Manhwa like Solo Leveling but with Romance that will give you butterflies

Solo Leveling is a great read – and the fact that it got an anime adaptation is just the cherry on top. But everyone who’s read it knows one thing: the romance between Jin-Woo and Hae-In is… bland, to put it mildly. Let me sum up their romance subplot for you: Hae-In walks past Jin-Woo and notices that he smells different – not bad like everyone else. Then nothing happens until he saves her from certain death. Then nothing happens again until they finally go on a date. The end. Honestly, I felt more chemistry between Jin-Woo and Jin-Ho or even Gun-Hee.

If you love the thrill of relentless power growth and the classic from loser to OP MC storyline, but still think a story feels incomplete without romance, I’ve got you covered. This article isn’t a ranking, since each manhwa has its own strengths, but I’ll include a chart at the end to help you find your next favorite read. And best of all: None of these recommendations are harem.

I Stole the First Ranker’s Soul (Completed)

Summary: If you’re not sure what to read next, I Stole the First Ranker’s Soul is  THE ultimate pick. It’s basically Solo Leveling – but with romance. You’ve got spontaneous dungeons appearing out of nowhere, each with different difficulty levels; a protagonist who starts off very weak; and a mysterious subplot. I won’t even bother giving you a full summary, because the setup is that similar. The only real difference? There’s an actual, meaningful romance plot that doesn’t feel like an afterthought. And the fact that the ML dies in chapter one and she – like the title suggests – steals his soul-stone, only for him to basically haunt her afterward.

You should read if you:

• Love reading a dungeon Manhwa with a female protagonist
• Like it when the FL and ML are constantly together. So when they have their first romantic moments, it feels believable.
• Like a golden retriever ML. He is an absolute green flag.

SSS-Class Revival Hunter

Summary: Kim Gong-ja – or Confucius (yes, really…) as he’s called in the English translation — starts out with no ability at all and is insanely envious of the number one hunter, the Flame Emperor. One day, while watching him on TV, he suddenly gains a skill born out of pure envy. Turns out, he can copy the abilities of any creature that kills him. A small spoiler, but an important one if you want to know whether this story is for you: the first skill he acquires is time travel – but only for 24 hours. The catch? He has to kill himself to trigger it.

Similarities to Solo Leveling: There are no dungeons here, but a massive tower that must be climbed – with each floor feeling like its own dungeon. Another big similarity: there are hunters, and the protagonist starts out incredibly weak.

How much Romance? The romance is really fun, because one of the tower’s floors has an isekai-romance setup, giving it a completely different vibe from the rest of the story. He does fall for the FL almost instantly, though, so it feels a bit rushed.

You should read if you:

• Love reading a well written action Manhwa that will make you feel empathy even for newly introduced characters (the children…god..).
• Don’t mind when each floor of the tower brings a completely new story and setup.
• Are willing to give the protagonist a chance, because he seems awful at first.

The Perks of Being an S-Class Heroine

Summary: Our FL is transmigrated into a doomed world as Ailette, equipped with a secret “perk system” no one knows about. She trains hard to survive against dungeons and demons. Meanwhile, the ML Thesilid is stuck in a time loop trying to save it all. Their paths cross repeatedly – and of course romance grows slowly but surely. The Perks of Being an S-Class Heroine is on Hiatus right now and Season 4 has no release date yet.

Similarities to Solo Leveling: There’s a system she actively uses to grow stronger and stronger. She trains 24/7 behind the scenes, where no one can see her, while dungeon rifts randomly open throughout the world. When the monsters inside are defeated, the dungeon closes, so it has a similar setup to Solo Leveling.

How much Romance? This one’s a classic otome isekai with romance as the main focus. It’s a slow burn, though the ML pretty much falls for her right away.

You should read if you:

• Love reading an action Manhwa with a badass female character.
• Like reading a good Romance Comedy Manhwa that also has dramatic moments.
• Don’t mind when the system takes up a big part of the storytelling. The voice of XY constantly comments on her behavior – it’s funny, but it can sometimes disrupt the story’s flow.

The Hunter is Gonna Lay Low (BL)

Summary: The premise is extremely interesting: S-Rank Hunter Uijae – also known as J – saved the world when an especially difficult dungeon appeared. But when he finally emerged from the rift, all his comrades were dead and eight years had passed. In the meantime, he’d been declared dead, so he decides to seize the opportunity and keep his survival a secret.

Similarities to Solo Leveling: There are Rifts that open and random, powerful guilds and the world revolves around “the awakened” who mostly become hunters. There is a big difference in the setting though: The Hunter is Gonna Lay Low is not a story where the weak protagonist is training to become better but starts with an S-Rank hunter that tries to hide his abilities.

How much Romance? There’s a romance that slowly develops between Uijae and the number one hunter, Sayoung. According to novel spoilers, it’s meant to be a very slow burn. Even without much romantic tension at the start, the dynamic between the main characters in season 1 is already excellent.

You should read if you:

• Love when the mystery keeps you on your toes and fully engaged.
• Like it when the main characters bicker constantly – it almost counts as an enemies-to-lovers dynamic.
• Love when the protagonist is deeply caring toward a select few but guarded with everyone else.

Ending Maker

Summary: When the veteran gamer known as outboxer009 opens his eyes, he finds himself living as Yuder Bayel – the very hero from Legend of Heroes 2. But he’s not the only one trapped in this world. His longtime rival, sandstorm, has taken on the role of Cordelia Chace. Once the top players on the leaderboard, the two must now rely on instinct instead of a keyboard to survive.

Similarities to Solo Leveling: This one has a completely different vibe from Solo Leveling, but there are enough similarities to earn it a spot on this list. The protagonist has the same constant need to level up and get stronger, loots after battles, and faces a variety of monsters. Just keep in mind – this story takes place in a full-on game world, and while there’s still a sense of impending doom, it’s a very different kind of experience from Solo Leveling.

How much Romance? Ending Maker is one of the best action romance manhwa out there. The protagonists have to rely on each other, and the flirty, romantic moments start very early on. What makes it stand out is that the romance isn’t an afterthought – they fight side by side, so their relationship feels natural and well-earned, not forced.

You should read if you:

• Love the rivals-to-lovers dynamic,  it’s *chef’s kiss*.
• Like the forced marriage trope. They’re engaged in the in-game world and use it to their advantage.
• Enjoy a refreshing story: it’s rare enough for two people to be reincarnated into the same game, and even rarer for a leveling/action manhwa to have such a cute and well-written romance plot.

Manhwa like Solo Leveling but with Romance – a chart to help you choose