The 15 Best Manhwas to Read

In recent years, manhwa has become a big hit for manga enthusiasts. Manhwa was born in South Korea, but its popularity has spread to North Korea and abroad. While mangas are in black and white, a variety of manhwa are in color and attract a lot of people.

Updated on July 24, 2021: Both manhwa and webtoons originate from South Korea and have sparked interest among foreign fans. The popular manhwas Tower of God and God of High School became Crunchyroll Originals and were the first manhwa adaptations into anime, aside from the Noblesse OVA.

No matter the language, manhwa can attract the attention of many fans, and even more so if it is set in a fantasy world. With the explosion of manhwa in the animation world, some manhwas that fans loved to read might have the chance to be adapted into anime. Here are some of the best manhwa that could have a head start in 2021.

15. Who Made Me A Princess (2017 - PRESENT)

Nightmares are awful, but who would have thought they could be real? Although the story tells how Athanasia was killed by her father Claude de Alger Obeli, the woman who woke up in Athanasia's body never imagined she would experience it herself.

To survive in this new world, Athanasia must do everything not to die by behaving like her father's little princess to prevent him from turning his anger against her and stopping her new life. This manhwa has been ongoing for some time, so now is the perfect time to start and enjoy the story this year.

14. What's Wrong With Secretary Kim? (2016 - 2018)

What's Wrong With Secretary Kim is a timeless classic manhwa that can be read multiple times with the same impression. The story follows the perfect secretary, Kim Mi-so, as she carries out her work under the orders of her perfectionist and narcissistic boss, Lee Young-joon.

However, when Kim Mi-So wants to quit to focus on her life and take a break, Lee Young-joon begins to realize how valuable she was as an employee, and maybe even more.

13. The Girl And The Geek (2015 - 2018)

The Girl and the Geek is a romantic comedy about two slightly awkward people who fall in love. This full-color manhwa follows Go Nanhee after she gets a job as a cleaner and is accused of stealing a precious action figure from the room's owner, Oh Deokhoos.

For now, she has to clean her room to pay it back, and love begins to blossom between the two.

12. Misaeng : An Incomplete Life (2012 - 2018)

Misaeng : An Incomplete Life is a true gem, worth discovering if you are looking for a good starting point for manhwa. This series follows a group of employees at a trading company called One International, with a particular focus on Jang Geu-rae.

The series deals with the difficulties they face, and Jang Geu-rae uses baduk, a Chinese board game generally called "Go," as a guide to solve his problems.

11. Daughter Of The Emperor (2015 - PRESENT)

For those looking for a bit of isekai, Daughter of the Emperor should fill that gap. It is the adaptation of a fully completed light novel that tells the story of a young woman who reincarnates as the only daughter of a cruel emperor.

As she remembers being older, the series starts when she was a baby and follows her until she becomes an adult. This manhwa is a great starting point for those who want to get into manhwa in 2020.

10. Cheese In The Trap (2010 - 2017)

Cheese in the Trap was written and illustrated by Soon Ki. If you haven't read this iconic manhwa, this year is the time to start. With the story divided into three seasons, there is a lot to read.

When the beautiful and hardworking student Seol Hong discovers the dark side of her senior Jung Yoo, her life becomes complicated. While at first she wanted to expose his double game and take back her life, they are attracted to each other and start dating.

9. Catharsis (2015 - 2019)

Catharsis was written and illustrated by Ahniki. It features Leon, a boy who has many nightmares and has the power to see voices in colors and identify a person by their voice. When he discovers the existence of monsters, the Tomorem, who feed on people's fears, he also discovers an organization called Catharsis that fights these monsters.

This book is worth reading for its plot. Although it is marked as complete, there is hope that a second season will be made.

8. The Gamer (2013 - 2015)

The Gamer was written by Seong Sang Yeong and illustrated by Sang A. This is a manhwa that fans hope will get an anime adaptation despite ending five years ago. Jee-Han loves video games, but when he suddenly discovers he has the power to play in the real world like in a role-playing game, he is shocked.

He can see people's levels and the "status" of objects, acquire abilities, and even level up. However, this power is not so peaceful. There are monsters to defeat like in a real role-playing game, as well as others who have the same abilities as him, and even more powerful.

7. Noblesse (2007 - 2019)

Noblesse is a manhwa that will soon be adapted into an anime, so it is a must-read. It had an OVA before it was completed and is now going to have a full anime adaptation. Written by Je-Ho Son and illustrated by Gwang-Su Lee, the story reinvents the well-worn tale of vampires and Frankenstein.

Rai wakes up from an 820-year sleep to realize that the world has radically changed. He decides to restart his life and get used to modern society with his faithful servant, Frankenstein. However, things are still not peaceful, as people calling themselves "The Unions" launch attacks.

6. Girls Of The Wild's (2011 - 2016)

Girls of the Wild was written by Hun and illustrated by Zhena. If you like harem-type anime and manga, this series will surely interest you. Wild's High is a private combat school for girls for 42 years, but it has recently become coeducational.

When the only male student, Song Jae Gu, accepts a three-year scholarship that does not depend on his grades, he agrees. But after accidentally drawing the ire of Queen, the champion of the Wild's League, his school life becomes more complicated than he had expected.

5. I Love Yoo (2017 - Present)

I Love Yoo has gained a loyal readership since its debut in 2017. I Love Yoo was written and illustrated by Quimchee. Shin-Ae has not had a good life at all. She has experienced pain, misery, and distress since the beginning of her life. She decides that she does not want to interact with people or have anything to do with romance.

She achieves this feat until she ends up ruining someone's clothes. With beautiful illustrations, remarkable character development, and music that accompanies the manhwa, it's an excellent book to read in 2021.

4. Solo Leveling (2018 - Present)

Solo Leveling was written by Chugong and illustrated by Gee So-Lyung and Redice Studio. Some have probably seen this manhwa around, as many fans have been absorbed by its story. It is based on a novel of the same name, like many other manhwas, and has been praised for its fantastic setting and great action.

The story centers on rank E hunter Sung Jin-Woo. He discovers a dungeon that only he can see and levels up there. His goal is to become an S-rank hunter, the strongest rank in the world.

3. Let's Play (2017 - Present)

Let's Play is a manhwa/webtoon, although some might not think so because it was created by an English speaker. That doesn't make it any less enjoyable. It is written and illustrated by Mongie and even has a short anime film to accompany it. It focuses on two characters, Samara Young and Marshall Law.

Samara's dream is to become a game developer, but when she releases a game played by a popular vlogger on Viewtube and receives harsh comments from his fans, her presence is destroyed on an independent website. When it turns out they are neighbors, the jokes keep coming.

2. Bastard (2015 - 2016)

If someone hasn't read Bastard yet, they're missing a gem of the psychological horror genre. The story centers on Jin Seon, a high school student frequently bullied, and his father, Dong-Soo Seon, a disturbed serial killer. Jin Seon is bullied because of his disability and barely speaks because of it, but that's not the worst part.

He becomes complicit in his father's crimes out of fear of being killed. Until he decides to protect Kyun Yoo after befriending her and no longer follow his father's orders.

1. Tower Of God (2010 - Present)

It's time to read Tower of God if you haven't yet, and if you don't remember much and have read it before, reread it. Why? Because this gem of a manhwa is now a Crunchyroll Originals anime. Possibly one of the longest manhwas out there, it has quite a story to tell.

Divided into three seasons, it has been running since 2010 and doesn't seem to be ending anytime soon. After the end of the first season of Tower of God, many fans hope for a second season that will explore the true beginning of Bam's story. Why not join in the excitement and start reading too?