When I first heard of Lina Im’s ‘Unholy Blood’ trending on Webtoons, I was unsure whether or not it would be a worthwhile read. It seemed that every work about vampires was either a cliché-driven romance or a mellowed-down version of original vampire myths. Thus, when I read the beginning chapters of ‘Unholy Blood,’ I was pleasantly surprised by their absence.

Before I continue into details, I want to make clear that ‘Unholy Blood’ is not the typical vampire romance story that so many post-Twilight books and movies have popularized. Although there is romance, it is second to the action and the main plotline, which is driven by the protagonist’s desire to eliminate the vampires who harmed her family. It is a thriller at heart, and a good one, too, with very little that is clichéd and without obvious twists to the plotline.

Another aspect of ‘Unholy Blood’ that captivated me was the interesting take on vampires that is depicted. The vampires that Lina Im created are not affected by the sun nor by stakes. Instead, they have a shorter lifespan than is typically depicted — only five years for the typical vampire. For a ‘normal’ vampire to live longer, they would have to consume the blood of a pureblood vampire, which makes their blood especially valuable. The story also features six vampires who have consumed the blood of a mysterious pureblood character and who are tasked by him to hunt down the protagonist for reasons unknown at the beginning of the story.

As for the characters of the story, many of them are very well-written and interesting. The protagonist, Hayan Park, is loved by many of the webtoon’s fans for her bravery and overpowering strength, and goes through character development as she confronts the pureblood character, discovering new details about her past. The pureblood character, also known as Yohan Seo, Hayan’s childhood friend, is fascinating in his own right, with his intentions to capture Hayan, even at the cost of hurting her and her family, despite their friendly past. We try to figure him out, both the reasons for what he did, as well as his plans.

Overall, the webtoon is popular with many readers and has gained a substantial following since its first update. “I love reading about strong and resilient female characters, and this webtoon does not disappoint. The art is stunning and the pacing is great. The story seems ordinary at first but there are plots and twists embedded between important events,” said Gayathiri Rajendran ’22.

To read Lina Im’s ‘Unholy Blood’ on Webtoons (for free), click HERE. 

‘Unholy Blood’ is not the typical vampire romance story that so many post-Twilight books and movies have popularized.