View source for The Gamer

{{Short description|South Korean webtoon}}
{{About|the South Korean webtoon||Gamer (disambiguation)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2023}}
{{Infobox manhwa
| image              = 
| imagesize          =
| caption            = 
| alt                = 
| hangul             = 더 게이머
| romanized          = Deo Geimeo
| genre              = [[Action (fiction)|Action]], [[Adventure fiction|adventure]], [[fantasy]]
| title              = The Gamer (Manhwa)
| title_small        = 
| author             = [[Sung Sang-Young]]
| illustrator        = Sang-Ah
| publisher          = [[Naver]] [[WEBTOON]]
| publisher_en       = [[WEBTOON]]
| magazine           = [[Naver]] [[WEBTOON]]
| first              = 2013
| firstmo            = 5 September
| lastmo             = July
| last               = 2024
| volumes            = 
| volumes_list       =
| related            = 
| content            = 
}}

'''The Gamer''' ({{Korean|hangul=더 게이머|rr=Deo Geimeo}}) is a South Korean [[webtoon]] hosted by [[Naver]] [[WEBTOON]]. The webtoon is loosely influenced by fantasy [[Role-playing game|RPGs]], ''[[Dungeons & Dragons]]'', and comic fantasy book series ''[[Discworld]]'' but set in contemporary South Korea. Once the main protagonist, Han Jihan, notices a [[dialogue box]] in front of him like in a [[video game]], he recognizes that he has become a [[video game]] character, and supernatural events start happening.

==Summary==
{{Unreferenced section|date=July 2024}}
Han Ji-Han was a normal high school student who developed a special ability that allowed him to treat the world around him as a game called 'The Gamer'.  He noticed that by leveling up, he could increase his stats and improve his body and mind, among other things.  The day after noticing that he can also increase his stats through training (he studied to increase his Intelligence), he accidentally slipped into a combat area for those who have a link to the Abyss, the hidden world of their own.  He witnessed a battle between Kwon Si-Yeon and Hwan Seong-Gon, getting involved in it as well.  He was approached by Kwon Si-Yeon, who questioned him on his identity.

Han Ji-Han began to realize that he needed to train to be sure that he would be safe if he got caught up in a fight again, so he trains his fighting capability with blunt objects (he uses a baseball bat).  On his way home, he accidentally slips into another combat area, having to fight his way through zombies which he later finds out were amassed souls that Hwan Seong-Gon was collecting.  He then realizes that he needs to talk to his friend, Shin Seon-Il.  Ji-Han assumes that Seon-Il was part of this world due to his level being much higher than everyone else around him, and his assumption proves correct when Seon-Il threatens him, due to him not knowing that Ji-Han has become part of this world.

The story goes on, with Han Ji-Han deciding to stay in the world of the abyss, putting him in many dangerous situations as he grows stronger to protect himself and those around him.

==Characters==
{{Unreferenced section|date=July 2024}}

===Han Ji-han===
Han Ji-han ({{Korean|hangul=한지한|rr=Hanjihan|labels=no }}) acquires the 'Gamer ability'. This ability enables him to evolve in the same way the main character(s) in a video game [[Role-playing game|RPG]] would, i.e. with levels. However, he discovers a completely new world (The Abyss) that ordinary human beings are oblivious to. The Abyss is very ominous and scary, comparable to mafia subculture or other rather villainous secret organisations.

===Shin Seon-Il===
Shin Seon-Il ({{Korean|hangul=신선일|rr=Sinseon-il|labels=no }}) is Han Ji-Han's childhood friend and attends the same high school as him. He is the first to discover Ji-Han's new 'Gamer ability', and also introduces Ji-Han to the Cheonnbumoon clan. Sun-Il was initially a little stronger than Ji-Han in terms of 'levels'.

===Kwon Si-Yeon===
Kwon Si-Yeon ({{Korean|hangul=권시연|rr=Gwonsiyeon|labels=no }}) is a female high school student who transferred into 2nd year class 8. She is also an ''ability user'' and hails from the Yeonhonmoon clan, the clan who normally opposes but is currently allied with Cheonbonmoon.

===Hwan Seong-Ah===
Hwan Seong-Ah ({{Korean|hangul=환성아|rr=Hwanseong-a|labels=no }}) Hwan Seong-Gon's daughter and also a transfer student at Ji-Han's high school a while after Si-Yeon's transfer. She becomes close to Ji-Han, who tries to cure her of a strange illness, with the help of his newly learned ''healing'' ability.

===Yujin Kim===
Yujin Kim, first introduced as the president of Han Ji-Han's class, was a normal human girl. After being sucked into the Great Labyrinth Era (A Protected Space), she is aided by Han Ji-Han and learns of the Abyss. Through exposure to Han Ji-Han's ability, she gains an affinity for magic and eventually decides to continue to develop her skills as a magic user.

==Chapter & Episode list==
{| class="wikitable" |-
! Chapter
! Episodes
! Title
|-
| style="text-align:center" | 1
| style="text-align:center" | 1-4
| The Quest Above My Head 
|-
| style="text-align:center" | 2
| style="text-align:center" | 5-8
| Time to Train
|-
| style="text-align:center" | 3
| style="text-align:center" | 9-11
| I Levelled Up
|-
| style="text-align:center" | 4
| style="text-align:center" | 12-14
| Shout My Name!
|-
| style="text-align:center" | 5
| style="text-align:center" | 15-16
| I Need More Skills!
|-
| style="text-align:center" | 6
| style="text-align:center" | 17-19
| Let's Find a Party
|-
| style="text-align:center" | 7
| style="text-align:center" | 20-22
| Get into Gear
|-
| style="text-align:center" | 8
| style="text-align:center" | 23-24
| Wise Decisions Require Knowledge
|-
| style="text-align:center" | 9
| style="text-align:center" | 25-28
| Only Through Effort Will You Gain the Fortitude to Walk Down Your Own Path
|}
The chapter notion was abolished as of episode 29. The episodes are currently grouped into seven seasons.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Gamer {{pipe}} WEBTOON |url=https://www.webtoons.com/en/action/the-gamer/list?title_no=88 |website=WEBTOON |publisher=[[Naver Webtoon]] |access-date=10 June 2024}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable" |-
! No.
! Episodes
! Title
|-
| style="text-align:center" | 1
| style="text-align:center" | 1-86
| style="text-align:center" | The Gamer - Season 1<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22881478-the-gamer-season-1 |title=The Gamer - Season 1 |website=[[Goodreads]] |language=English |accessdate=May 13, 2021 }}</ref>
|-
| style="text-align:center" | 2
| style="text-align:center" | 87-123
| style="text-align:center" | The Gamer - Season 2<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25997746-the-gamer-season-2 |title=The Gamer - Season 2 |website=[[Goodreads]] |language=English |accessdate=May 13, 2021 }}</ref>
|-
| style="text-align:center" | 3
| style="text-align:center" | 124-195
| style="text-align:center" | The Gamer - Season 3<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31146234-the-gamer-season-3 |title=The Gamer - Season 3 |website=[[Goodreads]] |language=English |accessdate=May 13, 2021 }}</ref>
|-
| style="text-align:center" | 4
| style="text-align:center" | 196-349
| style="text-align:center" | The Gamer - Season 4<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/52559725-the-gamer-season-4 |title=The Gamer - Season 4 |website=[[Goodreads]] |language=English |accessdate=May 13, 2021 }}</ref>
|-
| style="text-align:center" | 5
| style="text-align:center" | 350-431
| style="text-align:center" | The Gamer - Season 5
|-
| style="text-align:center" | 6
| style="text-align:center" | 432-466
| style="text-align:center" | The Gamer - Season 6
|-
| style="text-align:center" | 7
| style="text-align:center" | 467-510
| style="text-align:center" | The Gamer - Season 7
|}

==English translations==
As Naver Corporation started making web content globally available in 2014, many webtoons, including ''The Gamer'', got official English-language translations. ''[[Hankook Ilbo]]'' noted ''The Gamer'' as an example of a webtoon that introduces Korean culture to English-speaking audiences.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://economy.hankooki.com/lpage/it/201507/e20150721183900117720.htm|script-title=ko:네이버 웹툰·동영상은 '한류 알리미'|newspaper=[[Hankook Ilbo]]|date=2015-07-21|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150809020446/http://economy.hankooki.com/lpage/it/201507/e20150721183900117720.htm|archivedate=2015-08-09}}</ref> Together with ''[[Tower of God]]'' and ''[[Girls of the Wild's]]'', ''The Gamer'' is among the most popular official English-translated  webtoons as of 2018 (Next to Tales of Demons And Gods overall).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wowtv.co.kr/newscenter/news/view.asp?bcode=T32001000&wowcode=W014&artid=X20150101224918&compcode=HK|publisher=Wow TV|script-title=ko:[다시 도전이다] 미생·스틸레인 웹툰작가들, 美·中 독자도 웃고 울린다|date=2015-01-01|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160323131936/http://www.wowtv.co.kr/newscenter/news/view.asp?bcode=T32001000&wowcode=W014&artid=X20150101224918&compcode=HK|archivedate=2016-03-23}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://comic.naver.com/webtoon/list.nhn?titleId=552960 Official website] on Naver WEBTOON
* [http://www.webtoons.com/en/fantasy/the-gamer/list?title_no=88 English translation] on WEBTOON
{{Webtoon (platform)}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gamer}}
[[Category:Manhwa titles]]
[[Category:Naver Comics titles]]
[[Category:2013 webtoon debuts]]
[[Category:Action comics]]
[[Category:Adventure comics]]
[[Category:South Korean webtoons]]
[[Category:2010s webtoons]]
[[Category:Fantasy webtoons]]
[[Category:Video game webcomics]]
[[Category:2010s manhwa]]