here are the North American anime, manga, and light novel releases for September. Week 1: September 5 - 11 Anime Releases Shinobi no Ittoki Complete Season Blu-ray T...read more

Sep 5, 2023 9:22 AM by Aiimee | Discuss (0 comments)

More discussions
Recent Forum Discussion

Poll: The Horizon Chapter 1 Discussion NaughtyNoddy - Oct 22, 2020	17 replies	by otakuweek »» Aug 24, 2025 5:01 PM
Poll: The Horizon Chapter 17 Discussion NaughtyNoddy - Oct 23, 2020	28 replies	by Uzag-kun »» Jun 15, 2025 12:36 PM
Poll: The Horizon Chapter 20 Discussion NaughtyNoddy - Oct 23, 2020	11 replies	by nichtink »» May 17, 2025 1:28 AM
Poll: The Horizon Chapter 4 Discussion NaughtyNoddy - Oct 22, 2020	6 replies	by Zensorium »» May 8, 2025 12:41 AM
Poll: The Horizon Chapter 3 Discussion ElivanSwordman - Apr 15, 2021	10 replies	by Zensorium »» May 8, 2025 12:22 AM

The Horizon
Edit

What would you like to edit?

Alternative Titles

Information

Statistics

Resources

Edit
Synopsis

Edit
Background

Visit MALxJapan
MALxJapan -More than just anime-

More characters
Characters

Reviews

Interest Stacks

More recommendations
Recommendations

More news
Recent News

More discussions
Recent Forum Discussion

MoreTop Anime

MoreTop Airing Anime

MoreMost Popular Characters

The Horizon Edit What would you like to edit? SynopsisBackgroundAlternative TitlesPictureChapters/VolumesPublishing DatesRelationsTypeExternal Links

Alternative Titles

Information

Statistics

Resources

EditSynopsis

EditBackground

Visit MALxJapan MALxJapan -More than just anime-

More charactersCharacters

Reviews

Interest Stacks

More recommendations Recommendations

More newsRecent News

More discussionsRecent Forum Discussion

MoreTop Anime

MoreTop Airing Anime

MoreMost Popular Characters

The Horizon
Edit

What would you like to edit?

Edit
Synopsis

Edit
Background

Visit MALxJapan
MALxJapan -More than just anime-

More characters
Characters

More recommendations
Recommendations

More news
Recent News

More discussions
Recent Forum Discussion