Is Young Gun Worth Reading? Review & Where to Read
Quick Answer
If you want a quick, old-school school-delinquent story with no padding, yes. Don't expect it to reinvent the genre — it's a remake that plays its formula straight.
Quick Verdict
“Small, blunt, and over almost as fast as it starts — it does exactly one thing and doesn't overstay its welcome.”
Best for: Readers who want a short, uncomplicated delinquent-drama binge without a long-term commitment.
Not for: Readers who want a large ensemble cast and a story that takes its time building up its world.
- Type
- Manhwa
- Genres
- Drama, Action
- Status
- Completed
- This review
- Minor Spoilers
- Author
- 19th Century Writer
- Artist
- Geurinbi
- Publisher
- Toptoon
- Platform
- Lalatoon
| Quick facts | |
|---|---|
| Format | Manhwa, 54 chapters |
| Run | 2015–2016 · completed |
| Where to read | Lalatoon — official |
Overview
Young Gun (also circulated under the title Shadow of the City) is a short, blunt Korean school-delinquent drama. Gunpyung Won is an average kid quietly sitting on real baseball talent, more interested in perfect attendance than causing trouble. That changes fast once his friends get dragged into danger by the school's bullies, and Gunpyung has to decide how far he's willing to go to protect the people around him. It's billed as a remake of the older comic True Colors of a Gangster, and it plays that lineage straight: this is old-school delinquent manhwa, not a genre-bending take on it.
What it does well
What this manhwa gets right is pacing. At 54 chapters, it doesn't pad out its premise — Gunpyung's shift from a kid avoiding conflict to someone forced into the school's violent pecking order happens at a clip that keeps the story moving. If you've read longer school-delinquent series that take a hundred-plus chapters to escalate a rivalry, the compact scope here can feel almost refreshing.
The core hook, a talented kid hiding what he can really do until he's pushed into using it, is a reliable one, and the manhwa leans into it without overcomplicating the setup. It's the kind of story that knows exactly what audience it's for and doesn't try to be anything else.
Where it falls short
The tradeoff for that efficiency is depth. The wider cast around Gunpyung — the bullies, the school hierarchy, the friends he's fighting for — mostly exist to move the plot forward rather than to stand on their own. If you're used to genre entries that spend real time building out a school's social ecosystem before the fighting starts, this will feel thin by comparison.
It's also, by its own billing, a remake rather than a fresh take, so anyone who's read a few delinquent manhwa already will recognize most of the beats here. It executes the formula competently, but it isn't trying to reinvent it.
Verdict
This is a solid, no-frills pick if you want a short delinquent-drama read and don't need a big cast or a long commitment. Go in expecting a compact, formula-honest genre entry rather than a standout, and it delivers exactly that.
Strengths & Weaknesses
Strengths
- It's efficient — the setup, escalation, and resolution all happen inside a short chapter count without dragging out the school-gang formula longer than it needs to.
- Gunpyung's arc from a kid hiding his talent to someone forced into open conflict with the school's bullies gives the story a clear, easy-to-follow spine.
- As a remake of an older, well-regarded delinquent comic, it keeps the genre's blunt appeal — social hierarchy, loyalty, and violence as the currency of a school's pecking order.
Weaknesses
- The short length means side characters and the wider school hierarchy don't get much room to develop beyond their immediate function in the plot.
- Being a remake, it doesn't bring much new to a genre with plenty of longer, more developed entries already out there.
Similar Titles
Where to Read Officially
| Platform | Format | Pricing | Region notes | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lalatoon | Digital chapters (webtoon) | Free + Paid | Region availability varies | Open |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Young Gun the same as Shadow of the City?
Yes — Shadow of the City is an alternate English title for the same series; both refer to the same 54-chapter manhwa.
Is Young Gun a remake?
Yes, it's billed as a remake of the older Korean comic True Colors of a Gangster, retelling a similar delinquent-drama premise for a new audience.
Where can I read Young Gun in English?
Officially through Lalatoon, which carries the licensed English release.
