If you ever have time to spare, you should definitely consider reading manhwas. Manhwas are Korean comics that come in so many different genres. As Keona Pak (10) details, “Manhwas are a popular form of entertainment for people of all ages. The aesthetic and exceptional artistry of the drawings makes them a great leisure activity. Two of my favorite manhwas include Tower of God and The Boxer, which have wonderfully rendered panels and emotionally moving storylines that capture the reader’s interest regardless of the genre. The tear-jerking storyline and the wonderfully executed themes dive into serious topics that make the reader ponder. Moreover, the well-rounded, realistic characters make the reader feel for their suffering and cheer for their happiness. Not only do they have diverse and stunning art styles that cater to everyone’s tastes, but the plot and characters of well-written storylines leave a lasting impact on the reader.” Overall manhwas are a great leisure activity for various people.
Seeing the art develop exponentially from the beginning of the series to the current episode was a satisfying experience. The tear-jerking storyline and the wonderfully executed themes dive into serious topics that make the reader ponder. Moreover, the well-rounded, realistic characters make the reader feel for their suffering and cheer for their happiness.
— Keona Pak (10)
Eleceed
After almost encountering death in a fight, Kaiden, one of the most powerful ability users, transforms into a cat. He is later taken in by a high-school student named Jiwoo, an energetic and kind kid who also seems to have a special ability that he is unaware of. Kaiden is quickly exposed to being a fake cat and Jiwoo learns that there are others that have unique abilities too. Despite Kaiden’s bossy and stubborn attitude, he and Jiwoo grow their relationship to become teachers and disciples. Throughout the story, Jiwoo’s hard work is shown, as he gets stronger and stronger without even being aware of it himself. The plot of Eleceed is more than just stressful fights, there are so many wholesome moments, whether it is with Kaiden or Jiwoo’s newly made friends in the world of ability users.
Mother’s Contract Marriage
Lilyca was once a poor girl who used to live with her alcoholic and abusive mother. All of a sudden, one special day, her mother woke up from bed screaming and asked, “Lily, you’re alive! Have you gotten younger?” Her mother then spouts puzzling things and leaves to go to an Imperial Ball. The following day, Lilyca is picked up from the guard and taken to the imperial palace, where she meets the emperor and learns her mother is now “married” to the emperor. Yes, the mother was totally horrible during the start, but she truly tried her best to make it up to her daughter. This historical manhwa is an absolute masterpiece, the plot is interesting and the art is absolutely stunning. Not to mention, the family bonding is super adorable and Lilyca’s naiveness just adds flavor to the story that you don’t typically see in other manhwas.
Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint
Kim Dokja, an average office worker who lives a boring life and is average at everything, has a sole interest in reading his favorite novel called Three Ways to Survive a Ruined World. This novel has carried him through his childhood, like the times when he was bullied and when “his mother killed his father.” Even though everyone thinks Three Ways to Survive a Ruined World is a trash novel, Kim Dokja continues to read it until he is the sole reader and it reaches its final chapter, chapter 3,149. On the way back from work, Dokja gets a mysterious email from the author, and the novel becomes reality. Dokja is the only person who knows how the world will end and uses his understanding to change the story and prevent the world from ending. Along the way, he becomes life-and-death companions with the original protagonist of Three Ways to Survive a Ruined World and constantly sacrifices himself too many times for his teammates. This manhwa is super well written as it contains so many symbols, especially in the corresponding novel. I would definitely recommend this manhwa/novel if you want to have a mix of comedy and angst at the same time!
Lee Seob’s Love
If you want to see pretty male leads, this is the perfect manhwa for you. For 10 consecutive years, Kang Minkyung ranked 1st in job performance and was the top employee. After so many promotions, she got demoted one level to be the secretary for Executive Director Tae Lee Seob, the son of the company head and the person whom she ruined the pride of by putting him in 2nd place during training. Despite saying that he doesn’t want anything to do with her on the first day of her job, Tae Lee Seob almost immediately falls in love with her after meeting her outside of work. It seems as if he started to grow a soft side to Kang Minkyung, despite her thinking of him only as her “work boss.” Honestly, this is such a cute office romance story and all of Lee Seob’s reactions are absolutely hilarious.
Muse on Fame
In her youthful days, Myeong was once hopeful and full of life, but as of the present, she is an unknown actress who cleans houses as a side job. Her boyfriend is a failing director and everything in her life is just not going in the right place, especially when she sees her boyfriend cheating with her “friend.” One day, she came across an exhibition filled with photos of her younger self, and it gave her hope to change her life around. She was the muse of a photographer named Eunmil, who is no longer living. This photo launches her into worldwide fame, and she gets the opportunity to be cast in her first significant role Here, she meets old and new acquaintances, who both equally love and despise her.
Daytime Star
This story will make you question why fictional men are only in fictional stories. Hwang Yura, an actress who has remained anonymous for 7 years despite trying to succeed, is betrayed by her trusted boyfriend. While still in a relationship with her, he marries another woman, one with wealth and higher status. Seunghyeon Kang, the celebrity’s celebrity, keeps running into Yura, who always seems to be crying every time he comes across her. Seunghyeon and Yuna meet once again while filming a new movie, will this finally be Yuna’s rise to fame? Daytime Star is a very interesting manhwa, with plots full of betrayal and cute romantic moments. Not to mention, Seunghyeon is a literal walking green flag: he communicates well, respects boundaries, and is always willing to help the female lead.
Leveling with the Gods
The world is being torn apart by constant wars, fighting, and attacks from Outer Gods, gods from another world. There are barely any remaining humans in this world, all that is left are either divine beings or gods. After years of fighting a losing battles, the final survivors of the world come to a conclusion: they will send one person to the past to change everyone’s fate. The person who all of the gods chose to return to the past was the last human to climb the Tower, also the one who managed to fight with the gods to the end, Kim Yuwon. Thus Chronos, a divine being that can control time, sacrificed himself to send Kim Yuwon back in time. Therefore, all of Kim Yuwon’s progress resets, and he has to become strong, gain allies, and stop the war from happening once again. This regression novel is noteworthy as compared to others since there isn’t any unnecessary harem building and the author isn’t afraid to show that the protagonists go through pain and work hard to regain their power. Not to mention, there are multiple references to mythology and the gods in it, such as those in Greek, Asgardian, and even more.
