Trace (manhwa)

Trace (Korean: 트레이스) is a South Korean webtoon series written and illustrated by the manhwa artist Go Yeong-hun, under his pen name "Nasty Cat".^[1][2] It explores the dark side of human nature, including envy, jealousy, and selfishness. Yeong-hun has stated that he wants to create a world of heroes with a Korean identity.^[3]

Trace won the first prize and Netizen's Choice Award at the 10th SICAF International Digital Cartoon Competition held in 2006, for which Go was awarded ten million won.

Since April 2007, his manhwa has been featured on Daum, one of the major internet portals of South Korea and the birthplace of many hit webtoons.^[1][4]

The story is set in contemporary South Korea. Roughly 30 years ago, unidentified creatures resembling humans known as "Troubles" appeared on Earth and attacked mankind, causing mass destruction and chaos. Along with the first appearance of these monsters, other mutants with supernatural abilities, known as "Traces," were also born. Traces are the only ones who can fight Troubles, but are considered freaks and shunned by the general populace because of their misuse of power.^[1][5]

The plot revolves around two main characters: Sah Gang-kwon, a high school student born as a Trace who attempts to hide his ability, and Kim Yun-Seong, who acquired his Trace abilities in his early 30s. Soon after Kim Yun-Seong acquired his powers, his wife and daughter were taken away from him for experimental purposes.

Things you need to let go

This arc is about Ghang Gwon and Tae Eun's story. Ghang Gwon was taken in by Tae Eun's family as a child and hides the fact that he is a Trace. At night, instead of sleeping, he goes out hunting Troubles to protect Tae Eun and her father, whom he considers his family. An unexpected turn of events reveals his identity in school, and Ghang Gwon is reported as a Trace and forced to leave temporarily. It makes him realize that he cannot live the way most human beings do because of his ability.

Beggar

This arc revolves around the middle-aged man Kim Yun-Seong. When he realizes that he has acquired Trace abilities, he tries to hide them, but the government discovers his secret and takes away his family. He joins a group of other Traces to help him get into the facility where he believes his family is being held.

Rose

This arc revolves around the story of Morrienoah Jin, a child who has the ability to shoot things with his fingers. He works as an assassin until a girl named Jang-mi comes to his house and makes a deal with Jin, asking him to protect her. Jin ends up frightening her away because he is scared of being in love with her. However, after realizing he cannot control his love for Jang-mi, Jin allows himself to love her.

Rebellion

This arc starts off with the assembly of various Trace factions formed by both Kim Yun Seong and Pierrot. The crew of Traces, called the beggar group, features both old and new faces. This happens after Seong goes to see a mysterious Trace to augment his abilities. They soon begin to attack a slew of experimental laboratories stationed around Korea, nabbing top scientists while battling the onslaught of other Trace factions sent against them, such as the mysterious government-sponsored Trace group, Hanjo.

The Last Day Pt.1

The Last Day Pt.2

Outro & Afterwards

Sa Ghang Gwon

Sa Ghang Gwon is a Trace. He is born with his ice powers, but he cannot control them and accidentally attacks his own parents. With no cure or solution to his powers, his parents abandon him on a street next to an old beggar. He wanders around, living his life as a scavenger and losing his emotions.

When he engages in battle with his first Trouble and realizes he cannot defeat it, he encases himself in ice until it disappears. He passes out in a park, where he is found by a girl named Han Tae Eun. She takes him home and asks her father if she can keep him. Afterward, Tae Eun calls Ghang Gwon her possession. Her family, consisting of only her and her father, adopts him. Ghang Gwon, fearing they will abandon him like his parents, hides his Trace powers from them.

Over the years, he continues to battle Troubles, honing his skills. Whenever he is injured, he lets Tae Eun believe he was bullied by his classmates. When a Trouble attacks his class, Ghang Gwon attempts to come to the rescue, but Tae Eun stops him, knowing that if he fights the Trouble, his identity as a Trace will be revealed. She begs him not to get involved, but Ghang Gwon engages the Trouble and defeats it. Afterwards, he is taken by the government and enrolled in a Trace school. His objective is to leave the Trace school and return to his family as soon as possible, and he believes that capturing the Beggar Team will grant him freedom.

Ghang Gwon is quiet and almost antisocial. He hates himself for being a Trace, hiding it from Han Tae Eun and her father even while using his powers to battle and destroy Troubles so that his 'family' can be safe. He is bullied and submits easily to his classmates' beatings without complaint for the sake of Han Tae Eun's safety, which only angers her. He is extremely protective of her and her father, and considers them his family. He seems to find Tae Eun especially important. It is hinted that he likes her as more than a sister; while in the Trace school, he repeatedly writes letters to her, ending each with the words "I miss you."

Han Tae Eun

Hot-blooded and fiery, Han Tae Eun is well-known in her school as a formidable fighter, more inclined to her fists than talking things through. She often yells, especially at Ghang Gwon when he angers her.

As a child, her mother was killed by a rogue Trace. Tae Eun repeatedly visited the same spot where her mother died until she found a barely conscious Ghang Gwon lying there. She ultimately discovers he is a Trace and labors to protect his identity, unbeknownst to him.

When Ghang Gwon is taken away by the government, Tae Eun declares that she will become a Trace and be like him. She repeatedly battles Troubles risking her own life in the process, eventually awakening as a Trace with inhuman strength and abilities.

Tae Eun seems to hold romantic feelings for Ghang Gwon, getting jealous when he carries Se Yeon and tellingTae Eun to run while escaping a Trouble.

Kim Yoon Seong

Kim Yoon Seong is a man with a perfect life: a job, a loving wife, and a daughter. All this changes when one day he turns into a Trace. Being a law-abiding citizen, he decides to register as a Trace rather than hide his identity. After registering, he is separated from his family, who are taken to a secret facility where other family members of the Traces are kept. When he is not able to contact them, he goes to the facility to see his family, but is stopped by a group of Trace guards and chased away. During this encounter with the guards, he meets Jeong Hee Sub, another Trace who is trying to get into the facility. They form a team and recruit other members. They then succeed in entering the facility, whereupon Kim Yun Seong discovers that the families of the Traces are brought there to be used for experimental purposes and killed.

Morrienoah Jin

As a child, Jin is an emotionless Trace who has believes that 'The good should live, the bad should die' and who kills people he deems to be bad. After saving Morrie, he is raised by him to become a killer. He easily obtains the top title of Morrienoah that every killer wants, being described as the perfect killer because he has no emotional weaknesses. This changes when he receives a contract to protect a girl named Jang Mi (Rose) from a killer for a month. Rose changes Jin's life, and he falls in love with her as the deadline draws closer. Jin manages to kill Rose's would-be killer, but Rose commits suicide in front of him shortly after. Much later, Jin is recruited into the 'Pierrot team' to infiltrate the facility.

• Go Yeong-hun, Trace 1 by Pop Toon on April 15, 2008 ISBN 978-89-93208-03-0
• Go Yeong-hun, Trace 2 by Pop Toon on May 15, 2008 ISBN 89-93208-04-2
• Go Yeong-hun, Trace 3 by Pop Toon on December 15, 2008 ISBN 89-93208-20-4
• Go Yeong-hun, Trace 4 by Pop Toon on July 10, 2009 ISBN 978-89-93208-40-5

• (in Korean) The Trace on Daum
• (in Korean) The manhwa artist's webpage