Top 10 Manhwa Masterpieces You Need to Read

Manhwas are basically the Korean version of manga, but the key difference is that manhwas originate from Korea, while similarly, manhuas originate from China. Now, let us explore these 10 manhwa masterpieces. Rest assured, the list provided will be goated—as any man of culture would agree. After all, I’ve spent countless nights binge-reading these manhwas, so hopefully, you too will be hooked on them

These top 10 manhwa masterpieces represent the absolute best of Korean comics – legendary titles that every fan must experience.

Solo Leveling

Genre: Action, Fantasy, System

What makes this manhwa one of the top 10 manhwa masterpieces?

Undoubtedly, one of the undisputed manhwa masterpieces that changed the game. Let’s be honest a fan of manhwas who hasn’t read Solo Leveling? Seriously, are you even a fan? After all, Solo Leveling is one of the most famous Korean comics out there.

Storyline:

To begin with, the story revolves around Sung Jin-Woo, the main character of Solo Leveling. Initially, Sung Jin-Woo was a weak hunter—that is, until he got stuck in a hidden area in a dungeon and stumbles upon a system. From there, the system helps the MC get stronger and awaken dead monsters as his undead soldiers. And of course, the chant is pretty famous: “Arise!”

Author’s Review:

Without question, Solo Leveling manhwa is one of the big three of manhwas. While the storyline is good, it’s worth noting that it has some loopholes, and frankly, the ending was quite rushed in my opinion. That said, the art is 10/10, so much so that the manhwa is even criticized as “Trash being carried by art.” Still, it’s a good read, especially if you’re a fan of system-based manhwas. Without a doubt, it’s a must in our list of 10 manhwa masterpieces. What’s more, the Solo Leveling anime adaptation (2024) shattered records, becoming Crunchyroll’s most-watched premiere and ultimately cementing this manhwa’s legendary status.

Status:

 completed.

Legend of the Northern Blade

Genre: Martial Arts, Murim, Revenge

What makes this manhwa one of the top 10 manhwa masterpieces?

A martial arts masterpiece among manhwas. Legend of the Northern Blade is a Murim-based manhwa. Its appealing storyline along with god-tier art makes it an absolute masterpiece.

Storyline:
Jin Mu-Won is the 4th generation sect leader of the Northern Heavenly Sect. After witnessing the gruesome killing of his father, Jin Mu-Won is set on a journey of revenge. The story follows Jin Mu-Won inheriting the martial arts of the Northern Blade Sect and slowly getting stronger.

Author’s Review:
If you are a fan of Murim and martial arts, this manhwa will be an absolute treat for you. Legend of the Northern Blade is an absolute masterpiece among manhwas in my opinion. The storyline is wonderful and the art is top-tier. You will not regret reading this masterpiece. Afterall, It’s my personal favorite.

Status:
Completed

Magic Emperor

Genre: Fantasy, Revenge, Cultivation

What makes this manhwa one of the top 10 manhwa masterpieces?

A dark fantasy masterpiece that breaks conventions. Magic Emperor is basically a manhua but it’s too good to be left out from this list. The main character Zhou Fan might seem righteous, but only till he is messed with. Once he sets you as his target, a gruesome death is almost certain, and he is truly evil with his ways.

Storyline:
A demonic butler gets reincarnated as Zhou Fan, butler of a small Lou Clan after being betrayed to death. Zhou Fan sets on the road to reclaim his original powers through this new body. He has lost his martial prowess but still has a good head on his shoulders.

Author’s Review:
Magic Emperor is my most favorite comic and easily in top 3 of these 10 manhwa masterpieces. The art keeps getting better and better. The brutality of the main character when he sought revenge makes it different from all those generic manhuas. The best part is Zhou Fan is not all-powerful, but his schemes are devious and every action has some hidden meaning.

Status:
Ongoing (650+ chapters)

Wind Breaker

Genre: Sports, Drama, Slice of Life

What makes this manhwa one of the top 10 manhwa masterpieces?

A sports manhwa masterpiece that defies expectations. Wind Breaker is a sports manhwa covering the life of a young school student obsessed with cycling along with his crew members .One of the best sports manhwa out there.

Storyline:
The story follows a school student Jay Jo, the nephew of former cyclist Mahyun Jo. The seemingly nerdy Jay Jo has a passion for cycling deep down. After being dragged into his school’s cycling team, he forms a crew called “Humming Birds” with his friends. That’s how the journey of Jay, a natural cycling prodigy, starts.

Author’s Review:
Hardcore action reader? Well, the fact that Wind Breaker is a sports manhwa threw me off at first too, but trust me, it’s an exception. The story is well-crafted and the art gets godly as the story progresses. I dropped it at first but after giving it some time, it turned out to be one of the best reads. The story building is great with a lot of action and character development .Hence, securing its place in one of the top 10 manhwa masterpieces .

Status:
Ongoing

Eleceed

Genre: Supernatural, Action, Comedy

What makes this manhwa one of the top 10 manhwa masterpieces?

A supernatural masterpiece with heart and humor. Eleceed is a manhwa with exquisite art and wholesome characters. Eleceed has a unique storyline in which the main character has a lot of cats as pets – apparently the author is a cat person. Awakeners are humans with superhuman abilities and are well hidden from normal human society.

Storyline:
Kayden gets gravely injured after fighting 3 of the top 10 strongest in the world at once and loses his martial prowess as a result. Kayden somehow ends up as a cat which makes him heal faster, and Seo Ji-Woo (main character) happens to rescue him as a cat. Later on, it’s discovered that Seo Ji-Woo is also an awakener just like Kayden, and Seo Ji-Woo becomes the first disciple of Kayden. Read Eleceed to find out how Ji-Woo gets stronger slowly and whether he’ll be able to help his master fight other top 10 candidates, which is bound to happen someday.

Author’s Review:
Obsessed with cats? This one’s for you. Personally, I don’t like cats so I kept dropping it, but later on after reading it, I realized I had been missing out a lot. Kayden is so OP and badass, and all those cat scenes are so funny where he turns into a fat cat.

Status:
Ongoing

The World’s Greatest Estate Developer

Genre: Isekai, Comedy, Fantasy

What makes this manhwa one of the top 10 manhwa masterpieces?

A comedy masterpiece that redefines isekai. WGED is the GOAT of manhwas, it’s up there with the legends. Lloyd Frontera is a shrewd and greasy businessman who only knows how to earn money and make the most out of his situation. All bets are off, all options are used – threats, beatdowns, and even slavery – this is what you might get from him. And trust me, he is exactly what I described, but there’s more. He has compassion. He has heart, which changes the character completely.

Storyline:
Kim Suho is reincarnated as a character in a manhwa that he reads after his death from overwork. He was from a poor family. His parents died and he had only himself most of his life, and had to work tirelessly to make ends meet. But one day, all this took its toll on him and he died, getting isekai’d as Lloyd Frontera, a son of a noble who is a drunkard and a really horrible person. As Kim Suho is reincarnated, he vows to live earnestly and enjoy the life of luxury, but that too comes with its setbacks.

Author’s Review:
A great comedy manhwa which knows when to take matters seriously. 10/10 from me and a must when starting manhwas. He is really funny as he creates weird, cringe-worthy faces which, as weird as it is, is part of the plot. INFACT, even I got influenced by his evil smirk and was laughing weirdly throughout the chapters.

Status:
Ongoing

Lookism

Genre: Drama, Action, Supernatural

What makes this manhwa one of the top 10 manhwa masterpieces?

A social commentary masterpiece in manhwa form. Lookism is a Korean webtoon (manhwa) that blends action, drama, and supernatural elements, focusing on social issues like bullying, appearance-based discrimination, and self-worth.

Storyline:
The story follows Daniel Park (Park Hyung-Suk), a bullied and overweight high school student who wakes up one day with a second body – tall, handsome, and physically fit. He quickly realizes that society treats him completely differently in each body. Navigating between these two lives, Daniel enrolls in a new school and becomes entangled in the underground world of gangs, fighting, and conspiracies.

Author’s Review:
At first, I thought Lookism would be a basic high school drama with a twist, but it turned out to be way more layered. The mix of social commentary and intense action keeps it fresh. The art style improves a lot as the story progresses. Definitely worth the hype.

Status:
Ongoing

Nano Machine

Genre: Martial Arts, Sci-Fi, Action

What makes this manhwa one of the top 10 manhwa masterpieces?

A sci-fi martial arts masterpiece. Nano Machine is a fusion of martial arts, sci-fi, and action set in a historical fantasy world. It follows the journey of a neglected prince who gains futuristic nanotechnology, drastically altering his fate in the ruthless world of Murim (martial arts clans and sects).

Storyline:
The story centers around Cheon Yeo-Woon, an illegitimate prince of the Demonic Cult, constantly targeted and looked down upon. His life changes when a descendant from the future injects him with nanomachines, giving him enhanced abilities – from healing and body control to battle analysis. With the power of nanotech in a world ruled by martial prowess, Yeo-Woon begins his climb from outcast to power, aiming to become the cult’s leader while facing betrayal, deadly trials, and rival clans.

Author’s Review:
I expected your typical cultivation grind, but Nano Machine throws in sci-fi and instantly ups the game. Watching Yeo-Woon outsmart and outfight his enemies with tech and raw skill is just too satisfying. The action is clean, fast-paced, and the power scaling is smooth. The political scheming in the Demonic Cult adds layers, and the revenge arc? Chef’s kiss. Art is solid from the get-go, and the pacing keeps you hooked. If you want ruthless MC with brains and power, this is it. No filler, just straight heat.

Status:
Ongoing

Noblesse

Genre: Supernatural, Action, Fantasy

What makes this manhwa one of the top 10 manhwa masterpieces?

A supernatural action masterpiece. Noblesse is an action-fantasy manhwa with supernatural elements, centered around powerful beings called Nobles who secretly protect humanity.

Storyline:
The story follows Cadis Etrama Di Raizel, a noble known as the Noblesse, who awakens from an 820-year slumber in modern-day South Korea. He enrolls in a high school to blend in with humans and reunites with his loyal servant Frankenstein.

Author’s Review:
Rai is the definition of “calm but deadly.” The action scenes are super satisfying. The art starts off a bit rough but levels up significantly. Noblesse not securing a place in top 10 manhwa masterpieces would be unfair. Its anime adaptation is already out although ,they have butchered it in opinion.

Status:

Completed

Tower of God

Genre: Fantasy, Adventure, Mystery

What makes this manhwa one of the top 10 manhwa masterpieces?

The fantasy masterpiece that started it all. TOG is a manhwa about Bam who enters the tower after a girl, who he grew up with, as she is the only family he’s got. She is his everything, but she wanted to see the stars by climbing the tower as it was her lifelong desire.

Storyline:
Bam enters the tower to find Rachel, a girl who he grew up with. Bam is like a little child who doesn’t know any better and is completely pure and innocent yet courageous as he jumps into the unknown for her by entering the tower for her search. The tower is a place of distrust, betrayals, bloodshed and genocide, where no person remains the same.

Author’s Review:
TOG is my first and favorite manhwa that I ever read, highly recommended. It contains 3 seasons with 3 different phases of Bam journey. S1 is an epilogue to show us and tell us about this mysterious tower and its secrets but it also has really bad art style one must bear with but it gets good with time, and the story PEAKS at S2, my most fav arc, “The Floor of Death”.

Status:
Ongoing

Final Thoughts on These 10 Manhwa Masterpieces