With the release of manga like So I’m a Spider, So What? RPG elements in stories have risen—even in manhwa. Manhwa are Korean comics that have many similarities to manga but contain many unique elements. Nevertheless, they’re enjoyable and well worth diving into.
RPG elements in stories provide a unique experience for both the characters and the readers. You can see stats, experience points, skill levels, and watch as a character grows stronger. Often these RPG elements are game-related, but in some cases, these game functions are brought into the real world. Similar to Omniscient Reader, there are many must-read RPG manhwa that readers will enjoy.
10 Dokja Kim’s Favorite Web Novel Becomes A Reality Where They Must Fight To Survive (Omniscient Reader)
Omniscient Reader by Singsyong and Sleepy-C is a high-stakes survival RPG manhwa filled with action and drama. Dokja Kim was just a normal salaryman who enjoyed reading novels, especially his favorite web novel, Three Ways to Survive the Apocalypse.
However, the web novel soon becomes a reality and he’s the only person who knows how the story will end. As the protagonist of the story comes to life, Dokja does everything in his power to change everything to ensure the survival of the human race.
9 Jinwoo Sung Is A Low-Class Hunter Who Grows Stronger In An Unexpected Way (Solo Leveling)
Solo Leveling is a manhwa by Chugong (original creator), Redice Studio, Sung-lak Jang, So-ryeong Gi (adaption), and h-goon (adaption). In this manhwa, Jinwoo Sung is an E-class hunter, which makes him the weakest of them all. However, as he has no job prospects and has to take care of his mother and sister, he must take jobs that put his life in danger.
During a job, Jinwoo's party finds a hidden dungeon. It’s there that he hopes he can level up and become the strongest, but he soon comes to realize that he's getting more than he bargained for.
8 Shin Youngwoo Finds A Powerful Item That Changes His Life Forever (Overgeared)
In Overgeared by Team Argo and Saenal Park, Shin Youngwoo (or Grid as he’s sometimes known as) is a very unlucky man and a low-level player in the VR game, Satisfy. One day, however, he finds a powerful item that changes his life forever.
This item gave Youngwoo the new title of, “Pagma’s Successor.” He becomes a skilled blacksmith who can forge unique weapons. With his new abilities and skills, he decides to achieve fame and fortune, but things don’t go how he expects them to.
7 Hyun Lee Enters A Virtual Reality Game To Save His Family From Poverty (The Legendary Moonlight Sculptor)
The Legendary Moonlight Sculptor is an action and adventure manhwa by Do-gyeong Lee, Hui-seong Nam, Tae-Hyung Kim, and Grimza. In this manhwa, Hyun Lee lives a life of poverty with his grandma and works a part-time job just to get by.
To earn money, he enters a virtual reality game, but as a sculptor, he earns very little. So, he flirts with NPCs to get free food and grinds all day and night to level up his skills and abilities in the hopes of saving his family.
6 Jee-Han Gains An Ability To Superimpose RPG Elements Into The Real World, But He’s Not The Only One (The Gamer)
In The Gamer by San-Young Sung and Sang-Ah, Jee-Han loves gaming more than he loves anything else. So, when he stumbles across an ability that allows him to superimpose RPG elements into the real world, it’s both shocking and exciting.
By completing simple tasks, he can earn experience points, and he can see everyone’s stats and health bars. He thinks it’s a dream come true, and everything seems to be going well until he learns that there are monsters to be killed and other people who share the same abilities that he has.
5 Jin Tae-Kyung Lives In A World Filled With Monsters And Becomes A Hunter Through The Skills He Obtained In A Video Game (Murim Login)
Murim Login is an action and fantasy manhwa by Zerobic and Cheol-Byuk Jang. In this manhwa, there are gates in which monsters come through and cause terror upon the world. One day, Jin Tae-Kyung picks up a virtual reality set and is transported into the world of Murim, which is set in the world of martial arts.
After many errors and obstacles, Tae-Kyung finally makes his way out of the game with all his skills and abilities. Now that his skills have transferred from the game to the real world, he can make a living as a hunter, but something in Murim draws him back in.
4 Kang Hyunwoo Re-Enters A Game To Support His Bankrupt Family (Ranker’s Return (2021))
Ranker’s Return (2021) by Bi-ram Yeong, Sanchaek Lee, and Junho Park, is a recent remake of the series. In this manhwa, Kang Hyunwoo, or Meleegod as he’s known in the game, was the highest-level player in a virtual reality game known as Arena. One day, however, he deleted his character and left the game for good to serve in the military and take over his family’s business.
But his family’s business suffered terribly, and they became bankrupt. To support them, Hyunwoo worked part-time at a convenience store making barely enough money. So, he created another Arena account and began his journey to become the strongest ranked player and earn a better living as a streamer.
3 Kang Min Hyuk Plays A Video Game In The Hopes Of Improving His Health And Saving His Life (Leveling Up, By Only Eating!)
From Min-gyu Park and Kogae, Leveling Up, By Only Eating! is a comedy and fantasy manhwa that is a hit or a miss with manhwa readers. The main character, Kang Min Hyuk, is one of only a few people in the world who suffer from a rare condition called bulimic deficiency.
During a consult, his doctor recommends that he plays the Alternate Reality Game Athens. In this game, he can save his life by eating what he wants (even if it’s a thousand-year-old piece of ginseng) and grow stronger.
2 Lee Sung Hoon Is Gravely Injured When Memories Of His Past Life Assist Him With His Future (I Am The Sorcerer King)
I Am The Sorcerer King by Decaspell and Miro is a fantasy and action manhwa filled with magic. In this manhwa, a rift formed, bringing with it monsters who were hellbent on destroying mankind. Thankfully, powers began to awaken in people, and they were able to start hunting these monsters and protecting the innocent.
Lee Sung Hoon needed money to help his mother and decided to take on a dangerous job where he would be hunting monsters. However, he was gravely injured to the point that he remembered his past life as the Sorcerer King. With that knowledge, he changes the course of his future.
1 Ha Yiha Is A Paraplegic Ex-Sniper Who Uses His Skills In A VR Game To Earn Money (Mystic Musketeer)
From Geulpi, Subaek Lee (original creator), and Shaimel (adaptor), Mystic Musketeer is an action and adventure manhwa about a paraplegic ex-sniper named Ha Yiha, who is getting a fresh start from a virtual reality game.
In Middle Earth, he hopes that he can become a powerful player and earn enough money to afford surgery. But after an unfortunate incident, he becomes a musketeer, the lowest class. With his real-world experience, Yiha believes he can succeed and achieve his goal. What he doesn’t expect, however, is the danger that awaits him due to his achievements.