Why Wind Breaker Has Been My Favourite Webtoon Since 2020

I’ve been reading Wind Breaker since 2020. It quickly became one of my favorite webtoons, right up there with Tower of God and The Greatest Estate Developer. For years now, the story of Jay Jo and the Hummingbird Crew

has been part of my weekly routine. Watching them ride, grow, and compete pushed me personally to ride further and aim higher.

If you’ve never read it, you can check it out here on AniList: Wind Breaker.

The Cancellation News

On July 11, 2025, Naver Webtoon announced that Wind Breaker was officially cancelled. According to their statement, plagiarism was confirmed in the form of traced backgrounds and copied structures from other works. After an internal review, Naver made the call to suspend the series immediately.

The cancellation happened just as Chapter 552 was released in English. The Korean version ended at Chapter 554. It’s still unclear if we’ll ever get official translations for the final two chapters.

Official Statements from Naver and the Creator

Naver Webtoon confirmed that the plagiarism was significant enough to warrant the immediate end of the series. They emphasized their responsibility to protect content integrity across their platform.

Yon-Seok Jo, the creator of Wind Breaker, issued a personal apology admitting to the plagiarism. He explained that burnout and pressure to meet deadlines led to tracing and reuse of art from other works. His exact words were:

“Some scenes ended up being too similar or nearly identical. This is clearly my fault. I let urgency override my standards. I failed to keep them.”

Jo also posted the planned ending of the story on his personal Naver blog as a way to give closure to fans.

What Happens Now for English Readers?

Yesterday, chapter 552 was released in English on Webtoon. Chapters 553 and 554 are still missing. Fans are unsure if we will get official translations, or if the series will simply vanish mid-story in English. I will update this post as soon as I have more updates.

The Fan Response: Petitions to Save Wind Breaker

Fans from around the world didn’t stay silent. Two petitions have appeared online asking Naver to reconsider the decision and let Jo properly finish the series:

Combined, both petitions as of today currently have over 800 signatures at the time of writing. People are asking Naver to allow Jo to finish the story using original artwork, without relying on tracing. Fans argue that with millions of readers worldwide, and over 600 million views according to Anime Corner, Wind Breaker deserves a proper ending.

My Thoughts

I don’t support what the artist did. Plagiarism is serious. But, I also understand how tight deadlines and years of non-stop work could push a creator into bad decisions. I wish Jo could be given the chance to finish his story, the right way.

After following Jay Jo’s journey since 2020, I feel like we’re being robbed of a proper farewell. Millions of readers around the world feel the same.

What You Can Do

If you’re like me and want closure for this story:

  • Sign the petitions above.
  • Share the news to help other fans understand what happened.
  • Keep supporting creators, but recognize the crushing impact of endless deadlines.

Final Thoughts

Wind Breaker wasn’t just a webtoon for me. It was inspiration. It motivated me to get active again and challenge myself in many aspects of my life. Losing it like this hurts.

I’m curious how you feel about all this. Did Wind Breaker mean as much to you as it did to me? Do you think Jo should be given the chance to finish it properly? Drop a comment below and share your thoughts. I’d love to hear from you.

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