As enjoyable as it may be to follow ongoing manhwa, it can also come with certain risks, such as the possibility of a title being canceled too soon or the story taking an unpleasant turn that ruins the experience. As such, many fans may instead prefer to read the best completed manhwa first, before seeking out new and uncertain adventures.
In a medium as broad as manhwa, there is a title for everyone, whether one prefers familiar tropes polished to perfection or one-of-a-kind tales that follow unique journeys set in fantastical worlds. From lighthearted titles or comedic experiences to emotionally impactful ones that sit but inspire readers, here are plenty of options for fans looking for a complete story.
Tomb Raider King (2016)
Original Series Written by Sanji Jiksong & Illustrated by 3B2S
Jooheon Seo explores mysterious tombs that contain powerful relics until one day he falls into a deadly trap set for him. Although Jooheon avoids this fate thanks to the intervention of a special relic, he will have to start from the beginning, taking over the best relics as the tombs begin to appear and becoming the Tomb Raider King.
Tomb Raider King boasts fast-paced action and great worldbuilding, with a creative use of relics and their abilities that connect to their mythology and historical origins. Additionally, the manhwa flexes incredible art from REDICE Studio, which elevates the action scenes and makes them easy to follow.
The story creates intrigue with the frenetic competition between the governments and corporations to acquire these powers, and how Jooheon has to surpass them. Tomb Raider King is often compared to Solo Leveling due to the thematic similarities between both stories, and has an upcoming anime scheduled for 2026.
Villainess Turns the Hourglass (2020)
Based on the Novel by Sansobi, Written by Ttaelkkam & Illustrated by Ant Studio
Aria Roscent is a hated villainess, known for bullying her seemingly saint-like, much-beloved stepsister, Mielle Roscente. However, right as Aria is about to pay the price for the suffering she caused, she learns that Mielle had been manipulating her the entire time, in an attempt to improve her own reputation.
Having received an enigmatic hourglass that can turn back time, Aria is determined to get ahead of her sister and overturn her plans, obtaining everything Mielle wanted in the process. Villainess Turns the Hourglass is a brilliant revenge manhwa that follows a villainess who, rather than refusing to play her role or switching her character, commits to being the best anti-hero possible.
Refreshingly, Aria is willing to do anything to obtain her rightful vengeance, no matter what method she has to resort to. However, she also has plenty of redeeming qualities, making her a complex and captivating character whose story readers are sure to want to read to the end.
Yumi’s Cells (2015)
Original Series Written and Illustrated by Lee Dong-gun
If you were a fan of Inside Out, look no further than an entire series about the inner turmoil of one’s inner thoughts, all acting out of whack, known as Yumi’s Cells. This hilarious series explores the many different cells within a young woman, Yumi, as each emotion and desire is now personified.
Although Yumi’s Cells has plenty of hilarious moments, it also has quite a few instances of self-reflection and exploration as Yumi traverses through the many ups and downs of life, from breakups, endangered friendships, and mental health issues. Readers will find themselves relating to or sympathizing with Yumi as her body works hard to maintain her health and happiness.
Viral Hit (2019)
Original Series Written by Taejun Pak & Illustrated by Kim Junghyun
Viral Hit is about Yoo Hobin, whose high school life is full of humiliation and torture, as he is physically abused day in and day out by his classmates while also struggling to afford his mother’s hospital bills from his part-time work. After an incident, when he starts helping produce content videos, he becomes viral and strikes it big.
Finding a new avenue for success to turn his life around, Hobin will slowly climb his way up the streaming world by fighting bullies and picking on tougher opponents for the clicks. By picking up a few techniques from tutorials online, Hobin in Viral Hit quickly becomes a fascinating story for fans of street justice and well-choreographed fights.
Though Viral Hit has gained popularity for combining elements of crude action and comedy, the manhwa serves as criticism of real-life issues like mental health problems, bullying, vulnerable social classes, poverty, live-stream media culture, and toxic influencers, which makes it an entertaining read.
The God of High School (2011)
Original Series Written & Illustrated by Yongje Park
The God of High School was once the most popular manhwa on WEBTOON, running for more than a decade before ending in 2022 with a total of 569 chapters. The story centers around Jin Mori, a high school student who is incredibly skilled in martial arts and who enters a big tournament and meets two participants, Han Daewi and Yu Mira.
As the story and competition progress, the hidden mystery behind the tournament is steadily revealed, and how the three of them are bound by destiny. The God of High School’s start might be generic, but the characters have to deal with evil power users gradually reaching mystic levels that involve the human and heavenly realms, presenting many references to Chinese folklore and other mythologies.
With a clear inspiration from Journey to the West, a novel about Sun Wukong, The God of High School is most remembered for its incredibly detailed and stunning art and its exciting combats, making it a manhwa that nobody should miss.
Hellper (2011)
Original Series Written & Illustrated by Sakk
Gwang-nam Jang’s gang, Killberos, is unlike any other. Rather than involving themselves in destructive or even criminal acts, as other gangs would, they spend their time creating clothes and helping anyone in need, protecting their city. As such, everyone is devastated when Gwang-nam dies in an unfortunate accident.
But when he wakes up in the underworld wearing a black bracelet, he learns that there is a way for him to reincarnate and return to his loved ones, although the process is far from easy. Hellper tells a truly original story set in an intricate world, which is sure to captivate readers immediately.
The art style is likewise unique, with every stroke of color being meaningful and purposeful, and the interesting characters only further add to the title’s recognizability and memorability. Thanks to its many strengths and the remarkable way it harmonizes action scenes with emotional ones, Hellper is undoubtedly one of the best fantasy manhwa.
Her Tale of Shim Chong (2017)
Based on a Korean Novel, Adapted and Written by Seri, and Illustrated by Biwan
Her Tale of Shim Chong is a lovely manhwa that focuses on two female leads from very different backgrounds: Shim Chong is a beggar, struggling to make ends meet, and a bride-to-be who was sold off to Chancellor Jang to help with her family’s status. Taking place in an older timeline, the manhwa highlights the difficulties society pushes onto women.
Based on the classic Korean novel, Her Tale of Shim Chong’s manhwa is a well-adapted series that paints a realistic depiction of how traditional values are placed upon women, pushing them into a cookie-cutter role with little other options. Despite this, it balances a hopeful and supportive couple who aim to survive in an era that’s constantly working against them.
Beware the Villainess! (2020)
Based on the Web Novel by Ppongttamatseukeuryuba, Written by Yeolmae, & Illustrated by Blue Canna
When a modern-day Korean college student becomes the victim of a tragic car accident, she wakes up in the body of Melissa Podebrat, the villainess of a popular novel. Her status as the duke’s daughter allows her to live a comfortable life, surrounded by wealth, much unlike her previous one.
However, she is also fated to suffer in love at the hands of the loathsome male leads who take advantage of her kind nature. Since she lacks the patience to tolerate their antics, Melissa resolves to live her life to the fullest, even if that involves taking them out of the picture.
In the manhwa medium, villainess stories have become increasingly common. Yet even in such a crowded landscape, Beware the Villainess! stands out, thanks to its unique protagonist, who follows her goals with no regard for her reputation or any social expectations. More often than not, this leads to absurd and amusing situations, making this one of the best comedy manhwa.
Hardcore Leveling Warrior
Original Series Written and Illustrated by Kim Sehoon
Hardcore Leveling Warrior is a great example of how to punish your protagonist for being a terrible person rather than glorifying it. Gong Won-Ho may have been an exemplary player in the game, Lucid Adventures, but a lot of his achievements were only made by the hard-working players tackling the hard parts of quests and dangerous mobs.
When an unknown player appears out of nowhere and takes out Gong Won-Ho, he’s back down at Level 1 with zilch in-game and growing loans in real life. With little choice, he’s right back in Lucid Adventures, unaware of the insurmountable challenge he’ll have to face to pay back his debts; otherwise, it’s his head that’s on the chopping block.
Hardcore Leveling Warrior is massively entertaining for readers who may not like Won-Ho at first, because the narrative does just enough to punish him for his despicable behavior, allowing for a great transition into a story of redemption. He actually learns from his past actions and grows into a character that’ll have the audience rooting for his success.
What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim? (2015)
Based on the Original Series by Jeong Gyeong Yun, Written & Illustrated by Kim Myeongmi
Regarded as required reading for fans of the best enemies-to-lovers manhwa, What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim? is also familiar to K-drama fans as an excellent 2018 story adaptation. This series follows similar hallmarks found in other popular romances and K-dramas: a narcissistic, handsome, rich executive who falls for his female subordinate, who surprises him with her resignation.
The hook of this series is just how closely the two operated, with Kim Mi-so being appreciated as the only character who can handle the male lead, Lee Young-joon’s behavior. The series is available to read digitally on Tapas, and it’s a reasonable, 98-chapter read, chock-full of romantic tension and a commonly recommended favorite among romance readers.
The romantic comedy tropes come out in full force, with Young-joon being characteristically brilliant as a company man, but hopeless in everyday life once he is out of his element, or pursuing love. But perhaps the biggest surprising twist is in the pair’s childhood trauma, another recurring trope, which is shocking yet brilliantly executed and explains his behavior in a believable sense, giving greater context to Mi-so’s fear of spiders.
This story originally appeared on Screenrant
