The Best Romance Manhwa Recommendations for Romance Fans (2024)

Romance remains one of the most enjoyed genres, whether it's anime, manga, or even manhwa. While anime is the more dominant medium, manhwa stories have gained immense popularity, especially for their highly successful live-action adaptations. When it comes to cozy love stories, manhwa have a bit more edge than anime, manga, and donghua for being highly appealing and swoonworthy.

The elite status of romance manhwa tropes is unparalleled, and it’s nearly impossible for the audience not to feel like there’s nothing more beautiful than love. From guilty pleasure tales to yearning for someone’s presence across time, some romance manhwa hit different than others.

Updated on August 28th, 2024 by Chelsea Steele: Romance is a popular genre for anime, manga, and manhwa alike. Over the years, manhwa has especially gained popularity, offering readers some of the most swoonworthy love stories out there. We've updated this list to meet CBR's current publication standard, providing even more info on some of the best romance manhwa titles fans need to check out.

15 A Business Proposal Centers Around Love, Lies, and a Marriage of Convenience

A Business Proposal Rating Scores

A Business Proposal is a popular workplace romance manhwa with an arranged marriage twist that makes it stand out among other stories like it. The series stars a young woman named Shin Ha-Ri, who attends a blind date in her friend's place in an attempt to ward off her suitor. Her plans backfire, however, when her date turns out to be the new CEO of her company. Despite all her efforts, Kang Tae-Mu seems determined to enter an engagement with her.

A Business Proposal follows Ha-Ri as she tries to navigate her unexpected new relationship, all while maintaining a web of lies as she keeps her true identity hidden. The series is a fun and unique take on a classic romance trope, offering a healthy dose of thrilling drama and sidesplitting comedy that makes it a joy to read. For fans looking for a different sort of office romance, A Business Proposal may be right up their alley.

14 My ID Is Gangnam Beauty Delves Into The Dark Side of Beauty

My ID is Gangnam Beauty Rating Scores

One of the best romance manhwa to date, My ID is Gangnam Beauty is far from the typical love story. That's because romance isn't the true star of this series. Instead, this manhwa acts as a commentary on the impossible beauty standards many young women in Korea face. The series follows Mirae, who has always been bullied relentlessly for her looks, to the point where she undergoes multiple plastic surgeries in hopes of meeting the conventional standard of beauty.

Sadly, her efforts end up backfiring, and she faces even more ridicule for her "artificial" look. It isn't until she meets Do Kyungseok, a young man who sees her for who she truly is, that Mirae finally begins to accept herself and heal from her past. My ID is Gangnam Beauty delves into the dark side of the beauty world as Mirae learns to love herself and discovers what true beauty really is.

My ID Is Gangnam Beauty!

In Maenggi Ki's My ID Is Gangnam Beauty, Mirae undergoes plastic surgery, and she desires a normal college life unjudged upon her appearance.

Author

Maenggi Ki

Artist

Maenggi Ki

Release Date

April 7, 2016

Genre

Manhwa , Drama , Romance

Where to Read

Webtoon

Chapters

92

Adaptation

My ID Is Gangnam Beauty

13 The Love Doctor Is a Wholesome Story of Unexpected Love

The Love Doctor Rating Scores

Praised as one of the best Girls' Love manhwa titles, The Love Doctor is a sweet story of how love can come from unexpected places. The series stars Jung Erae, a shy, awkward young woman with no dating experience who has never successfully interacted with men before. Desperate to find a suitable partner, Erae enlists the help of Cha Yoon, a professional "love doctor" who sets out to set her up with a potential suitor.

However, as the two women spend time together, Erae slowly finds herself falling in love with Yoon instead. The Love Doctor follows Erae and Yoon as they grow closer, forming a strong friendship that soon turns into true love. The series is a wholesome and heartwarming love story with a natural progression that makes the romance feel relatable.

The Love Doctor

In The Love Doctor, Jung Irae seeks out Cha Yoon's help with romance but winds up falling for her instead.

See Also

Furry Manga The Ultimate Fantasy Adventure

Author

Bansook

Artist

Chamsae

Release Date

June 3, 2016

Genre

Manhwa , Romance

Where to Read

Lezhin Comics

Chapters

86

12 Who Made Me a Princess? Sees an Ill-Fated Princess Find Love

Who Made Me a Princess? Rating Scores

Reincarnation isekai are a dime a dozen these days, but Who Made Me a Princess? is a true gem within the subgenre. The series is easily one of the most popular reincarnation manhwa, and it tells the harrowing story of an ill-fated princess. After a modern-day Korean woman falls asleep, she suddenly wakes up as Athanasia de Alger Obelia, the tragic princess of a fairytale novel who is killed by the Emperor — her own father. To avoid this fate, Athanasia sets out to gain her cruel father's favor. However, she soon finds this won't be an easy task, as many enemies lurk in the shadows and plot her downfall.

Though the main focus of Who Made Me a Princess? is on Athanasia's situation, the story has far more to offer than courtly politics. As she navigates her new life, Athanasia soon finds herself swept up in a whirlwind love triangle that's almost as thrilling as her fight for survival. A swoonworthy story of romance, drama, and political intrigue, Who Made Me a Princess? will have readers on edge from start to finish.

Who Made Me A Princess

Athanasia,executed for treason in her past life,wakes up reborn as a child princess in the very kingdom she threatened.Now,she must navigate a treacherous court,filled with hidden agendas and deadly secrets,all while maintaining the innocent facade of a princess.

Author

Plutus

Artist

Spoon

Release Date

December 20, 2017

Genre

Comedy , Fantasy , Romance

Chapters

125

Volumes

9

Publisher

Tappytoon, Seven Seas Entertainment

11 Why Raeliana Ended Up at The Duke's Mansion Features a Fake Engagement That Turns To Real Love

Why Raeliana Ended Up at the Duke's Mansion Rating Scores

Yet another reincarnation isekai series, Why Raeliana Ended Up at the Duke's Mansion begins when a modern-day woman dies and is reborn as Raeliana McMillan, a minor character in a fantasy novel destined to die. Hoping to avoid yet another premature death, Raeliana sets out to find a way to change her fate and save her new life. Thus, she sets her sights on Duke Noah Volstaire Wynknight — the protagonist of the novel — in hopes that his influence will protect her from her assailant.

The series follows Raeliana and Noah as they strike up a deal and enter into a fake engagement with one another. However, though Raeliana believes this to be merely a marriage of convenience, it's soon revealed that Noah's intentions are entirely genuine. One of the best fantasy romance titles to come out in recent years, Why Raeliana Ended Up at the Duke's Mansion has taken the world by storm with its wholesome and heartfelt love story.

Why Raeliana Ended Up at the Duke's Mansion

Eunha Park is sent into a fictional world to become Raeliana, a character destined to be murdered, but she gets a second chance to avoid her fate in Why Raeliana Ended Up at the Duke's Mansion.

Author

Milcha

Artist

Milcha

Release Date

September 3, 2017

Genre

Manhwa

10 True Beauty Depicts The Purity of Young Love

True Beauty Rating Scores

True Beauty is an entertaining yet heartfelt take on self-image, young love, friendship, and self-exploration. The manhwa is one of the most popular modern romantic tales in the genre and has garnered immense success both as a webtoon and a live-action series. The story is about a high schooler with low self-esteem and acne issues who finds refuge in her talent for makeup.

Lim Joo-kyung’s life takes a 180-degree turn when she walks into her new school wearing makeup like a queen, which quickly grabs the attention of the school’s most popular boys. Thus starts a teenage drama with lots of tears, cute moments, romance, complicated love triangles, and life lessons. True Beauty stands to challenge several stereotyping trends with relatable characters and hearty romance.

True Beauty

After binge-watching beauty videos online, a shy comic book fan masters the art of makeup and sees her social standing skyrocket as she becomes her school’s prettiest pretty girl overnight. But will her elite status be short-lived? How long can she keep her real self a secret? And what about that cute boy who knows her secret?

Author

Yaongyi

Artist

Yaongyi

Release Date

April 2, 2018

Genre

Romantic Comedy , Slice of Life , Coming-of-Age , Manhwa

Where to Read

WEBTOON

Chapters

8

Adaptation

True Beauty

Publisher

Naver, Yong Com

9 Positively Yours Tells a Mature Story of Two Strangers Who Fall In Love

Positively Yours Rating Scores

Maneuvering out of the “love at first sight” or trip-into-the-arms-of-a-handsome-heir trope, Positively Yours leaps into a mature spectrum and talks about the love that comes after. Hee-won is a confident, smart gal who happens to fall in love with her best friend only to find out that her other BFF is dating him. Heartbroken, Hee-won decides to drown her sorrows in the arms of an enigmatic stranger with a one-night stand that changed her life forever.

Hee-won gets pregnant, and her life ends up in a whirlwind until the stranger decides to take her hand. Positively Yours is a compelling telling of a budding romance between two completely different people who are forced together because of their circ*mstances. The story is a slow-burn romance that offers a much-needed break from regular high school or boss-employee shenanigans.

Positively Yours

To Hee-won’s dismay, the BFF she crushed on and her other BFF are now dating! Seriously bummed, Hee-won decides to go wild just one time, and find solace with a handsome stranger.

Author

Lee Jeong

Artist

still

Release Date

March 30, 2023

Genre

Manhwa , Slice of Life , Drama , Romance

Chapters

101

8 Bring The Love Reignites Historical Romance

Bring The Love Rating Scores

Readers who want a change of scenery from the usual slice-of-life romances can find just what they're looking for in Bring the Love. This historical romance webtoon may not have the best visuals when compared to more popular titles, but it grows on the audience as they get hooked on the story. When the irresistibly ravishing and graceful Leah of the house Hildebrandt is forced to look for a political “partner,” she’s met with a match who might just sweep her off her feet.

In this sizzling historical romance, the strong-headed female lead must bear the burden of the family name when her brother (their family's heir) leaves for personal reasons. She meets her future partner and thus begins a wild ride of romance, drama, and political intrigue. Bring the Love is an exceptionally well-written love story that will swoon the audience in a world of sparkly gowns, knights, balls, and alluring romance.

Bring the Love

Leah Hildebrandt, who is known for her good looks and popularity, has a secret she can not share with anyone. Rihit, her younger brother, runs away hoping to come back a stronger man who can support his family, and their father passes away in his absence.

Author

zestkyo

Artist

zestkyo

Genre

Historical , Manhwa , Romance , Drama

Where to Read

Tappytoons, Pocket Comics, Anime-Planet

Chapters

155

7 See You In My 19th Life Explores Complexities of Love

See You In My 19th Life Rating Scores

Reincarnation and rekindling with past love are fan-favorite romance manhwa tropes that have entertained readers for years. See You In My 19th Life follows the mysterious life of Jieum Ban, who somehow gains the ability to remember all her past lives after she’s incarnated following a tragic accident. Now, in her current life, Jieum wants to connect with the people from her past, especially her lost love, which was cut short in her 18th life.

The manhwa is a beautiful depiction of love that can withstand the test of time, along with portraying how vulnerable people are to love. The series is a character-driven contemporary romance with a surprisingly deep cast of characters readers can easily connect with. For fans who enjoy a story with well-developed characters, a drama-filled plot, and well-crafted emotions, See You In My 19th Life is a must-read.

See You in my 19th Life

Jieum Ban has an extraordinary ability: she can remember the memories of all her past lives. After her previous life is cut short by a tragic accident, she sets out to reconnect with the people of her past life in her current one. Will memories of her 18th life sabotage romance in her 19th? Or will love endure across different lives?

Author

Lee Yu

Artist

Lee Yu

Release Date

February 6, 2024

Genre

Romance , Drama , Manhwa

Where to Read

WEBTOON

Chapters

7

Volumes

3

Publisher

Ize Press

6 An Hour of Romance Is a Modern Workplace Love Story

An Hour Of Romance Rating Scores

The popularity of office romance manhwas like Business Proposal and What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim? prove the formulaic success of a love story in the workplace. Audiences who enjoy hot-and-cold relationships in an office space with tight deadlines are in for a treat with An Hour of Romance. Jooahn is a workaholic perfectionist, while Dojin is a handsome junior who can’t do anything right.

In normal circ*mstances, Jooahn wouldn’t even glance at a guy like him, but a trip to an enchanted temple turned their lives upside down. As fate would have it, the duo are literally thrown into each other’s path with no escape. Will Jooahn be able to keep it strictly professional or fall for Dojin’s klutzy charms? An Hour of Romance is a funny, compelling, and light-hearted read that’s highly underrated but top-notch.

An Hour of Romance

Jooahn and Dojin couldn’t be any more different at work. She's a perpetually single career woman who takes everything too seriously and rules with an iron fist. He's a modelesque klutz with a heart of gold who lucked into an entry-level marketing job. But when a company trip to a mysterious temple starts an inexplicable soul swap, they end up switching bodies for an hour each day.

Author

Kim myeongmi

Release Date

February 23, 2020

Genre

Manhwa , Romantic Comedy , Slice of Life , Supernatural

Where to Read

Tappytoon

Chapters

175

5 Orange Marmalade Is a Slow-Burn Vampire Story

Orange Marmalade Rating Scores

Orange Marmalade is one of the more popular stories in the romance genre. One of the reasons why it’s a must-read is the good old forbidden love between humans and vampires. However, that’s not entirely the case with Orange Marmalade because humans and vampires coexist in this world, with the latter being the inferior race and thus treated differently.

Baek Ma Ri is a highly sought-after girl in her school, but she has to turn down every person who approaches her because she’s secretly a vampire. However, things start to get complicated when the sweet-smelling Jae-min comes into her life and begins a slow-burn and infuriatingly delicious romance with Baek Ma Ri. Orange Marmalade has nothing too groundbreaking to offer, but it’s a tale of true love with the most loved vampire tropes.

Orange Marmalade

People are no longer afraid of vampires but that doesn't stop humans from discriminating against them. Can Mari Baek hide her identity when she falls in love with a popular boy who hates vampires?

Author

Seok-woo

Artist

Seok-woo

Release Date

June 11, 2013

Genre

Supernatural , Romance , Drama , Manhwa

Where to Read

https://www.webtoons.com/en/romance/orange-marmalade/list?title_no=97

Volumes

8

Adaptation

Orange Marmalade

Publisher

WEBTOON

4 Unlovable Replacement Is Mature Yet Laid-Back Rom-Com

Unlovable Replacement Rating Scores

Unlovable Replacement is one of the few rom-com manhwas that offer a realistic take on young adult relationships and the baggage that comes with it. The story is about a guy named Chiko Dyer who needs to navigate his life after breaking up with his long-term girlfriend on the belief that she has grown distant. Now living the single life, Chiko begins to seek out a replacement to fill the void his ex has left.

As Chiko begins slowly healing his wounds, he develops an unexpected bond with November, a blunt and sarcastic delivery girl he meets. As the two grow closer, their friendship slowly turns to love, something neither of them were prepared for. Unlovable Replacement is a wholesome and heartfelt story of finding love after heartbreak. Realistic and relatable in its approach to romance, this series is a more mature take on the usual rom-com stories.

Unlovable Replacement

When his relationship went down the drain, Chiko Dyer started to develop a weird relationship with a local delivery girl.

Author

Nylana

Artist

Nylana

Release Date

December 4, 2019

Genre

Slice of Life , Romance , Manhwa

Where to Read

WEBTOON

Chapters

96

3 Seasons of Blossom Is an Engaging Dive Into Adulthood and Romance

Seasons Of Blossom Rating Scores

Seasons of Blossom will take the readers on an emotional yet entertaining ride of multiple love stories that are beautifully supported by themes like mental health, adulthood, and bullying. The manhwa oozes brilliance, whether it’s the story, the characters, or the message it's trying to convey. It’s not a typical boy-meets-girl story with an over-the-top setting; rather, it’s a heartfelt reflection of what young love is like.

Seasons of Blossom is anything but generic, and it’s a very thought-provoking story as the manhwa will walk the readers through different seasons representing various phases of life and love. Whether life turns harsh like the summer heat or blooms like flowers in spring, love will always blossom in this sweet love story. A romance and a coming-of-age tale all in one, Seasons of Blossom is one of the more thought-provoking series within the genre.

Seasons Of Blossom

Oh, to be young and in love. Oh, to be wild and carefree. The springtime of life is intense, tumultuous, and at times, oh so confusing. Spring, summer, fall and winter—love blossoms in all seasons.

Author

Hongduck

Artist

NEMONE

Release Date

June 23, 2020

Genre

Romance , Comedy , Drama

Where to Read

Naver Webtoon

Chapters

130

Volumes

12

2 He Can't Be This Dumb Is Full of Drama

He Can't Be This Dumb Rating Scores

He Can't Be This Dumb follows a classic story of a popular guy falling for an unpopular girl but with a unique perspective and drama. Kang Doha belongs to an average family, but when she gets admitted to the prestigious International Island High, the only thing that matters to her is to keep a low profile and gain her diploma.

However, as fate would have it, Kang Doha gets assigned to the same dorm as the gorgeous yet clueless Rowoon, who is as dull as they come in matters of heart. It’s easy to imagine from the plot where things will lead, but with a fluffy read like this, it’s hard to be put off by the clichés. He Can’t Be This Dumb is a perfect modern romantic tale that’s light-hearted, cute, and engaging.

He Can't Be This Dumb

Despite trying to fly under the radar, Kang Doha somehow ends up in the same dorm as Rowoon, the most popular guy in school! He seems to have it all, but when it comes to girls, he's completely clueless. Can Doha teach him how to win a girl's heart?

Author

Navi

Artist

Pop

Release Date

December 14, 2021

Genre

Manhwa , Romantic Comedy

Where to Read

Tapas

Chapters

91

1 Something About Us Is A Classic Childhood Romance

Something About Us Rating Scores

Something About Us explores the dynamics between two inseparable childhood friends who obviously develop the hots for each other when they grow up. However, it’s not easy for the duo to transition from friend to couple, and it's more than just hugs and kisses that can run a relationship. Something About Us is a classic romance that will turn the air rosy and give the readers a fluttery feeling.

The best thing about Something About Us is that it’s not a hollow love story, but it truly carries the essence of youth and what it feels like to be in a relationship when two people are entirely different from one another. The manhwa is a delightful read with loveable characters, a light tone, and a wholesome romance.

Something About Us

They consider themselves the best of friends. Others seem to think otherwise. There's something about their relationship that's hard to describe. What will become of these two friends?

Author

Li Yun Ji

Artist

Li Yun Ji

Release Date

March 16, 2018

Genre

Manhwa , Slice of Life , Romance , Comedy

Where to Read

Lezhin Comics

Chapters

115