Nowadays, we can’t think of a better way to spend your time than catching up on manhwas. These Korean webtoons and webcomics span a wide range of genres for you to choose from depending on the mood you’re in. But there’s no doubt that the most exciting manhwa genre is the isekai manhwa!
Isekai is a fantasy genre wherein the main character is transported to a new and unfamiliar world. Usually involving magic, adventure, and supernatural elements, isekai manhwas are as unique and as thrilling as it gets!
The 20 Best Isekai Manhwas – My Korean Addiction’s Recommendations
If you’re looking for your next great adventure, we’ve compiled 20 of the most exciting manhwas of all time. While the concept of “isekai” doesn’t quite exist in real life, we think that reading these stories would be the next best thing!
With their amazing worldbuilding, fantastic art styles, and gripping writing, you will surely feel like you’ve been transported into another world when you read these titles. Without further ado, we present the 20 best isekai manhwas of all time!
- The Reason Why Raeliana Ended Up At The Duke’s Mansion by Micha and Gorae
- Who Made Me A Princess by Plutus and Spoon
- FFF-Class Trashero by Parnar and Kkangmu
- Her Summon by Jin-Jun Park
- Author of My Own Destiny by Gyeoulip and Jeokbal
- Doctor Elise: The Royal Lady with the Lamp by Yuin
- Adelaide by Suho and Chae Habin
- How To Use A Returner (Regressor Instruction Manual) by Heuksujeo and Midnight Studio
- The Beginning After The End by TurtleMe
- The Villainess Is A Marionette by Hanirim and Manggle
- Lady Baby by Haeon and PinkMint
- Latna Saga: Survival Of A Sword King by Kyung-Bae Yim and Soonkyu Kwon
- The Abandoned Empress by Yuna
- Second Life Ranker by Sadoyeon and Nongnong
- Empress Of Another World by Seo-Rim Lim and Young-You Lee
- Lout of Count’s Family by Yu Han-Ryeo and PAN4
- Cultivator Against Hero Society by Ruohong Culture
- Beware The Villainess! by Ppongtta Mat Screw Bar and Blue Canna
- Dungeon Reset by Daul, Ant Studio, and Happykwak
- My Life As An Internet Novel by Yu Han-Ryeo and Ah Hyun
1. The Reason Why Raeliana Ended Up At The Duke’s Mansion by Micha and Gorae
Is there anything you can do when you’re fighting against destiny?
An avid reader, Park Eun-Ha’s favorite heroine is Raeliana McMillan from one of her favorite novels. Unfortunately, Raeliana has a tragic fate as she is destined to be killed by her fiance.
Little did Eun-Ha know, she would soon find herself in Raeliana’s shoes! When Eun-Ha dies in modern-day Korea, she finds herself transported to the world of her favorite novel! Now, Eun-Ha/Raeliana has to work to change the plot of the story she’s living in. In a desperate plea to survive, she does everything she can to alter her fate.
But little did she know, each decision she makes has a major impact on the story. Just when Eun-Ha thinks she already knows the plot of the story, the storyline changes right before her eyes as she makes different decisions from the original Raeliana.
The Reason Why Raeliana Ended Up At The Duke’s Mansion has a storyline as outrageous as its title, so buckle up and enjoy the ride!
2. Who Made Me A Princess by Plutus and Spoon
Think of your favorite bedtime story as a little kid. After all, these are the first stories we ever got to hear, the ones that helped us fall asleep. Maybe you remember the warm, fuzzy memories and the happy endings, but actually, not all bedtime stories are like that.
In fact, many bedtime stories actually end in tragedy! The characters in these stories suffer a lot. Just think of Red Riding Hood and her grandma getting eaten by the Big Bad Wolf, or The Little Mermaid losing her voice to an evil sea witch. Some of these stories can get pretty intense!
Now, imagine getting transported into the world of bedtime stories. Sounds fun? We beg to differ! The main character in Who Made Me A Princess gets transported into a world wherein she’s destined to be killed by her father. What can she do to avoid her tragedy?
With well-rounded characters and incredible writing, Who Made Me A Princess is a manhwa you won’t regret reading.
3. FFF-Class Trashero by Parnar and Kkangmu
Are you a fan of action-packed adventure stories? Perhaps you were one of those die-hard fans of shows like “Sword Art Online”? Then look no further, because FFF-Class Trashero will definitely scratch that thrill-seeking itch.
After being summoned into a mystical world called Fantasia, Han-Soo Kang is dubbed as the “Chosen Hero” whose destiny is to defeat the cruel Demon King. He trains for 10 long years, trying to master as many skills as he can so he will be fully equipped when he faces off with the evil mastermind.
When the two rivals finally meet, Han-Soo is surprised at how easily he can beat the Demon King. But what he doesn’t know is that this is only his first task, and Fantasia has many more expectations for him.
4. Her Summon by Jin-Jun Park
No one expects the neighborhood shut-in and nerd, Jinkyung, to be summoned to another world, but in fact, he’s destined for great things. His new world requires him to be a novice summoner, and he faces off with intense insect demons as soon as he gets there.
Jinkyung’s tasks as a summoner never end. He soon finds himself head-to-head with one powerful beast after another. Will he be able to defeat his demons or die at their hands?
It’s thrilling to see a character grow from weakling to hero, especially one as relatable as Jinkyung! But the best part about this manhwa is how it transitions between the real world and the isekai. Her Summon is a real masterpiece and one of the most mesmerizing stories on this list.
5. Author Of My Own Destiny by Gyeoulip and Jeokbal
If you’re someone who likes to daydream and write stories during their free time, then this manhwa is perfect for you. In a lot of isekai manhwas, the main character is a reader who gets transported into the world of one of their favorite books. But what happens when the author herself is transported into the world of her own creation?
In Author Of My Own Destiny, the author gets sucked into her story and becomes the evil mage Fiona Green. She’s written Fiona to be a wicked villainess who’s destined to die at the hands of the protagonist couple. But once she herself becomes Fiona, she soon starts to sympathize with her and realize she isn’t so bad after all.
Now, Fiona is determined to let go of her evil ways and use her magic for good. Things take an unexpected turn of events when Fiona rescues the male lead, Siegren. Someone who was once her foe is now a friend, and the villainess herself is now considered a hero!
Watch how Fiona’s story unfolds as she tries to rewrite her fate without altering the story’s deserved happy ending. Author Of My Own Destiny is a dazzling tale that questions what is actually “good” and what is actually “evil.”
6. Doctor Elise: The Royal Lady With The Lamp by Yuin
If given a second chance at life, do you think you will become a better person?
Elise de Clorance is the arrogant wife of the emperor. She is not merely snobbish and rude. Her jealousy and greed runs deep within her, so much so that this eventually leads to her loved ones’ deaths–and even her own!
Reborn as Dr. Song Jihyun, she promises to turn over a new leaf and save lives instead of destroying them. With her newfound passion and skill for medicine, she rises to become one of the top surgeons across the nation.
But unfortunately, there is one life Dr. Song can’t save: her own. A fatal plane crash cuts Dr. Song’s life short. But to her surprise, she finds herself once again in her former body as Elise de Clorance!
Now equipped with knowledge of modern medicine as well as a new heart of gold, Elise has a chance at fixing her past mistakes. Will she be able to change her destiny?
Doctor Elise: The Royal Lady With The Lamp is a highly engaging story with gorgeous artwork and an amazing plot. It asks deep and important questions about morality and redemption, while still being an entertaining and enjoyable read!
7. Adelaide by Suho and Chae Habin
This next manhwa is quite unique among our isekai stories. In this manhwa, a girl is isekai’d to another world–but the twist? Nothing happens! She gets no powers, there are no monsters or demons to fight, and she isn’t given any exciting quests.
Strange, right? Imagine getting transported to a brand new world straight out of an adventure story, but no actual adventure takes place!
But then, everything changes when she meets Susanne. Susanne is a dimensional traveler with special abilities. Our main character is given the task of keeping her as far from possible from a guy named Felix, who is actually a duke himself.
Why should our main character keep these two apart? What really is her purpose in this strange new world?
Adelaide pushes the boundaries of isekai stories by putting a new spin on the traditional plotlines.
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8. How To Use A Returner (Regressor Instruction Manual) by Heuksujeo and Midnight Studio
How far are you willing to go to win?
When Giyoung is transported to a world based on a thrilling life-or-death game, it brings out the best (and the worst!) in him. In the beginning, he starts out as the lowest rung on the totem pole, but Giyoung is determined to change that. His ultimate goal is to climb to the very top–no matter what it takes.
Though he starts out weak, Giyoung’s sharpness and cunning slowly push him to rise through the ranks. You may question his ethics from time to time, but he will surely entertain you with every chapter!
How To Use A Returner (Regressor Instruction Manual) is one of the most entertaining manhwas on this list. Giyoung is such a compelling character, you won’t know if you want to root for his victory or his demise!
9. The Beginning After The End by TurtleMe
King Grey has everything. He’s a successful martial arts athlete and is widely considered as a prodigy in his field. But despite his success, there are two things he severely lacks, and these two are the most important things in the world: self-love and the will to live.
When he gets poisoned by his enemies, he is reborn in a world where he can finally achieve those two things. In this world, he has a complete family who showers him with love and support in everything he does.
Because he knows what it feels like to not have such a support system, he treasures his new family even more. Now, he’s willing to protect this precious jewel that he never had in his past life.
Though this new world involves monsters, magic, and mischief, King Grey is determined to overcome it all in the name of his new love. The Beginning After The End is a compelling story that follows the emotional journey of a man trying to outgrow his past, treasure his present, and fight for his future.
10. The Villainess Is A Marionette by Hanirim and Manggle
What if you wake up and suddenly you’re the fierce villainess in one of your favorite stories?
That’s exactly what happened to our main character who reawakens as Kayena Hill, the woman who strikes fear in the hearts of the people of the Empire. Despite her wickedness, she’s also known as the greatest beauty this land has ever known.
But despite her notoriety, Kayena’s life has a tragic ending. She is destined to die under the hand of someone even more wicked and cunning than she is. But now that she knows about her demise, she will do everything she can to avoid that tragic fate. Now, the villainess is the one controlling the story–she’s the one pulling the strings.
The Villainess Is A Marionette is an exciting story about betrayal, deceit, and luxury. This manhwa will have you on the edge of your seat with every chapter!
11. Lady Baby by Haeon and PinkMint
Craving for another good revenge story? Lady Baby has you covered!
When the main character’s family is brutally killed, she gets the chance to travel back to the time when she was born. Given a chance to make everything right again, will she be able to do it?
Be honest–we all wish we could go back in time to fix our past mistakes. But when actually given this opportunity, we may find out that it’s a lot harder than we think. Lady Baby follows the trials and tribulations of a girl who only wants to save her family.
But throughout her adventures, the unexpected happens. When she went back in time, she didn’t expect that she would also fall in love!
If you want an isekai story with a twist, Lady Baby is the one for you. Both exciting and romantic, this manhwa combines everything you could ever ask for.
12. Latna Saga: Survival Of A Sword King by Kyung-Bae Yim and Soonkyu Kwon
Like most South Korean men, Han-Bin Ryu has to undergo mandatory military service as part of his civic duties. But once his two years are over, he finds himself aimlessly drifting through life with no purpose. Without the routine of military life, he doesn’t know what to do anymore.
And then one day, he wakes up and finds himself in a strange new world. But the catch is? All the physical abilities he built up during his military days are gone! Instead, he wakes up with absolutely no fighting skills whatsoever!
Determined to improve, Han-Bin changes his name to Eric and quickly tries to adapt to his surroundings. To prove his dedication, he even isolates himself so he can train to his full potential.
But even as his skills improve, Eric is still haunted by the trauma from his past life. Can he overcome his demons and rise to his maximum power?
Latna Saga: Survival of Sword King is an action-packed story filled with emotional depth and heart-racing scenes!
13. The Abandoned Empress by Yuna
The Abandoned Empress is definitely one of the best isekai manhwa and a personal favorite!
From the day she was born, Aristia knew it was her destiny to become the leader of the entire empire. The country needed an empress, and Aristia was the perfect woman for the job.
But unfortunately, things rarely go as planned for our beloved manhwa protagonists. Before Aristia could take the throne, she is unfortunately killed. But of course, that’s not where her storyline ends.
Instead of the afterlife, Aristia finds herself seven years back in time. Knowing about her own tragic ending, now she has the chance to prevent it from actually happening.
The Abandoned Empress is a story about duty, perseverance, and vengeance. The royal setting makes this manhwa even more sensational!
Read More: The 20 Best Manhwa Of All Time
14. Second Life Ranker by Sadoyeon and Nongnong
What will you do when the person closest to you suddenly disappears?
Yeon-Woo Cha’s life changes when his brother mysteriously and suddenly disappears one day. In an attempt to find him, Yeon-Woo begins retracing his brother’s steps. But his search is cut short when he learns the truth: that his beloved brother was killed while competing in the strange and mysterious Tower of God.
Just when Yeon-Woo loses hope that he will ever know the truth about his brother’s death, he soon notices that his brother actually left a lot of clues behind! Driven by the will to avenge his brother, Yeon-Woo goes on a journey to uncover the truth behind his brother’s death and bring justice once and for all.
This murder-mystery manhwa will surely give you goosebumps. Hair-raising and heart-pounding from start to finish, you won’t be able to rest until you find out the truth that Yeon-Woo is desperately searching for.
15. Empress Of Another World by Seo-Rim Lim and Young-You Lee
Sabina is just a regular high school girl. She goes to school and hangs out with her friends just like everybody else. But little did she know, she’s actually destined for greater things.
When she gets into an accident, Sabina suddenly wakes up in a world full of court intrigue and royal dynamics. Suddenly, this high school girl gets transformed into a concubine of the powerful emperor!
Just when Sabina thinks her life won’t get any crazier, the emperor dies. This opens her up to a powerful position as she becomes a candidate for the throne. Will Sabina become the rightful empress? What will she do just to get to this kind of power?
Empress Of Another World is escapism at its finest. Admit it–all of us thought we were secretly royalty at one point in time! In this story, that daydream becomes a reality. With a distinct and beautiful art style as well as characters you can root for, Empress Of Another World is as exhilarating as it can get.
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16. Lout of Count’s Family by Yu Han-Ryeo and PAN4
Waking up in the world of your favorite novel is such a common isekai trope, but we can’t get enough. Lout of Count’s Family plays with this common trope and turns it into something extraordinary.
Our main character, Kim Rok-Soo, suddenly wakes up in the middle of the novel he’s reading. What’s worse, he wakes up as one of the minor villains in the novel! Now he has to avoid the righteous heroes who want to beat the hell out of him.
But as we know, every time someone tries to change their fate in a manhwa, the entire novel changes. As Rok-Soo tries to avoid his destiny, his actions directly lead to the plot changing. Now, he finds himself being the center of so many conflicts happening in the novel.
Set in a fantasy world full of magic and dragons, Lout of Count’s Family is an electrifying read that combines all your favorite isekai tropes!
17. Cultivator Against Hero Society by Ruohong Culture
While many manhwas have the main protagonists time traveling to the past, Cultivator Against Hero Society is a little bit different. Instead, the main character is from the ancient past and gets transported into the modern world of heroes.
When he meets these heroes, they become fascinated with him. Usually, heroes are the strongest and most powerful beings in the world. But not this time. Compared to the Cultivator, all the heroes seem powerless.
But even when they want to prove themselves against the Cultivator, he’s not interested in fights. All he wants is to figure out where he is and get back to his original world.
If you want something a little different from your regular isekai manhwa, then give this one a try. Cultivator Against Hero Society puts a unique twist on the common isekai tropes!
18. Beware The Villainess! by Ppongtta Mat Screw Bar and Blue Canna
Han-Da Young is pretty unsatisfied with her life. A struggling college student, she wonders when she’ll ever be able to take control of her own life. But her dreams are cut short when she miserably dies in a tragic car accident.
Lucky for her, her story doesn’t end there. Instead, she is reincarnated as the stunning Melissa Fodderbrat, who’s the antagonist in a famous novel. In her original life she was a struggling student, but now Melissa gets to live in luxury!
Her problems revolve around four handsome suitors all vying for her attention. But make no mistake, Melissa is a strong female lead who won’t let any man take advantage of her or her pride!
If you want a fun romp with a strong female character at its center, then go pick up Beware the Villainess! We’ve made sure there are no “damsels in distress” here!
19. Dungeon Reset by Daul, Ant Studio, and Happykwak
This next manhwa will have you feeling like you’ve been transported straight into your favorite video game. When our main character is reincarnated into a world full of dungeons and magic, he gets the amazing ability to power-up and gain skills at a rapid pace.
But the twist? He’s given a herculean task that seems impossible to complete! In this world filled with monsters and supernatural elements, he has to clear the deep dark dungeons all on his own!
Will he be able to complete his task? Or will he be consumed by the overwhelming darkness?
This terrifying but thrilling tale is as adventurous as it can get. If you’re a fan of fun adventure stories like Solo Leveling, then Dungeon Reset is perfect for you.
20. My Life As An Internet Novel by Yu Han-Ryeo and Ah Hyun
And last but definitely not the least, we have one of the most meta isekai novels of all time! My Life As An Internet Novel has all the usual isekai tropes, but the way the novel deals with them is fresh and exciting. While the plot is kind of common, we can’t deny how addicting this story is!
The story starts out by introducing our main character Dani. She’s an avid reader of internet or web novels, and can even be considered an expert on the topic. She knows that most internet novels have a beautiful heroine, a homely yet loyal best friend, and handsome guys all vying for the heroine’s attention.
But her knowledge is put to the test when she herself gets transported into the middle of an internet novel! She finds herself with a new gorgeous best friend named Yeoryung, as well as four impossibly good-looking boys who are all in the same class as her!
As the story goes on, Dani is determined to keep to herself to not affect the plot. She thinks she’s just the sidekick to this novel. But as days pass by and hijinks ensue, she starts to question if she’s really just a sidekick–or is she the leading lady?
My Life As An Internet Novel is a hilarious and exciting manhwa. With an extremely entertaining plot as well as a lovable cast of characters, this story surely deserves to be one of the best isekai manhwa of all time!
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What did you think of our list? Which of these isekai manhwa are you most excited to read?
Isekai manhwas are great because they fulfill the reader’s fantasies. While it’s still impossible to travel to the world of our favorite novels, reading isekai manhwas can be the next best thing!
Make sure you also check out our selections of the best BL manhwa, the best action manhwa and the best murim manhwa.