10 Best Korean Manhwa You Should Definitely Read
Webtoons and manhwa seemingly came out of nowhere and sucker-punched western audiences with their full-color panels, insane art, and unique storytelling. If you’re a manga fan and haven’t given webtoons or manhwa a chance, you are seriously missing out.
This relatively new medium is ripe for the picking, with some incredible stories for a new reader to go through and experience. So, if you want to dive in, we’ve compiled a list of must-read webtoons and manhwa just for you.
10 The Gamer
The Gamer is a genre-defining piece of media. It set forth the trend of the “gamer” scenario where the main character gets a system that turns their life into a game. As the progenitor of the trend, The Gamer is a must-read for fans of the genre.
It has a gripping story, an interesting mechanic (which might seem a bit overplayed if you’ve read similar manhwa or webtoons), and good art.
9 The Beginning After The End
The Beginning After The End is to webtoons/manhwa what Mushoku Tensei (Jobless Reincarnation) is to manga — almost to an unhealthy degree. It takes the same tropes of reincarnation into another world (isekai) and restarting life as a toddler and uses them in a relatively unique way (the reincarnated person is a king).
If you’re familiar with other isekai, this manhwa might feel a bit trope-y. However, if you stick with it for a little while, it distinguishes itself from the source material and makes for a great read.
8 What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim?
What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim is the end-all-be-all of romance manhwa. Of course, there are plenty of others that are held in high regard, but Secretary Kim holds a special place in many readers’ hearts.
The manhwa has a beautiful romance that hooks you in, reels you close, and delivers a sinker that makes you double over. The story is complete, heart-warming, and nuanced. After reading this manhwa, it’ll be hard to pick up another piece of romantic media.
7 Bastard
Bastard is an age-old webtoon classic. It has a messed up plot, messed up characters, and messed up scenarios. Being one of the best horror webtoons on the platform, it even has a live-action adaptation that you can check out after you’re done reading it.
Bastard is a coming-of-age manhwa starring the child of a serial killer. It’s dark, it’s nuanced, and it’s disturbing. If that synopsis doesn’t sound like your cup of tea, you probably won’t like the manhwa, either.
6 Solo Leveling
Based on a classic (The Gamer), Solo Leveling polishes the art, streamlines the story, and delivers a fantastic product that shook the entire industry when it came out. It gave birth to a subgenre in the medium relating to dungeons in the real world. Based on a web novel of the same name, Solo Leveling has some of the most beautiful art in the medium.
If you want to experience a revenge story (kind of) with an overpowered MC, this manhwa is for you. It’s a finished story with amazing art, an interesting plot, and cool powers.
5 My Giant Nerd Boyfriend
Being a feel-good webtoon, My Giant Nerd Boyfriend is a comfort read. None of the chapters are related to one another (with some exceptions), and there’s no continuous storyline you need to follow. It’s just about the daily shenanigans of a cute couple with a height difference.
You can pick up this webtoon without worrying about a massive time commitment or paying too much attention. The art style is simplistic and cute, and the stories are simply adorable. It’s a great read for when you just want to feel good.
4 Everything Is Fine
In Everything Is Fine, nothing is fine. It’s a modern take on classic dystopian stories that combines the fear of the unknown with a disturbingly cute art style.
It’s hard to describe the show without giving any spoilers, but if you haven’t tried this out so far, you definitely should.
3 Lore Olympus
Lore Olympus has stayed the number one romance webtoon on the Webtoons website for a long time. It’s a romance-driven drama that takes so many twists and turns that it’s hard to stay sane throughout the ride.
With crazy characters, interesting plot points, cute romance, and traumatic events, Lore Olympus has it all. Recent popular media, like God of War and Percy Jackson, explore the Greek pantheon in a serious way, but Lore Olympus flips the idea on its head. It takes the powerful Gods and Goddesses and gives them a human side.
2 The Boxer
Take an overpowered, bored, and dead-looking character. Put him into a realistic setting, add a dash of a unique art style, and mix all the ingredients together. Congratulations, you’ve stumbled into The Boxer!
This manhwa is about a very powerful, very bored boxing prodigy. Kind of like if One Punch Man was about boxing, and Saitama was edgy. One distinguishing feature of The Boxer is the focus on the side characters. Delving into the backstories of the main character‘s opponents and sorting out their motivations is what makes this webtoon so good.
1 Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint
If you want to read a regressor (someone who went back in time) story with insane visuals, deep lore, and a unique story, Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint is just the thing for you. It’s about a normal guy with a normal job, reading a normal novel.
Except suddenly, that novel isn’t so normal anymore. Suddenly, that novel is his new reality, and he’s in a situation where he knows exactly what’s going to happen. The consequences of his interference, his interaction with his beloved characters, and his own internal struggle make Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint a masterpiece.
