Childhood Friend Complex is such a breath of fresh air. It uses the popular childhood friends-to-lovers trope and makes it extremely fun and spicy – yet (somewhat) healthy at the same time. The way author Eunhi handles their first time is genuinely fun and refreshing.
Before you dive into this list: I’m sorry to say there’s nothing quite like Childhood Friend Complex out there – spicy childhood-friend manhwa are usually just cheap smut with bad communication and questionable consent. I did thorough research and tried my best to put together a list of titles where the childhood-friend bond is really close. The only good recommendations I found are in this article, and yes, it gets spicier as we go.
After School Lessons for Unripe Apples
Summary: Mi-ae and Cheol have known each other since they were very young, as their families used to go on vacations together. After spending years apart, they reunite as neighbors. Now attending the same school, Mi-ae is determined to befriend Cheol at all costs. But with his nickname being “Lucifer,” that’s not going to be easy.
Similarities to Childhood Friend Complex: They share a very close bond – though it takes our ML a while to realize his feelings, and the two are constantly bickering.
- Spice Level: -100
You should read if you:
- Enjoy a well-written slice-of-life story. After more than 150 chapters, it barely even counts as a romance – despite the leads already sharing one hilariously awkward kiss. At its core, it’s a story about teenage friendships, growth, and everyday struggles
- Don’t mind a bit of chaos – there are chapters where it feels like all they do is yell at each other
- Appreciate when an author (in this case, Soonkki from Cheese in the Trap) really takes their time to build atmosphere. The use of flashbacks, shifting perspectives, and natural, grounded dialogue makes the story feel incredibly immersive
My fake Crush
Summary: Rai and her childhood friend Dogyeong have always been inseparable – so much so that he treats her more like a little sister than anything else. The problem? Rai has secretly had a crush on him for years. To hide her feelings, she pretends to be an obsessive fan of the K-pop group DIMPLE, especially of her “ultimate bias,” Neulchan. But when Neulchan suddenly transfers to her school, things take a hilarious turn. This hidden gem perfectly captures the childhood friends to lovers trope, while adding a chaotic and fun twist. My fake crush is also a great high school romance manhwa, if you love the trope.
Similarities to Childhood Friend Complex: Despite being childhood friends, our ML is incredibly caring toward the FL. There’s also a second male lead who mostly helps them grow closer – and I have a feeling it’ll play out the same way in Childhood Friend Complex.
- Spice Level: 0
You should read if you:
- Love it when the second male lead acts more like a wingman than a love rival
- Enjoy it when the FL is completely chaotic in her attempts to hide her secret
- Don’t mind a male lead who’s adorably (and sometimes frustratingly) dense
Something About Us
Summary: Han Woojin and Doh Gahoyung are best friends who click so well that everyone around them keeps asking if they’re secretly together. For them, romance was never on the table – until Woojin returns from military service, and suddenly there’s that little badump.
There is no better Childhood friends-to-lovers Manhwa out there in my opinion. Check out my review if you want to know more about it: Something About Us Review.
Similarities to Childhood Friend Complex: Something about us has the same relationship vibe – the constant bickering and being extremely close – minus the spicy parts. It takes them a long time until they get physical and then the Manhwa finishes.
- Spice Level: 10
You should read if you:
- Like reading a Manhwa with great pacing and calm storytelling – the plot focuses on feelings and it feels very realistic
- Don’t mind when they MCs explore other love interests before getting together (just superficial dates though)
- Don’t mind when there are not that many chapters with the MCs being together
Degree of love
Summary: Yejin and Hyeon are childhood friends who share a deep bond, having both grown up in a struggling neighborhood. Yejin studies hard, determined to support her parents through academic success, while Hyeon – a national-level taekwondo athlete – secretly harbors feelings for the girl who once saved him.
Similarities to Childhood Friend Complex: To be honest the vibe of Degree of Love is very different. Although they are childhood friends, their dynamic is a bit more distant. Hyeon does care for Yejin very much though. The tension in this manhwa is also written very well.
- Spice Level: 25
Read this if you:
- Love reading about a relationship that feels genuine and real, with struggles and all
- Like when the guy falls first and is completely obsessed with the FL
- Love reading a story where the characters are all very unique, especially the FL. She has an interesting character design, is not drawn conventionally attractive, and is loved by everyone because of her kind and straightforward personality. That is really refreshing
Maybe meant to be
Summary: Jia and Mincheol are a match made in heaven – they just don’t realize it at first. As childhood friends, they decide to get married to solve a mutual problem: no more nagging from their parents. What starts as a practical arrangement slowly turns into something real, as the story follows their unexpected romance, daily struggles, and all the adorably dorky moments in between.
Similarities to Childhood Friend Complex: This one feels quite different from the rest of the list. Although the two have been close since childhood, their dynamic starts off rather reserved. It also features the fake marriage trope, which gives their relationship a very different spin – but it’s still a fun childhood friends-to-lovers read.
- Spice Level: 30
You should read if you:
- Don’t mind when the female lead isn’t entirely honest and constantly teases or “plays” with the male lead (it’s hard to explain without spoilers)
- Love modern romance manhwa with a different vibe – the protagonists are refreshingly unusual (Jia is unemployed and tomboyish, while Mincheol is a straightforward, no-nonsense fitness guy)
- Enjoy the classic fake marriage trope
Searching for Mister Hairless
Summary: This one has a pretty absurd setup, but it’s a short and entertaining read – just nine chapters on Manta – as long as you don’t expect groundbreaking storytelling. Our FL, Rajung, developed a phobia of body hair after discovering her dad’s beard was crawling with bugs. After running into several guys with ridiculous amounts of hair in the strangest places, she finally opens up to her childhood friend. He offers to help her out (since he already planned on getting waxed) and, well… the rest is history.
Similarities to Childhood Friend Complex: It basically starts with the FL being overly curious, while the ML goes along with it – mostly because he’s had feelings for her for a long time. Of course, there’s also a petty girl who tries to come between them, just to stir up some unnecessary drama.
- Spice Level: 100 – this is explicit content, but to be honest, the tension isn’t written very well
You should read if you:
- Have already read everything else on this list and need something similar to Childhood Friend Complex to scratch that itch
- Don’t mind that the female lead starts off by basically body-shaming all her exes
- Enjoy a spicy childhood-friends-to-lovers story that still handles intimacy with clear consent
Histamine Heartbreak
Summary: Ki Jeyeon and Cha Jaeheon have been childhood friends who stayed close well into adulthood. She’s a dominant omega who can help alphas manage their pheromones, while he’s a recessive alpha struggling to keep his under control. One day, when things spiral out of hand, she steps in to help – and, well, you can probably guess where it goes from there. Still, this omegaverse manhwa is surprisingly wholesome, full of mutual care, clear consent, and zero unnecessary love triangles. An unexpectedly good find on Lezhin.
Similarities to Childhood Friend Complex: Their physical relationship starts off without anyone sharing their true feelings, but it is very healthy and funny. And their dynamic is also very similar to Haneul and Mincheol, they bicker a lot.
- Spice Level: 100 – this is explicit content with great tension
You should read if you:
- Love reading a straight smut from a male perspective. That’s very rare in Romance Manhwa and even rarer with explicit content.
- Like it when the roles are reversed: The FL is the cold and assertive one and the ML is sensitive and clumsy.
- Don’t mind when they confess very late, and the story ends shortly after. But all the comedy is making up for it.
