As a guy or not – you can read anything you like. Don’t let your inner critic spoil the little joyous moments you get while reading about some silly couple in a forced marriage. Nevertheless, the badump, blush, and heart-eyes can be too much for some. So I tried my best to give you some examples of Romance Manhwa with a little less “romancy” vibes – although it is still a big part of the story. I won’t include Manhwas that are specifically catered to guys because they often contain very little to no Romance at all. In this list you will find eight lighthearted Romance Manhwas with one main couple, so no multiple partners. I had to use some stereotypes to create this list but I hope it helps you out nonetheless.
The Crown Princess Scandal
- Where to read: Webtoon
Summary: Tricked by her sister, Hwa-yeong finds herself in the crown princess selection at the imperial palace, with a six-month stay ahead. Desperate to leave, she attempts to get disqualified by behaving improperly, only to unexpectedly gain royal favor. Constant encounters with Crown Prince Shin-yeong intensify the situation, as he vows to ensure she stays. Hwa-yeong now faces a challenge: can she navigate these complications and return home before six months’ end?
Why is this suited for guys?
The female lead is hilarious. She likes to fight and shows no mercy to people who annoy her. That’s why her siblings often compare her to a goblin. She also hates the male lead at first that’s why their dynamic is great to watch – none of that “he is perfect for me” talk.
Check it out if you:
- like a “hate-to-love”-dynamic
- love it when the relationship feels very natural and the male lead isn’t the perfect fairytale guy. Quite the opposite actually in the eyes of the female lead.
- don’t mind when the male lead is a prince – which caters to the stereotypical female fantasy. BUT, he is not “princely” at all.
Romance Manhwa for guys: Unholy Blood
- Where to read: Webtoon
Summary: Hayan Park’s hopes for a normal life are shattered by vampires, prompting her to use her deepest secret to eliminate the ruthless hunters who dominated the world a decade ago. Assisted by an up-and-coming local police officer, Hayan takes a stand to safeguard those dear to her, confront her history, and seek vengeance.
Why could this be suited for guys?
If the extremely gorgeous art doesn’t convince you the female lead should. She is fun, beautiful, and very badass. This Manhwa is action-packed and although Romance isn’t the main part, it still plays a huge role. Blood, fights, and a great non-typical Romance plot. Are you sold?
Check it out if you:
- don’t mind when the story gets a bit repetitive at times;: Bad guy, fight, new bad guy fight, etc.
- love reading a story with angst and drama
- like having some plot twists in the story
Romance Manhwa for Men: Swolemates
Where to read: Webtoon
Summary: When Braydin, the arrogant social media celebrity, and Alex, the geeky gamer, cross paths at the gym, they initially clash. However, as circumstances push them to collaborate, they discover unexpected similarities.
Why could this be suited for guys?
Our female protagonist Alex is gaming and going to the gym – isn’t that enough? Ok sorry for the super stereotypical criteria for this Webtoons to be included in this list but I think Swolemates ticks all the boxes. While the art can suffer a bit due to their ridiculous faces and absurd interactions, this Romance Manhwa will be the silly pick-me-up you need. If you don’t expect complex world building that is.
Check it out if you:
- like staring at a girl’s abs and a very trained gluteus maximus.
- love it when the main couple doesn’t like each other at first. They bond while liking the same degenerate game. It doesn’t get any better than that.
- don’t mind when the male lead is depicted as an insensitive idiot at first (don’t worry he is actually a nice guy)
My Reason to Die is a Romance Manhwa for men with a lot of tension
Where to read: Webtoon
Summary: Ji-o’s dream of joining the national taekwondo team gets postponed when she gets injured just before tryouts. Amidst this challenging phase, she encounters Gyeol, an enigmatic boy who turns her world upside down. Gyeol, with his bad-boy exterior and kind heart, captivates her, despite the seemingly red flags.
Why could this be suited for guys?
Ji-O and Gyeol have a strange relationship. While everyone seems to think Gyeol is a walking red flag, the more the story goes on it’s actually the opposite. Ji-O is no damsel in distress and can defend herself, but still relies on Gyeol many times over – and she doesn’t forget him for many years.
Check it out if you:
- like tension. It doesn’t get any better than in “My Reason to Die”. The story has a nice flow.
- love it when the premise is pretty dark and the story is complex and confusing at times.
- like it when the male protagonist seems to have the upper hand but is actually very supportive of the female lead.
Eaternal Nocturnal
Where to read: Webtoon
Summary: Eve can’t fall asleep, but a visit from a strange creature one night miraculously resolves her chronic insomnia. You guessed right, it’s our male protagonist Dae who is a so-called dream eater. He is strangely refreshed after eating Eve’s dreams but vows not to get involved with her. The plan doesn’t stick.
Why could this be suited for guys?
While this Romance Manhwa does have some fan service and many male abs floating around it is a mature (not in that way) story with an interesting premise. They both benefit from each other in the dream realm but also become friends in “real life”. Eve is fun, down to earth and respectful without being clingy and Dae is supportive without being overbearing.
Check it out if you:
- love it when the pacing is great. Not too slow, not too fast.
- like it when there is a pretty tragic subplot involved.
- don’t mind when the male lead is keeping secrets.
Morgana and Oz
- Where to read: Webtoon
Summary: When a struggling witch crosses paths with a brooding vampire, it’s a toss-up between romance and conflict. Morgana, from a lineage of witches, and Oz, from a competing vampire clan, face a pivotal moment after an accidental meeting and some unintended spells. They must collaborate to avoid igniting a full-scale battle between their respective groups.
Why could this be suited for guys?
This sounds very superficial but I love that it is the first couple in a story centered around Romance I have come across where the male lead is actually smaller than the female lead. While Morgana and Oz is supposed to be a romantic story it doesn’t feel too “romancy”, cause they have to worry about a missing grandfather and an all out war between vampires and witches that is about to begin.
Check it out if you:
- don’t mind when the story progresses slowly, cause the chapters are pretty short.
- like a story with on-point mystery.
- love reading a story with refreshing art. It’s different but extremely beautiful.
Happily Ever Afterwards
- Where to read: Webtoon
Summary: If you were reborn as a character in your beloved romance novel, what would you do? Peony, a devoted fan of “The Song of Askar,” has a clear goal: to wed her favorite character. Reborn as a princess in the Kingdom of Garten, she aims to marry Richt, the deposed prince of the Fairspren Empire and the novel’s secondary hero, exiled to a harsh realm following the story’s conclusion that wasn’t favorable for him.
Why could this be suited for guys?
Have you ever wanted to read a story where the female lead tries to woe the male lead with all her might and not the other way around? Well you have come to the right place, cause Peony moves for him, forgives all his behavior, climbs a mountain to pick him a flower, and bakes for him.
Check it out if you:
- like it when the female lead is pretty quirky
- don’t mind when the male lead supposedly loves someone else
- love reading a story with many memeable panels and protagonists with regular eye and hair color
Romance Manhwa for males: Your Eternal lies
- Where to read: Manta
Summary: This has got to be the most interesting premise I have read in a while. The protagonist Rosen Walker is the most infamous jailbreaker in history. She managed to escape prison two times and is now shipped to a maximum security prison on an island. The story takes place on the ship and the male lead happens to be war hero Ian Connor who is also her prison guard.
Why this could be suited for guys?
If you want a Romance Manhwa without a “girly” vibe you need to read Your Eternal lies. The premise is pretty heavy: Rosen is locked away for killing her husband and Ian is her guard. While that dynamic is pretty interesting in itself, the story also takes a tragic turn and depicts deep feelings very realistically.
You should read if you:
- want to feel all the feels – because with this one there is not really a right or wrong
- love it when the story has NO second male lead. Ah what a breath of fresh air.
- don’t mind angst throughout the whole story.
