Directly from South Korea, the manhwa genre has become a big hit for those who are fans of manga. This genre has spread to all of Asia and overseas as well. Since manhwa is reaching the ranks of popularity that Japan has dominated for years, there are a lot of upcoming manhwa that readers won't want to miss.

Whether it is for its unique premise, its lovable characters, or its beautiful art — often in color, contrary to manga's black and white style — these series stand out among the rest. Both new and seasoned manhwa lovers should take note and check this incredible series out.

Updated by Mayra Garcia & Ajay Aravind on December 18, 2023: In the last years, manhwa has become a very popular graphic genre. Webcomics are accessible, so people love them and every month there are new stories available. This list has been updated with more must-read manhwa recommendations of all genres for readers to pick their new obsession.

25 7FATES: CHAKHO References Korean History And Culture

Prologue & 52 Chapters (Complete)

A split image of the BTS members in the manhwa and in real life
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Written by

HYBE

Illustrated by

HYBE

  • Great for BTS ARMY
  • References real Korean history
  • Full-color, impressive artwork

BTS has done Webtoons in the past, and one of them even tied into a few of their mobile games built off of the lore in their albums. However, 7FATES: CHAKHO is brand-new territory, and it's certainly worth reading even for those who aren't a diehard ARMY.

The manhwa includes several references to Korean history and culture. The title, "chakho," is short for the word "chakhogapsa," which refers to professional tiger hunters created by King Sejong, the fourth ruler of the Joseon dynasty and creator of the Korean alphabet. Additionally, the "beom" that the characters hunt in the story is another word for "tiger."

24 What's Wrong With Secretary Kim? Is A Timeless Classic Manhwa

98 Episodes (Complete)

Two panels showing Kim Mi-So and Lee Young-Joon in the What's Wrong With Secretary Kim manhwa

Written by

Jeong Gyeong Yun & Kim Myeongmi

Illustrated by

Jeong Gyeong Yun & Kim Myeongmi

  • Great to read more than once
  • Focuses on romance
  • Competent female lead

What's Wrong With Secretary Kim? is a timeless classic manhwa that can be read multiple times and still feel the same. The story follows the perfect secretary, Kim Mi-so, as she performs her job under her perfectionist and ungrateful boss, Lee Young-Joon.

However, when Kim Mi-So decides she wants to take a break and focus on her life, she chooses to quit her job. At this point, Lee Young-joon begins to realize how truly precious she was as an employee, and perhaps something more. Slowly, they both fall in love, changing what they knew about each other.

23 My ID Is Gangnam Beauty Is A Commentary On Impossible Beauty Standards

92 Episodes (Complete)

My ID Is Gangnam Beauty's Kyungseok and Woo Young with Mirae in the middle

Written by

Maenggi Ki

Illustrated by

Maenggi Ki

  • Social commentary included
  • Adapted to K-Drama
  • Romane above everything else

My ID Is Gangnam Beauty tells the story of Mirae, a bullied girl who had many cosmetic surgeries done to stop the harassment. Unfortunately, now her peers consider her “too artificial.” Things look bleak for her until she meets Kyungseok, a cold but insightful young man who sees her as a person beyond her appearance.

Gangnam Beauty is one of the best romance manhwa out there, and not just thanks to its wholesome love story. This manhwa makes a point to comment on impossible beauty standards and how much they can affect someone if they don’t feel like they fit in. This story is so popular that it got a K-drama adaptation in 2018.

22 Her Tale Of Shim Chong Is A Beautifully Written LGBTQ+ Romance

7 Volumes, 90 Chapters (Complete)

Shim Chong and Chancellor Jang embracing and about to kiss among flowers in the manwha

Written by

Seri

Illustrated by

Biwan

  • Starcrossed lovers
  • LGBTQ+ representation
  • Beautiful art

By Seri and Biwan, Her Tale of Shim Chong follows the complicated but wholesome romance between two women: Shim Chong, a beggar who has to take care of her blind father, and the fiancé of Chancellor Jang, a girl who wants nothing to do with her future husband, but has very few choices.

Anyone looking for a beautiful LGBTQ+ romance should check out Her Tale of Shim Chong and lose themselves in this beautiful story. This manhwa, which was inspired by an old Korean folktale, is full of relatable characters and incredibly romantic moments.

21 The Star Seekers Is Loosely Based On Tomorrow X Together

54 Episodes (Ongoing)

The 5 Star Seekers posing in the Webtoon
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Written by

HYBE

Illustrated by

HYBE

  • Ideal for Tomorrow X Together stans
  • Supernatural powers allow for exciting battles
  • Underdogs saving the world

As part of HYBE's new endeavor with Webtoon, a few of their artists received their very own manhwa. Tomorrow X Together's webtoon is called The Star Seekers. It takes place in a fantastical world, and a five-member idol group called Star One is meant to represent the five members of TXT.

In this world, magical idols are considered the best of the best, while those who don't have powers are the dregs. As such, magicless idols are doomed to fail. Star One starts as a magicless group, but one member suddenly gains supernatural powers when a fellow member is attacked on stage.

20 Misaeng: An Incomplete Life Is An Excellent Manhwa Starting Point

293 Chapters & 5 Specials (Ongoing)

Two pages of Incomplete Life showing Jan Geu-Rae on the cover and talking with his coworkers

Written by

Yoon Tae-Ho

Illustrated by

Yoon Tae-Ho

  • Good for beginners to get into manhwa
  • Relatable setting & themes
  • Focuses on a traditional Chinese board game

Misaeng: An Incomplete Life is an absolute gem and more than worth checking out for those looking for a great starting point for manhwa. This series follows a group of employees at a trading company called One International, with the spotlight on Jang Geu-Rae.

Misaeng: An Incomplete Life deals with the hardships they experience, with Jang Geu-rae using baduk — a Chinese board game which is usually called "Go," — as his guide to figuring out his problems. That said, there is so much more to this manhwa than it seems on the surface.

19 The Love Doctor's Gentle Art Matches The Story's Wholesome Vibe

85 Chapters + Epilogue (Complete)

Jung Erae and Cha Yoon embrace in The Love Doctor

Written by

Chamsae

Illustrated by

Bansook

  • LGBTQ+ couple
  • Beautiful art
  • Emotionally charged

Jung Irae is a shy, clueless woman who wants to have a partner, but doesn't know how. As she pushes potential boyfriends away, she grows desperate and hires an eccentric "love specialist," Cha Yoon. The Love Doctor sees Erae fall for Yoon, suddenly understanding more and more about her own emotions.

The Love Doctor is a beautiful story, with a very relatable take on emotions and art to match its wholesome vibe. Although Erae and Yoon have a weird, awkward relationship in the beginning, their bond grows more and more heartwarming with every chapter. Few manhwa achieve this kind of emotionality.

18 Dark Moon: The Blood Altar Is A Great Example Of Vampire Shojo

55 Episodes (Ongoing)

ENHYPEN members posing in Dark Moon Webtoon

Written by

HYBE

Illustrated by

HYBE

  • Great for Enhypen stans
  • Supernatural elements, including vampires
  • Easy for shojo fans to enjoy

As the third installment of HYBE's manhwa endeavor, Enhypen stars in Dark Moon: The Blood Altar. Fans of vampire anime or dark shojo are sure to enjoy this one. Even though it plays on clichéd and often overused tropes, it does so in a way that doesn't feel tired. It's heartwarming, and fans are drawn into Sooha's story.

The webtoon follows Sooha after she enrolls in Decelis Academy. The school has a strict policy against vampires — something important to her since a vampire slaughtered her childhood friend. However, Sooha finds herself entangled between the affections of seven vampires, each trying to steal her heart.

17 The Horizon Is Simple, Lighthearted, And Emotionally Profound

3 Volumes, 21 Chapters (Complete)

A kid stares at the beach in the cover of The Horizon
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Written by

Ji-Hoon Jeong

Illustrated by

Ji-Hoon Jeong

  • Incredibly emotional
  • Unique art
  • Short story

A beautiful tale about human connection, The Horizon documents the journey of a boy and a girl who have found each other in a world ravaged by war. As they travel together, aiming to find the end of the road they transit, they heal each other, remembering how hope feels like.

The Horizon is such a simple story that its characters don't even have names. This simplicity allows it to tell an incredibly moving story in only 21 episodes. It may not be the best option for a fun, lighthearted reading session, but those who enjoy stories with true emotional depth will love it.

16 From Points Of Three Utilizes An Unorthodox Approach To Polyamory

56 Chapters (Complete)

Jisuh, Heejae, and Sunyool embracing in From Points of Three Manhwa

Written by

White Eared

Illustrated by

White Eared

  • LGBTQ+ throuple
  • Explicit scenes, but heartwarming content
  • Shy, adorable main character

From Points of Three follows Kim Jisuh, a shy amateur photographer in great debt. In order to earn some money, he agrees to an atypical gig: filming a gay couple, Heejae and Sunyool while they have sex. This uncomfortable situation puts Jisuh on the couple's radar for even more romance.

Although From Points of Three has a scandalous premise, it's far from pure smut. Jisuh is simply adorable, and Heejae and Sunyool are smitten with him, which leads to very wholesome moments between the three men. This manhwa's approach to polyamory is very uncommon in current media.

15 Cheese In The Trap Is A Fantastic Manhwa For Beginners

34 Volumes, 297 Chapters (Complete)

Yoo Jung and Hong Sul looking at each other during her graduation.

Written by

Soonkki

Illustrated by

Soonkki

  • An iconic manhwa, good for beginners
  • Plenty of romantic tension
  • Enemies-to-lovers dynamic

Cheese in the Trap was written and illustrated by Soonkki. If one hasn't read this iconic manhwa, this year is the time to get started. With the story broken up into three seasons, there is plenty to read.

When hardworking and beautiful college student Seol Hong discovers the dark side of her senior Jung Yoo, her life becomes complicated. While she wanted to expose his two-faced ways and get her life back at first, they become attracted to one another and begin to date.

14 Leveling Up My Husband To The Max Subverts The Arranged Marriage Trope

90 Episodes (Ongoing)

The cover of Leveling Up My Husband To The Max with Amber holding Carlyx

Written by

Uginon & Nuova

Illustrated by

Curlin

  • Arranged marriage
  • Time travel allows the protagonist to redo her past
  • Ideal for shojo fans

The idea of an arranged marriage is one of the most popular romance tropes around. Two people who hate each other's guts are forced to marry but eventually develop feelings for each other.

Leveling Up My Husband To The Max is a Webtoon original that follows Amber as she's sentenced to execution. She recalled the past ten years of her life and feels remorseful for how she lived up until being framed by the emperor. Instead of being executed, however, Amber is teleported back to her 20-year-old self on the day of her wedding.

13 The Gamer Is A Self-Effacing Twist On The Isekai Concept

458 Episodes (Ongoing)

The cover of the webtoon The Gamer and a panel that shows Jee-Han while playing

Written by

Sangyoung Seong

Illustrated by

Sang-A

  • Video game aesthetic to draw in gamers
  • A likable protagonist who's easy to root for
  • Plenty of enemies for exciting battles

Jee-Han loves video games, but, when he suddenly discovers he has the power to play through the real world like a role-playing game, he is shocked. This opens the door for many new different adventures but also raises the stakes even higher. 10 years after it was released, fans are still hoping that The Gamer will eventually get an anime adaptation.

Jee-Han can see the levels of people and the status of items, acquire abilities, and even level up. However, this power isn't that peaceful. Some monsters must be defeated like a real role-playing game, and others have the same — and even more powerful — abilities as Jee-Han.

12 Noblesse Reinvents The Rehashed Stories Like Vampires And Frankenstein

50 Episodes (Complete)

Rai eating an uncooked brick of ramen in Noblesse.
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Written by

Jeho Son

Illustrated by

Kwangsu Lee

  • Received an anime adaptation on Crunchyroll
  • Rehashes & reinvents classic monster stories
  • Plenty of exciting action

Noblesse is a manhwa that received an anime adaptation via Crunchyroll, so this is a must-read for sure. It received an OVA before it was complete and in 2020 it got a full-blown anime adaptation. Written by Jeho Son and illustrated by Kwangsu Lee, the story reinvents the rehashed story of vampires and Frankenstein.

Rai awakens from an 820-year sleep to realize the world had changed drastically. He decides to begin his life anew and get accustomed to modern society along with his loyal servant, Frankenstein. However, things aren't peaceful, as there are people who call themselves "The Unions" on the attack.

11 Second Life Ranker Stands Out Because It's Basically A Shonen

161 Chapters (Ongoing)

Yeon-woo is wearing a white mask and about to battle (Second Life Ranker).

Written by

Nong Nong

Illustrated by

Sa Doyeon

  • Epic lore
  • Great for shonen fans
  • Action-packed fights

Second Life Ranker follows Yeon-woo, a mysterious man trying to find his twin brother, Cha Jeong. During his journey, he finds his brother's diary and learns that he was murdered while trying to climb the Tower of the Sun God to become a god. In order to avenge him, he takes it upon himself to climb it too, using Jeong-woo's diary as a guide.

Second Life Ranker stands out because it's basically a shonen. Yeon-woo's epic journey is full of threats and mysteries that readers won't be able to let go and the lore behind the Obelisk only grows more complex by the chapter. Any manga readers looking for a thrilling story should check it out.

10 Girls Of The Wild's Are For Readers Who Enjoy Harem Manhwa

260 Chapters (Complete)

The cover for Girls of The Wild's manhwa split with panels from the first pages

Written by

Hun

Illustrated by

Zhena

  • Ideal for harem & shojo fans
  • School drama setting with plenty of tension
  • Features MMA fighting

Girls of the Wild's was written by Hun and illustrated by Zhena. For those who enjoy harem anime and manga, this series is sure to get them interested. While Wild's High has a 42-year history as a private fighting school for girls only, it recently became a mixed-gender school.

When the only male student, Song Jae Gu, is offered a three-year scholarship that doesn't depend on his grades, he accepts. But, after accidentally gaining the ire of Queen — the champion of Wild's League — his school life becomes more complicated than he bargained for. Fans of My Dress-Up Darling or Rent-A-Girlfriend are sure to enjoy this manhwa.

9 A Business Proposal Is Famous Among The K-Drama Fandoms

Prologue & 124 Episodes (Complete)

A promotional image for A Business Proposal with Taemu embracing Hari

Written by

Haehwa

Illustrated by

NARAK

  • Received a K-drama adaptation
  • Romantic comedy
  • Office-themed romance setting

A Business Proposal follows Hari after she agrees to go on a blind date on her best friend's behalf. Plus, Hari wanted to put an end to undesired arranged marriages. While she went into it thinking it would be easy money, Hari quickly realized it wouldn't be an easy task. Then she meets Taemu, the new CEO of her company. He's in a similar situation, so the two decide to pretend to date.

Anybody who belongs to the K-drama fandoms has surely heard about A Business Proposal. This story was adapted into a K-Drama in 2022 and it was a total success. The manhwa is just as great, so viewers should delve into it if they want more of Hari and Taemu's story.

8 Solo Leveling Has Been Praised For Its Fantastical Setting

180 Episodes (Complete)

Sung Jin-Woo from Solo Leveling about to battle wielding his swords
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Written by

Chugong

Illustrated by

Dubu & Redice Studio

  • Received praise for its setting & action
  • Video game aesthetics that draw in gamers
  • Driven protagonist eager to become the best

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 in its story. It's based on a novel of the same name, as are many other manhwa, and it's been praised for its fantastical setting and great action.

Solo Leveling centers around E-rank Hunter Sung Jin-Woo. He discovers a dungeon that only he can see and level up inside. His goal is to become an S-rank Hunter, the strongest rank in the world.

7 Orange Marmalade Has Unique But Rather Simple Premise

119 Episodes (Complete)

Baek Ma-ri and Jung Jae-min about to kiss in Orange Marmalade.

Written by

Seokwoo

Illustrated by

Seokwoo

  • Friendly vampires
  • Lighthearted romance
  • Perfect for first-time manhwa readers

In a world where vampires are common, humans still discriminate against them. However, this doesn't stop Mari Baek, a shy vampire girl, from falling for Jae-min Jung, one of the most popular guys in her school. After she bites him, they develop a complicated but wholesome relationship, in which they both re-learn everything they know about vampires and humans.

Orange Marmalade has a unique but simple premise. It doesn't create a complex new world like other manhwa do, but it still puts a twist on a regular high-school romance. Manga readers who haven't delved into manhwa and want to get familiar with its tropes could start with this beautiful, slice-of-life story.

6 Hive Is An Action-Packed Horror Manhwa With An Apocalyptic Premise

143 Chapters (Complete)

Eun-Sung Lee fighting in the manhwa HIVE

Written by

Kim Gyu-Sam

Illustrated by

Kim Gyu-Sam

  • Apocalyptic setting
  • A common man as the hero
  • Flesh-eating insects

When a man-eating bug invasion attacks Seoul, Eun-Sung Lee -- a regular family man with an office job -- gets separated from his wife and kid. Hive follows his journey to find his family amidst this apocalyptic nightmare, together with a small group of survivors.

When it comes to horror manga, Hive is way less disturbing than many other series -- although its flesh-eating bugs are incredibly disgusting. However, it's still both action-packed and incredibly emotional when it comes to Lee's family.