While star couples typically steal the show in romance webtoons, some side romances garner more attention than others. As fans continue to ship unsuspecting side characters with one another, readers commonly find joy in low-key romances that might otherwise be more or less overlooked. Here are five of the most compelling side romances to be found in webtoons.
Siren's Lament
Siren's Lament is a famous romance webtoon known for being dynamic and well-rounded. While the story centers around lead couple Lyra and Shon, the series is flooded with interesting side romances that gradually form. Of the various romances in this webtoon, none are more compelling than the unexpected romance between Tua and Pele. The couple first meets as wandering sirens who drift alone in the dark ocean, where they're trapped in an emotionless and lost state. However, Tua and Pele manage to break this curse of solitude by finding joy in each other's company. After several heart-wrenching moments and near-death experiences, this webtoon side couple defies all odds to overcome their curse and become regular humans again.
Her Majesty's Proposal
While His Majesty's Proposal centers around Penelope and the Emperor who wishes to marry her, a fascinating romance forms between her brother and her best friend. Rubia is Penelope's good friend who happens to have a long-lasting crush on her brother, Parion. While some would protest a romance between their best friend and brother, Penelope encourages Rubia's love and actively helps her spend time with Parion. Parion plays hard-to-get and rejects Rubia's open feelings for him, despite getting jealous and protective of Rubia whenever she's with another guy. This dynamic sparks a playful and comical storyline in which Parion and the Emperor team up to protect Penelope and Rubia from potential danger.
Age Matters
As one of webtoon's most popular romance series that recently concluded, Age Matters offers several romances for fans to enjoy. While the love between Rose and her younger billionaire boss, Daniel Yoon, is the focal point of the series, fans buzzed when a more unexpected side couple began to take shape. When Daniel's power-hungry and intimidating cousin Ruby visits his Lime Corporation, she accidentally runs into the sweet and soft-spoken employee Henry Pomeroy.
Everyone calls Henry "Pommie" given his short stature and playful demeanor that reminds everyone of a Pomeranian. Pommie even volunteers at a local dog shelter, which Ruby soon joins to spend more time with him. Despite her wealth and intense personality and his opposite humble and carefree personality, the pair blush and act shy around each other while somehow making their developing relationship work.
My Gently Raised Beast
My Gently Raised Beast stars Blondina, the daughter of an emperor who later discovers she has two royal half-siblings. While her blossoming romance with a feared and legendary Divine Beast named Amon is the center of the story, Blondina's arrogant half-brother and prince develops an embarrassing crush on Blondina's best friend and maid named Lucy. Prince Lart has a bratty attitude and superiority complex, spending most of his childhood bullying Blondina and looking down on others. When he finds himself flustered around Lucy, he curses his feelings for a commoner and questions his own judgment. However, this side romance gives Prince Lart the redeeming qualities and character development fans hoped for as they rooted for this forbidden couple from different social classes.
SubZero
SubZero is the perfect romance webtoon for fans of the enemies-to-lovers trope. While the series' star couple, Clove and Kyro, are two dragons with an ancient rivalry, they're not the only unexpected couple blossoming between two warring clans. Kyro's sister, Princess Kharis, is a crimson dragon just like her royal brother, and she has the ability to shift into her dragon form.
When Clove arrives to marry Kyro in an arranged union, she brings her most trusted allies and generals with her from the Azure Clan. As the leader of Clove's guard, Captain Nouren has a disdain for the crimson dragons and their clan. However, Captain Nouren's opinions begin to change after meeting Princess Kharis, who captivates him with both her words and her graceful dance moves. As they form a secret romantic union with one another, the people closest to them begin to notice their hidden relationship.