Isekai anime exploded in popularity over the last few years and branched into multiple subgenres. This increased popularity was just the push creators needed to further embrace the genre. Roughly translating to "other world," isekai presents intriguing stories where protagonists from the real world find their way to a fantasy setting.
In recent years, manhwa (comics originating from Korea) has captured readers with a range of isekai subgenres, from horror to historical romance. Continually growing in popularity, manhwa's best isekai stories take readers on wild adventures they'll never forget, earning top spots on sites like MyAnimeList.
Updated on June 28th, 2023 by Chelsea Steele: Isekai is an incredibly popular genre within anime, manga, and manhwa alike. With more titles available than ever, it's hard for fans to know where to start. For manhwa newcomers, it's even harder to decide what to check out. This list already covers some of the best isekai manhwa recommendations, but we've updated it with even more great titles for readers to try.
15 FFF-Class Trashero
7.29/10, Story By Parnar & Art By Kkangmu (Ongoing)
FFF-Class Trashero's Han-soo Kang may remind fans of Sword Art Online's Kirito. Their love for video games is similar, and they both become quite overpowered as their respective series progress.
After being summoned into Fantasia, a mythical world taken over by demons, Han-soo is called the "Chosen Hero" and tasked with defeating the Demon King. He trains for ten years and manages to beat his opponent with ease, or so he thinks. Han-soo still can't return home, for his new world has many more expectations of him.
14 How To Use A Returner (Regressor Instruction Manual)
7.48/10, Story By Heuksujeo & Art By Midnight Studio (Ongoing)
Ya Boi, Kongming!'s titular strategist isn't the only one thrown into a new world. Regressor Instruction Manual, or How to Use a Returner's, Giyoung Lee has been thrown into a world that utilizes his wits, but the stakes are much higher.
Giyoung's forced into a world based on a life or death game. However, he's the lowest on the totem pole and must climb to the top. But Giyoung is far more cunning than his opponents and has a somewhat unethical skill up his sleeve. Although his less-than-stellar morals can be frustrating, Giyoung makes this isekai manhwa all the more entertaining.
13 Author Of My Own Destiny
7.53/10, Story By Gyeoulip & Art By Jeokbal (Ongoing)
Fans of My Next Life as a Villainess can see similarities between Catarina Claes and Author Of My Own Destiny's Fiona Green. Both have been wronged by their respective story outcomes and wish to change things for the better. Instead of being a high school girl, the author of the popular romance series The Emperor and the Saint gets reincarnated as Fiona.
Author of My Own Destiny's villainess starts as a foil to the story's central couple, but she soon decides to dedicate her life to good. The new path she embarks on takes her by surprise when she unexpectedly saves the male romantic lead, a prince named Siegren.
12 The Villainess Is A Marionette
7.55/10, Story By Hanirim & Art By Manggle (Ongoing)
As the villainess, an isekai heroine has a chance to rethink her character's life choices and turn them around to her benefit. The stakes are high, whether comedic or more severe, but she's nonetheless serious about creating the best outcome for herself.
The Villainess Is a Marionette's heroine wakes up as Kayena Hill, the most beautiful girl in the empire, but has died twice in her past lives. Kayena's story intrigues the heroine, but she refuses to let circumstances change her fate a third time. She's desperate to take control to avoid the worst fate possible.
11 Latna Saga: Survival Of A Sword King
7.57/10, Story By Kyung-bae Yim & Art By Soonkyu Kwon (Ongoing)
Like most isekai series, Latna Saga: Survival of a Sword King forces the main character to learn new skills in an unknown environment. They must learn to survive in their area, testing their endurance and adaptability as they cope with being separated from their former home.
Han-bin Ryu has just left his mandatory military service, becoming a drifter with little to no purpose. He suddenly wakes up in a new world without fighting skills and must quickly adapt to his new surroundings. Han-bin changes his name to Eric and keeps himself in isolation while training. Making the series more fascinating is the trauma that still plagues him as he learns about his new home.
10 Second Life Ranker
7.58/10, Story By Sadoyeon & Art By Nongnong (Ongoing)
Second Life Ranker is an intriguing, adventure-based murder mystery with enough supernatural elements and suspense to keep readers on the edge of their seats. Tapas Media has been publishing this isekai manhwa since early 2021, but it's unknown when it will reach its conclusion.
After his brother's disappearance, Yeon-woo Cha is desperate to know his whereabouts. But his search quickly ends when he learns his brother had been killed while competing in the mysterious Tower of God. All hope seems lost until Yeon-woo notices the clues his brother leaves behind. Now driven by revenge, he goes on a journey to investigate the secrets behind his brother's death.
9 Lout Of Count's Family
7.73/10, Story By Ryeo Han Yu & Art By PAN4 (Ongoing)
Lout of Count's Family is like an isekai within an isekai, yet to be seen in the genre. Reincarnating the main character as a villain or anti-hero seems to be a famous trope in most isekai, so seeing how the creator combines these traits in this storyline is interesting.
Rok-soo Kim falls asleep in the middle of his novel Birth of a Hero. A kind-hearted soon-to-be hero, Han Choi, loses everything and falls into a deep sorrow. But Rok-soo falls asleep just as Han encounters a drunk noble in a nearby city. Then Rok-soo wakes up as said noble just before his encounter with Han and his subsequent beating.
8 Beware The Villainess!
7.77/10, Story By Ppongtta Mat Screw Bar & Art By Blue Canna (Complete)
Strong female leads in isekai are a must nowadays. Readers want to see a heroine take control of her fate and crush the oversaturated "damsel in distress" trope. This is the case of Beware the Villainess! and its well-written protagonist, Han-da Young.
After dying in a car accident, Han-da wakes up as Melissa Foddebrat, a famous novel's antagonist. She struggled as a college student in her past life but now wants to live in luxury. As Melissa, she must deal with four handsome but superficial suitors vying for her. She refuses to let them take advantage of her and will do what she can to protect herself.
7 The Male Lead's Little Lion Daughter
7.83/10, Story By Latine & Art By Ttona (Ongoing)
Reincarnation is a popular theme among isekai manhwa, and many follow a similar premise. A young heroine dies tragically, then finds herself reincarnated as the child of a fearsome nobleman. The Male Lead's Little Lion Daughter employs this concept, and though it's not exactly original, fans still love it.
The series follows the wholesome father-daughter relationship between the terrifying Duke Voreoti and Lionia, his adopted child. With its adorable family dynamic, lovable cast, and surprisingly dramatic storyline, The Male Lead's Little Lion Daughter is perfect for those who love found family stories.
6 My Life As An Internet Novel
7.83/10, Story By Han-ryeo Yu & Art By Ah Hyun (Ongoing)
Manhwa can't get any more meta than My Life as an Internet Novel. After spending its first few episodes introducing Dani as an avid reader of internet novels with a vast knowledge of famous internet novel tropes, the isekai manhwa takes a twist by putting Dani at the center of an internet novel.
As one might have assumed, the internet novel Dani drops into is full of the tropes she's come to expect from such novels. My Life as an Internet Novel is a hilarious meta isekai manhwa with incredibly drawn characters and settings.
5 How To Win My Husband Over
7.87/10, Story By Nyangi-wa Hyangsinnyo & Art By Siru (Ongoing)
How to Win My Husband Over is yet another reincarnation isekai series. Following the popular villainess trend, this isekai manhwa stars a young woman who awakens after a plane crash to find she's been reborn as Rudbeckia de Borgia — a minor villain in a historical novel who dies at the end.
In an effort to save her new life, Rudbeckia decides to get married, hoping her husband will protect her from any possible doom flags. Emotional and surprisingly bittersweet, How to Win My Husband Over is perfect for readers who enjoy a good love story.
4 The Reason Why Raeliana Ended Up At The Duke's Mansion
8.11/10, Story By Milcha & Art By Gorae (Complete)
This isekai manhwa's title is certainly a handful, but it barely compares to the mess that unfolds when Park Eunha wakes up in the middle of one of her favorite novels. Having passed away in modern-day Korea, Park discovers she's now Raeliana McMillan, a character destined to be killed by her fiancé.
Raeliana tirelessly works to change the story she's living within and save her life, but fails to consider what might happen if she does. Even with prior knowledge of the story, the new protagonist can't be sure who to trust after disrupting the novel's plot. Readers will be glad to know this isekai manhwa has also been green-lit for an anime adaptation in the coming years.
3 I Shall Master This Family
8.15/10, Story By Kim Roah & Art By Mon (Ongoing)
I Shall Master This Family is a reincarnation-style isekai manhwa series with a unique focus on historical fantasy and time travel. The series follows the adventures of a Korean woman who finds herself reborn as Firentia, the illegitimate daughter of the head of the Lombardi House.
After Firentia is cast away and left to die yet again, she gets yet another chance at life and travels back in time to when she was a young child. Now armed with knowledge of the future, Firentia uses this second chance to right her family's wrongs and ultimately save her life. I Shall Master This Family is a one-of-a-kind isekai manhwa that takes all the usual reincarnation tropes and turns them on their heads.
2 The Greatest Estate Developer
8.22/10, Story By Back-kyung Moon & Art By Kim Hyunsoo (Ongoing)
The Greatest Estate Developer is a fun and comedic isekai manhwa featuring the adventures of a young man who falls asleep, only to wake up in the fantasy world of the novel he was reading. Now he's been reborn as Lloyd Frontera, a lazy individual whose family is overwhelmed with debt.
To save himself from a terrible fate, Lloyd uses his past-life knowledge of engineering to create inventions to sell. As he works to keep his family from ruin, he ultimately becomes one of the land's greatest estate developers, amassing an impressive fortune along the way. With its exciting story, lovable characters, and hilarious comedy, The Greatest Estate Developer is one of the best in the genre.
1 Who Made Me A Princess?
8.44/10, Story By Plutus & Art By Spoon (Complete)
Who Made Me a Princess? is currently one of the most popular isekai manhwa titles out there. The story features a classic reincarnation premise, following the harrowing journey of young Athanasia as she tries to please her father the Emperor and avoid being killed.
After finding herself transported to the world of a fairy tale story, Athanasia soon discovers she's been reborn as the tragic child of the cruel Emperor. In order to change her fate, she tries to win her father over and get in his good graces. However, she soon finds this will prove harder than she first thought, since many obstacles get in her way of salvation. The premise is nothing new, but Who Made Me a Princess? has nevertheless captured reader's hearts with its emotional story of survival.