Your Gateway to the World of Manhwa
Never read a manhwa before? You’re about to discover why millions of readers worldwide are completely obsessed with Korean webtoons. Manhwa — Korean comics formatted for vertical scrolling on your phone — blend cinematic art, addictive storytelling, and emotional depth unlike anything else in comics. Whether you crave heart-pounding action, swoon-worthy romance, or spine-chilling horror, there is a manhwa that will make you lose track of time. Here are the absolute best starting points for complete first-timers.
Best Manhwas for Beginners — Ranked
#1 — Solo Leveling ⭐ 9.5/10
Genre: Action, Fantasy | Status: Complete
The manhwa that turned millions of casual readers into lifelong fans overnight. Sung Jinwoo starts as the weakest hunter in a world of supernatural dungeons, then gains a mysterious leveling system that lets him grow without limit. The art is jaw-dropping, the power fantasy is irresistible, and every chapter ends on a cliffhanger you will not be able to resist clicking past.
Why it’s perfect for beginners: Crystal-clear premise, an immediate hook, and an underdog story that is universally satisfying. The 2024 anime already has you curious — start here and read the manhwa first, it goes so much further.
📖 Read on: Webtoon | MangaDex📚 Light Novel: Buy on Amazon🛒 Manhwa Vol 1: Buy on Amazon
#2 — Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint ⭐ 9.4/10
Genre: Fantasy, Apocalypse | Status: Ongoing
Kim Dokja is the only person who has read all 3,000 chapters of a web novel called Three Ways to Survive in a Ruined World — and then the world of that novel becomes reality. This is storytelling at its most clever and emotionally devastating. The meta-narrative, the characters, the worldbuilding — all of it builds into something genuinely epic that will wreck you emotionally in the best possible way.
Why it’s perfect for beginners: If you have ever loved a book or series so much you wished you could live inside it, this is your manhwa. The emotional investment ramps up fast and never lets go.
📖 Read on: Webtoon | MangaDex📚 Light Novel: Buy on Amazon🛒 Manhwa Vol 1: Buy on Amazon
#3 — Tower of God ⭐ 9.2/10
Genre: Fantasy, Adventure | Status: Ongoing
A boy named Twenty-Fifth Bam climbs an infinite mysterious tower to find his only friend Rachel. Inside, tests of strength, cunning, and brutal betrayal await at every floor. Tower of God is one of the most ambitious manhwa ever written — the worldbuilding alone is worth a hundred lesser series, and Bam’s arc from naive boy to formidable climber is unforgettable.
Why it’s perfect for beginners: The central mystery of what lies at the top of the tower pulls you forward relentlessly. Every floor introduces fresh rules and stunning new characters that expand the world in ways you never see coming.
📖 Read on: Webtoon | MangaDex🛒 Manhwa Vol 1: Buy on Amazon
#4 — Sweet Home ⭐ 9.0/10
Genre: Horror, Thriller | Status: Complete
Cha Hyun-soo moves into a rundown apartment building just as a monster apocalypse begins — and discovers he might be turning into one himself. Sweet Home is a masterpiece of horror that balances visceral monster design with deeply human stories of survival, guilt, and redemption. The Netflix adaptation is great, but the manhwa goes so much deeper into every character’s psyche.
Why it’s perfect for beginners: Even non-horror fans get completely hooked by the emotional core. Hyun-soo’s fight against his own monstrous transformation is one of the most compelling internal struggles in all of manhwa.
📖 Read on: Webtoon | MangaDex🛒 Manhwa Vol 1: Buy on Amazon
#5 — A Business Proposal ⭐ 8.9/10
Genre: Romance, Comedy | Status: Complete
Ha-ri agrees to go on a blind date in place of her rich friend to scare off the suitor — not knowing her date is the CEO of her own company. What starts as a classic rom-com setup turns into a genuinely charming, hilarious, and swoon-worthy love story with characters you will adore. The banter is sharp, the misunderstandings are delightful, and every romance payoff is deeply satisfying.
Why it’s perfect for beginners: Shorter and more focused than most manhwa, it is the ideal weekend read that leaves you grinning. The massively popular K-drama adaptation is proof this story works for absolutely everyone.
📖 Read on: Webtoon | MangaDex | Tapas🛒 Manhwa Vol 1: Buy on Amazon
#6 — True Beauty ⭐ 8.8/10
Genre: Romance, Slice of Life | Status: Complete
Lim Jugyeong learns to use makeup to hide her insecurities and becomes the most popular girl at her new school — until two boys see past her facade. True Beauty tackles beauty standards, self-esteem, and first love with surprising emotional depth and genuine wit. The love triangle is legitimately nail-biting, which is rarer in romance manhwa than you’d think.
Why it’s perfect for beginners: It is genuinely funny, the art is gorgeous, and the characters feel like real people navigating real pressures. Perfect for romance readers making their very first manhwa jump.
📖 Read on: Webtoon | MangaDex | Tapas🛒 Manhwa Vol 1: Buy on Amazon
#7 — Itaewon Class ⭐ 8.7/10
Genre: Drama, Slice of Life | Status: Complete
Park Saeroyi gets out of prison after 15 years with one goal: destroy the food empire run by the man who killed his father. He opens a tiny bar in Itaewon and builds something extraordinary from nothing. Itaewon Class is a story about stubborn resilience, found family, and the slow, deeply satisfying grind of justice done right.
Why it’s perfect for beginners: No superpowers, no fantasy — just an incredibly gripping human story. If you want proof that manhwa can rival the best prestige TV dramas in sheer emotional weight, start here.
📖 Read on: MangaDex | Tapas🛒 Manhwa Vol 1: Buy on Amazon
#8 — The God of High School ⭐ 8.7/10
Genre: Action, Martial Arts | Status: Ongoing
Jin Mori enters the God of High School tournament — the biggest martial arts competition in Korea — unaware that street-level brawls will escalate into divine conflicts that shake the entire world. The fights are some of the most kinetic, creative, and visually explosive in all of manhwa, and the friendship between the three leads burns bright from chapter one.
Why it’s perfect for beginners: Zero exposition dumps — you get straight into spectacular action from the very first page. If you love Dragon Ball Z or Naruto, this is your manhwa entry point, full stop.
📖 Read on: Webtoon | MangaDex🛒 Manhwa Vol 1: Buy on Amazon
#9 — Noblesse ⭐ 8.6/10
Genre: Supernatural, Action | Status: Complete
Cadis Etrama Di Raizel — Rai — wakes after 820 years of slumber and enrolls in a Korean high school. The most powerful being in existence navigating cafeteria food and PE class is as hilarious as it sounds, but beneath the comedy lies one of manhwa’s richest supernatural mythologies. Noblesse is a true classic with over 500 chapters of story to devour.
Why it’s perfect for beginners: The humor is accessible and genuinely funny from chapter one, giving you a low-pressure entry into a sprawling universe. By the time the serious arcs hit, you are already completely invested in every character.
📖 Read on: Webtoon | MangaDex🛒 Manhwa Vol 1: Buy on Amazon
#10 — UnOrdinary ⭐ 8.4/10
Genre: Action, School | Status: Ongoing
In a world where nearly everyone has a superpower, John is the supposedly powerless new student at Wellston Private High — bullied mercilessly while hiding a secret that will flip the school’s brutal hierarchy completely upside down. UnOrdinary is a gripping exploration of power, trauma, and the corrupting nature of hierarchy that resonates long after you put it down.
Why it’s perfect for beginners: The premise hooks you in minutes, and the twist on superhero tropes feels genuinely fresh. The moral complexity makes this far more thought-provoking than its school setting suggests, and the slow-burn reveals are incredibly rewarding.
📖 Read on: Webtoon | MangaDex🛒 Manhwa Vol 1: Buy on Amazon
How to Start Reading Manhwa Right Now
Most manhwa on this list are free to read on Webtoon using a daily pass system for older chapters, or completely free on MangaDex. Download the Webtoon app on your phone for the optimal vertical-scroll reading experience — that is what manhwa was specifically designed for. If you fall in love with a series, buying physical volumes on Amazon is the best way to support the creators and own something beautiful.
Start with whichever genre excites you most right now. Action reader? Solo Leveling is waiting. Romance fan? A Business Proposal will make your weekend. Horror buff? Sweet Home is ready to keep you up at night. Welcome to manhwa — you will not regret a single chapter.