South Korean manhwa is occasionally grouped together with Japanese manga, despite the differences between these two storytelling mediums. Some anime fans have even become more engrossed in manhwa once they begin to discover the medium's exciting storylines and interesting characters. Manhwa indulges in plenty of diverse genres, but it's got a lot to offer for sci-fi fans.

Science fiction is a genre that fans either adore or loathe. The genre usually deals with advanced technology where nothing, even time travels or parallel universes, is off limits. However, sci-fi can also showcase its softer, emotional side as it deals with tamer subjects that can still dip their toes in robots, holograms, clones, and beyond.

Updated December 1st, 2023 by Daniel Kurland: This list has been updated to include five more entries and cover a broader range of sci-fi manhwa. Additionally, the list’s links have been updated to better reflect CBR’s current slate of content and the most recent developments in the industry. The list’s structure has also been slightly revised to fit in with CBR’s latest stylistic changes, including more comprehensive titles and a rearranged order that best represents the quality of these sci-fi manhwa.

20 Trinity Wonder Unites Three Strangers Across The Multiverse

There's no escaping the multiverse and alternate realities, even when it comes to manhwa series. Trinity Wonder unites a mage, a martial artist, and a tech genius, who all come from parallel worlds. The martial artist and the mage get pulled through a wormhole to a modern version of present society. While there, these three strangers must work together to get back to their home worlds and understand the greater mysteries that are in play.

Trinity Wonder is guaranteed to resonate with manga readers who appreciate diverse heroes who come together under extreme circumstances. Its storyline also bears many similarities to the Marvel Cinematic Universe's The Marvels.

19 Rendezvous Pits A Bully Buster Up Against An Alien Invasion

Rendezvous is an exhilarating manhwa ride that evokes the chaotic energy of many post-apocalyptic science fiction manga. Yi-Yeon Kang wakes up from a lengthy coma, only to find the world in ruins after a cataclysmic alien invasion.

Yi-Yeon Kang feels frightened and helpless, but he's determined to rebalance the scales and defend the world that's fallen during his absence. Yi-Yeon Kang channels much of his aggression towards the bullies that knocked him out in the first place, but his rage slowly shifts to the extraterrestrial menace that reduced all of mankind to cannon fodder.

18 Iron Ladies Creates A Creepy Army Of Mechanical Menaces

Iron Ladies is a bold sci-fi manhwa that cleverly combines the romance-driven harem subgenre with a dour science fiction apocalypse. Mu Siyun is fresh out of university and finds himself an unlikely candidate to become fleet admiral of a prestigious army.

Rather than conventional soldiers, Siyun commands a fleet of 3000 female robot maidens who are endlessly devoted to conquering the universe for Siyun. Siyun's evolution remains compelling as Iron Ladies crafts an intricate morality tale that is often reminiscent of Code Geass. It's seinen science fiction from a completely different perspective.

17 Villain Initialization Sends A Tyrant Back In Time To Outsmart His Arch Nemesis

Sometimes all it takes for a series to stand out is a creative twist on a familiar idea. Villain Initialization begins with an intense rivalry between villain, Ling Chen, and the hero who constantly challenges him, Ye Zimu. Villain Initialization follows the enemy, Ling Chen, who experiences a mysterious universe reset that returns him to when he was 17 years old.

Ling Chen knows what lies ahead for him in the future and he's determined to change history's trajectory by taking Ye Zimu out of the picture before he grows into the prolific hero who's always kept him down. Villain Initialization is a strong story about second chances.

16 Court Of Puppets Explores Tense Relations Between Man & Machine

Court of Puppets, also known as C.O.P., tells an enlightening science fiction story that hinges on the growing rights and privileges of androids. An increase in crime and cartel violence pushes the government to enact legislation that allows machines to arrest criminals.

Detective Woojin Seo is a loose cannon who ends up on probation and is stuck mentoring Magnum, a new android officer of the law. Court of Puppets highlights prejudice in an evolving futuristic society, as well as the nature of being human.

15 A Space Ace Is Forced To Make Her Way In A Weird New World In The Princess' Spaceship

The Princess' Spaceship turns to a shocking mix of genres that are likely to surprise seasoned sci-fi fans and draw in newcomers to the genre. Fish out of water isekai antics are still popular in manhwa, but The Princess' Spaceship goes the extra mile when a ruthless space sergeant finds herself reincarnated as a cursed aristocrat's daughter who has a target on her head.

This ace adventurer has lost the comfort of her sci-fi setting as she desperately searches for her spaceship, which will hopefully allow her to escape all of this. Sci-fi without the space, The Princess' Spaceship is light-hearted fun.

14 An Ordinary Outcast Gets Enormous Powers Installed In Him In Nano Machine

Nano Machine is satisfying, action-packed wish fulfillment storytelling that has many of the markings of a classic shonen series, albeit with a science fiction foundation to it all. Cheon Yeo-Woon is a frail orphan who's subjected to constant cruelty and poor living conditions from his brutal caretakers.

Cheon's life forever changes when he's visited by his own future ancestor, who's traveled back in time to equip Cheon with transformative technology. Cheon is implanted with a nanomachine, which transforms him into a cybernetic force of nature who's determined to change his rotten lot in life and make his way as a martial artist.

13 Warble Teases A Gaming Phenomenon That Becomes The Key To Frightening Powers

There is no shortage of anime, manga, and manhwa that turn to online and mobile games as a primary source of conflict and tension. In Warble, a popular mobile game develops a symbiotic relationship with its user, where in-game rewards are expressed through the user's real body.

This begins as a playful way for mundane gamers to turn into the powerful heroes that they covet in their games. However, Warble also digs into the horrors of power's corruptive nature when one Warble fan goes too far in his pursuits and the fate of the world is left in the balance.

12 EVE: The 667th Child Transforms Tests Of Strength Into Fights For Survival

EVE: The 667th Child is a sci-fi and action manhwa that presents a horrific scenario that pits hundreds of children against each other in rigorous testing. Eve is a broken world where 667 children must go through constant training to improve their powers and ideally graduate to the highly revered Class C.

However, those who don't make the Class C cut are destined for execution. This death game structure also incorporates the rich class and social commentary abundant in science fiction. The tests of strengths and fatalities are gripping, but it's the themes in The 667th Child that helps it truly stand out.

11 A Disgruntled Villain Adjusts To An Inferior Body In Denma

Denma is a hilarious twist on the superhero genre that takes a page out of Detective Conan's book. Dike the Invincible Death is an evil genius who is also a Quanx, one of the special people in the world who possess superpowers.

Quanx's grandiose days of villainy come to an end when an odd night out results in him waking up in the body of a small kid. Dike is determined to retrieve his old, powerful body, but is forced to jump through mundane hoops along the way.

10 Builder Argues That A World Of Wish Fulfillment Comes At A Terrible Price

Builder is a gripping sci-fi manhwa written by Ha-Neul Moon and illustrated by Dong-Joon Lee. The series jumps forward to a point in the future where humans have perfected their every whim and can ostensibly create whatever they desire.

The esteemed individuals who occupy this dream world are known as Builders and the manhwa's heroine strives to become one of these powerful people. Full of bewildering technology, incredible fantasy, and believable character development, there's a lot to appreciate in Builders beyond its sci-fi elements.

9 A Rogue Warrior Fights Phantoms In The Name Of His Brother In City Of Blank

City Of Blank is a manhwa written and illustrated by the enigmatic author 66. In this dystopia manhwa world, there are haunting entities known as Blanks, which are essentially ghosts that can steal anyone's face, at any time. Blanks have the world gripped in fear, and danger is omnipresent.

Rex Kelman wishes to search for his brother's murderer, but he's aided by the unique ability to touch Blanks. This power inspires Rex to set out on a journey to bring closure to his brother's disappearance. Rex holds the advantage over many Blanks, but that doesn't mean that there still isn't a likelihood of him becoming one of their expressionless victims.

8 The Legendary Moonlight Sculptor Reveals A Virtual World That Offers A Chance For Redemption

The Legendary Moonlight Sculptor is written by Do-gyeong Lee and Hui-seong Nam, and illustrated by Tae-Hyung Kim and Grimza. Hyun Lee lives together with his grandmother, but both of them are poverty-stricken, which forces Hyun Lee to take up multiple odd jobs in order to make ends meet.

Hyun Lee enters a VR game known as Royal Road, which helps him realize his hidden talents as a sculptor. Now, with a viable means to make money and support his family, Hyun Lee is determined to grind his way out of poverty, raise his skills, and ascend as Royal Road's signature sculptor.

7 I.M. Is A Lovely Coming Of Age Story Between Man & Machine

The earnest manhwa, I.M., is the brainchild of Tim Hagiming, who both writes and illustrates the series. In I.M., Siyoon is a NEET — a worthless figure who's looked down upon by family, peers, and society. Siyoon's prospects suddenly improve after he meets a mysterious android named A.I., and the two begin to live together.

Although Siyoon is initially opposed to this odd cohabitation, a comfortable rhythm is found between the both of them. A.I. gradually becomes more human as Siyoon lets down his barriers and exposes his raw self to others. It's a transcendent learning experience for both man and machine.

6 Duty After School Examines When Brutal Realism Invades Exaggerated Escapism

Some of the strongest stories mix grounded realism with heightened fantasy to penetrate uncomfortable subjects. Many anime and manga are set during tumultuous times of war, yet the innocent perspective of the youth functions as an optimistic filter through this carnage. Ii-kwon Ha's Duty After School, also known as Afterschool War Activities, is cut from the same cloth.

In Duty After School, the educational institution's extracurricular activities comprise wartime combat against an aggressive big bad, rather than the standard hobbies and games groups. The trials of war are presented in a stark greyscale, yet bursts of color creep into the panels to represent the dichotomy of styles, genres, and ideas that conflict with these young soldiers.

5 A Gamer's Passion Reaches Newly Heroic Heights In The Gamer

The Gamer, written by Sang-Ah and illustrated by San-Young Sung, is another exciting blend of real-world woes and virtual reality adventures. These two extremes catastrophically clash once the game-obsessed Jee-Han takes his passion to unprecedented levels. Jee-Han is suddenly able to channel his RPG skills and abilities into the real world, which elates the ordinary man.

However, Jee-Han's excitement is cut short when he learns that he's not the only one who's received this powerful privilege. Jee-Han has incredible strength, but there are now monsters free in the world, along with others who are just as happy to exploit the technology and magic that's made Jee-Han a legend.

4 Under City Explores A Game That Gets Turned Into A Prison By A Virtual Juggernaut

Chobap's Under City is set in a bleak sci-fi world that also explores the unprecedented freedom that gamers have, courtesy of MMORPGs and virtual reality. Under City focuses on a hardcore, cutthroat survival game where a terrifying antagonist known as the Hollow Man hunts down any player who gets in his range. Even the veteran "Under City" players are helpless against him.

Hollow Man's frustrating displays of supremacy remain in the confines of the game rather than spilling into reality, but it's turned this fun form of entertainment into a laborious chore. Players decide that it's finally time to dismantle the Hollow Man and give him everything that they've got.

3 The Number One Fan Of A Dark Series Becomes Its New Protagonist In Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint

Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint is a collaboration between writer Singsyong and illustrator Sleepy-C. Otaku obsessions are par for the course for many manga fans, and it's quite easy to relate with Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint's perturbed protagonist, Dokja Kim.

Dokja's passionate fandom for an apocalyptic web novel is put to the test when he finds himself in this bleak world that he's read cover-to-cover countless times. Dokja shifts from audience to protagonist as he must survive the harsh terrain and punishing plot that used to entertain him. It's a helpful reminder that too much of a good thing isn't always a blessing.

2 Dusk Howler Features A VR Game That Becomes An Unconventional Confidence Builder

Jee-Ha Kim, the hero of Dusk Howler, has good intentions but continually struggles in life when it comes to post-secondary education pursuits. Jee-Ha Kim is tired of being an introverted mess who can't take control of his destiny, so he turns to a virtual reality game, Trikia, to expand his skills as an extrovert.

Jee-Ha Kim's Trikia counterpart still lacks proper confidence, but the warriors that he meets in this new world help him learn what it means to be a hero and to come out of his shell. Jee-Ha Kim might take down a malevolent monster, but more importantly, he might also find himself in the process.

1 High School And High Stakes Virtual Death Games Clash Together In No Scope

No Scope is an entertaining sci-fi focused hybrid of genres written and illustrated by Zoyang. No Scope centers on PSI BOND, a famous online game that's only played by the coolest high schoolers in Korea. Within the tense world of PSI BOND, Suho Kang, the game's revered grandmaster, takes a mysterious newcomer by the name of Doyoon Lee as his budding protégé.

A tight camaraderie forms between Kang and Lee and No Scope keeps the audience on their toes over who's really calling the shots in this sci-fi series. As thrilling as it is to see Kang and Lee fight together, it's even more of a delight when they're pitted against each other.