Japanese entertainment exploded in the early 90s and 2000s, bringing with it anime and manga. Although manga was harder to get a hold of legally for a while with licensing restrictions and illegal scanlations, the popularity urged companies to license and translate them. On the other hand, manhwa has also become somewhat of a staple in Asian culture with it originating in South Korean and used to refer to comics.

RELATED: The 10 Greatest Romance Manga Of The Decade (According To GoodReads)

Unlike manga that is black-and-white, manhwa is in full color. It has diverse stories spanning from abuse to workplace antics and has captured the attention of many fans who love comics. Here are the 10 must-read manhwa for fans of manga.

Updated on September 14th, 2020 by Brianna Albert: Manhwa and manga are very alike, yet so different. While manga is often strictly in black-and-white, manhwaー more likely to be called webtoonsー tend to be in all color and read from top-to-bottom for easier reading. Within the pages, manhwa and manga do not have that much of a difference between them.

In that case, there are many great manhwa for a manga fan to dive into. From romance to science fiction, and even isekaiー as even that genre has crossed over into other fictionー there's plenty to choose from. Here are 15 fans should dive in and read right away!

15 July Found By Chance (2018 - 2019)

Girl in white holding a bouquet, turned around and girl looking a boy from a window, wet from the rain

Being reincarnated to live in another world is bad enough, but what if it became worse than that? Eun Dan-oh thought she was the most popular girl in school at a prestigious academy, but she discovers she's nothing but a throwaway characterーand extra to make the main characters shine.

Unable to accept this fact, Eun Dan-oh decides to forge her path and become the main character in her own right, only to discover she was stuck with a horrid fate. Add in a romance with a character that doesn't even have a nameーan extra she names "Haru"ーand this manhwa is sure to be a tearjerker.

14 Light & Shadow (2016 - 2019)

Man and woman standing back-to-back

At first glance, this story isn't extraordinary. However, fans that continued to read the series found a diamond in the rough. The series focuses on a maid named Edna who is sent to marry none other than a rich man, Duke Eli.

Unbeknownst to him, she has come to get her revenge on him, no matter the cost. But the closer they become, the bigger the undeniable sparks of love grow between them.

13 They Say I Was Born A King's Daughter (2016 - PRESENT)

Main characters from They Say I Was Born A King's Daughter Manhwa

Suhee Kim has finally found true love after receiving countless confessions from men she does not love. However, that happiness is short-lived when she is murdered by a spiteful confessor that refused to give up on his love for her.

Now reincarnated as Princess Sanghee Kim in a world where men rule over everythingーincluding womenーshe attempts to do everything she can to regain women's rights, as well as find her one true world in a world where misogyny rules all.

12 Doctor Elise: The Royal Lady With The Lamp (2017 - PRESENT)

Main characters from Doctor Elise

Dr. Song is an accomplished doctor who is the youngest professor at the College of Medicine in Korea. However, when that young professor ends up almost drowning, she awakens to find that she is in the body of her past life, Princess Elise.

Now, with the knowledge of her future life, Elise uses this newfound medicine in the past time, mends ill-bent relationships, and even falls in love.

11 The Girl And The Geek (2015 - 2018)

Blonde girl feeding brunette man a piece of cake

Go Nanhee is a single woman who has supported herself by doing odd jobs. After she is accused of stealing an expensive action figure when she cleaned the house of a nerd named Oh Deokhoo, she is forced to clean his house to pay him back.

However, the longer Go Nanhee and Oh Deokhoo interact, the more they realize that they are beginning to fall in love with each other. Will these two "2D only" people be able to love?

10 Misaeng: An Incomplete Life (2012 - 2018)

Listless boy staring

An Incomplete Life, known as Misaeng in South Korea, is about the lives of employees in a corporate office and was written and illustrated by Yoon Tae-ho. The protagonist, Jang Geu-rea was a genius at the board game baduk (an abstract strategy board game for two players which aim to surround more territory than the opponent).

But when he fails at becoming a professional player, he leaves to work as an intern at One International through an acquaintance's recommendation. With nothing but a high school equivalency exam on his resume, his co-workers treat him horribly until Jang Geu-rea can prove himself to be a hard worker and uses baduk as his guide. It was also adapted into a South Korean Drama and is available to watch on Netflix.

9 The Sound Of Your Heart (2006 - PRESENT)

Chibi character and an alarm clock

The Sound of Your Heart, or Maeumi Sori, is written and illustrated by Jo Seok. It's written creatively because it acts like a sitcom, following various stories about Cho Seok's adventures with his family and wife, Aebong. It features wacky comedy filled with wit and sarcasm as well as parodies of various popular franchises.

RELATED: The 10 Greatest Josei Manga Of The Decade (According To Goodreads)

The art style may attract those who have a love of chibis (super-deformed characters) as well as those who can suspend their sense of reality and enter a world where a lot of things don't make sense. Fans of Gintama and The Disastrous Life Saiki K would enjoy the niche comedy.

8 Our Companionship (2019)

Boys kissing

Our Companionship, or Hohyeonghoje, is written by KEN and illustrated by Ant Studio. The story focuses on Sang Hwa, the protagonist who has had a crush on his seemingly perfect best friend, Ryuh Han. Able to do nothing to confess his feelings, Sang Hwa decides to join Lessa, an MMO that's losing popularity, to escape from his unrequited love.

But when he unwittingly meets Ryuh Han in-game and befriends him, they realize who each other is by meeting in real life. The story is not released fully in English, but it stands completed at 36 chapters.

7 Solo Leveling (2018 - PRESENT)

Solo Leveling Manhwa

Solo Leveling, known as Na Honjaman Level-Up in South Korea, is a manhwa adaption of the 2016 novel of the same name. Fans of isekai anime like Sword Art Online and action are sure to enjoy this one. 10 years ago, after the Gate that connected the real world and monster world opened, people were granted the power to hunt monsters within it.

When Sung-Jin Woo, an E-Rank Hunter, suddenly receives the power to see a quest log only he can, he learns the secret how to level up. As he does as it says, it doesn't take long for him to become the strongest rank, an S-Rank Hunter.

6 Daughter Of The Emperor (2015 - PRESENT)

Daughter and father sitting together in Daughter of the Emperor

Daughter of the Emperor, or Hwangje-ui Oedongttal, was written by RINO and Yunsul. The premise should be familiar to fans of isekai and the "dying only to be reincarnated in another world" schtick. After a 24-year-old woman is murdered, she awakens only to find herself reborn as a baby, Ariadna Lereg Ilestri Pre Agrigent. But that isn't all.

RELATED: 10 Mangas You Should Read In 2020

She was born as the only daughter of the Emperor, a coldblooded conqueror of ten empires and a nightmare for all continents, Caitel Lereg Ilestri Pre Agrigent. The story is a unique one with Ariadna's witty inner monologue and the father-daughter relationship between her and Caitel.

5 Love Alarm (2014 - 2018)

Love Alarm manhwa image.

Love Alarm, or Joahamyeon Ullineun, is a manhwa written by one of South Korea's most popular graphic novelist, Chon Kye-young. The story focuses on three characters: Kim Jo-jo, a young and hardworking girl who is cheerful despite her painful past, Hwang Sun-oh, a handsome model who's also a rich boy, and his older brother and best friend who is secretly in love with Jo-jo, Lee Hye-young.

It was also adapted into a Korean Drama in 2019 and was produced by Netflix. The drama was a huge success and a second season was announced this year, so if one does not fancy reading, one can watch it instead.

4 Socks Goblin (2014 - 2016)

Socks Goblin, or known in South Korea as Yangmaldokkaebi, was written and illustrated by Manmulsang. The setting is The Island of Four Seasons. It's made up of four villages: Five Color Autumn Leaves, Snowflake Village, Blazing Sun Village, and the Spring Flower Village.

RELATED: The 10 Best Romance Anime Series of The 2000s, Ranked According To IMDb

The story follows an adventures girl, Sujin, who has been hired to work at Bigfoot Bank in Snowflake Village. On her journey, she meets many fantastical creatures and fairytale friendsーas well as discovering her socks have gone missing. Anyone who enjoys shoujo and fantasy-type manga would find this manhwa as a perfect read.

3 Noblesse (2007 - 2019)

Black-haired man staring into space

Noblesse is a popular manwha known worldwide. It even has 2 OVA adaptions and an upcoming anime. It was written by Son Jeho and illustrated by Lee Kwangsu as well as one of the first manhwa to receive an English translation.

Noblesse focuses on a powerful noble, Cadis Etrama Di Raizel, who has been asleep for 820 years with no knowledge of the advancements of mankind or scientific devices. When he reunites with his loyal servant Frankenstein and befriends a few other high school students, the story begins to follow the group's adventures against a secret organization all while uncovering Cadis' past.

2 Cheese In The Trap (2010 - 2017)

Blonde boy, redhead girl, and black-haired boy in a group

Cheese in the Trap, or Chijeu Indeoteulaeb, was written and illustrated by Soonkki. It was first released on Internet portal Naver Webtoon in 2010 and published as a manhwa in 2012. It has inspired a Korean Drama, one of the highest-rated ones in history, a movie, and has been published in multiple languages.

RELATED: 10 Most Underrated Anime Of The Past 5 Years

It follows college student Hong Seol, a beautiful and hardworking college student, Yoo Jung, a handsome senior with a twisted personality, a talented pianist with a troubled past, Baek In-ho, and his vain sister who's in love with Yoo Jung, Baek In-ha. Cheese in the Trap is perfect for those who desire a romance with some dark and psychological themes included.

1 Bastard (2014 - 2016)

Girl holding an umbrella over boy's head

Finally, Bastard is the final entry on the list. Written by Carnby Kim and illustrated by Young-chan Hwang. This one is going to put fans on a ride full of twists and turns. Seon Jin doesn't have anywhere safe: he's bullied constantly at school and at home, his father is the source of his nightmares.

Although he acts as a successful businessman with a kind aura, in actuality he's a deranged serial killer who targets young womanーand Jin is his unwilling accomplice. But when he targets transfer student Yoon Kyun who Seon Jin falls in love with, he must make a decision: to be the coward who sends her to her deathbed or stop being his father's bastard.

NEXT: The 10 Greatest Shoujo Manga Of The Decade (According To Goodreads)