The Forgotten Meadows (잊혀진 들판)

The Forgotten Field/Meadow (both translations are valid and until we have an official English translation, we don’t know what’s correct) is about an FL that gets heavily abused in childhood, and then everyone wonders why she acts like a villainess. Her love is toxic, and this one will be a painful read.

My take

Caught Acting Like a Villainess is the manhwa adaptation of the novel The Forgotten Field, and it is not for the fainthearted. Although this is a highly anticipated title, with two of the biggest creators in the manhwa bubble working on it together, you may want to think twice before starting it. I have read some novel spoilers, and apparently, it is tragedy level 1000.

The Perks of Being a Villainess (악녀라서 편하고 좋은데요?)

Official Summary on Tapas: “Dohee lived as a pushover, died miserably, and was reborn in a novel as a notorious villainess. But it turns out that her new life is not without its perks, as Deborah Seymour is also the richest villain alive. Now, all that’s left for her to do is lay low and enjoy her carefree lifestyle… if not for the fact that Deborah is fated to be sent to a monastery! Will this ex-doormat find a way to avoid yet another tragic ending, or will the challenges of being a villainess be too much for her?”

My take

The Perks of Being a Villainess is so popular, and I really get why. But I have to come clean: this one just didn’t manage to keep my attention. I tried reading it twice because I really wanted to like it, but somehow the characters felt very flat to me. Maybe I should give it another chance?

Post-Possession Damage Control (누군가 내 몸에 빙의했다)

Official Summary on Tapas: “Seven years ago, Kanna was thrown into the body of a Korean girl named Joohwa. She had everything in her new life—a loving family, a great boyfriend, a hard-won medical license, even her own clinic! But that all changes when she’s suddenly swapped back one day. Just as she’s been in Joohwa’s body, Joohwa has been in hers… and she’s left Kanna’s life a mess! First things first, she’s going to divorce her cold husband, Duke Silvian Valentino. After that? Revenge on everyone who’s wronged her.”

My take

I haven’t read this one, but I found a novel spoiler on reddit and apparently, the story is…something else, to put it mildly. So:

Fortune-Telling Lady (점괘 보는 공녀님)

Official Summary: “Actress Lee Sia hasn’t just been haunted by ghosts for years, she’s also been plagued by dreams of a girl named Camilla Sorphel dying repeatedly at the hands of her stepfather and stepbrother. Despite her efforts to ignore the dreams, when an accident at work makes her wake up as Camilla, she’s forced to seek the help of various ghosts to win over her family and avoid getting killed. But can this former actress play the part of a loving daughter and sister to her future executors?”

My take

Fortune-Telling Lady is really fun. The FL is strong and smart, but also a bit chaotic. Her ability to see ghosts adds a very fun twist to the usual otome isekai world and opens the door to a whole new level of chaos.

What if I Married My Enemy (원수 가문의 사생아와 결혼하면)

Official Summary on Tappytoon: “Following a wild night with a handsome stranger, Camilla thinks she’ll never see him again. But she soon realizes he’s Astor Blanche, the bastard son of an enemy family and her fiancé who left for war years ago. Horrified, Camilla tries to call off the engagement she never wanted, but Astor insists that she take responsibility for taking his virginity! Having no other choice, Camilla decides to use this marriage to get revenge on the evil Blanche Family. Although Astor is eager to help, his condition is that she fulfill her duty as his wife, especially in the bedroom…”

My take

What if I Married My Enemy is one of those webtoons that start with a one-night stand. I haven’t read much yet, but here is my first impression: this one is a steamy story where the FL misunderstands her fiancé’s intentions. He was actually just trying to break free from his toxic family before marrying her, but she mistakes his silence as a sign that he doesn’t like her. The ML is somewhat of a green flag, but the story probably won’t blow you away.

The Viridescent Tiara (녹음의 관)

Official Summary: “I was a normal grad student until I woke up in a world right out of a novel I wrote as a teen. But danger’s on the horizon—the character I became was originally destined to die AND people are out to get me! Even though this character’s past was full of villainy, I’m using my insider knowledge to survive the flame of the Azure Ring, settle debts, and make things right for the House of Latia! Can I earn the trust of the hero and get ahead in this world? Are there secrets that even I don’t know?”

My take

The Viridescent Tiara was not my kind of read. I gave it a try, but it was a long time ago, and honestly, I don’t even remember when or why I dropped it. I just know that neither the ML nor the FL seemed to show much emotion, and the story didn’t really catch my attention at the time.

Please comment if you think otherwise and tell me why!

Villains Are Destined to Die (악역의 엔딩은 죽음뿐

Official Summary: “This game’s got me obsessed! It’s like it’s taken over my life… wait—HARD MODE ACTIVATED. No-no-no-no-no! It has literally taken me and thrown me into the part of Penelope Eckhart. Love is easy as the heroine, but as the hated villain, I’m trying very hard not to die… at the hands of my brothers… the prince… a fork… every possible ending is death! This world is stacked against me, but can my wits and insider game knowledge score the affection of these male characters? Or the reset button???”

My take

This one’s for you if you don’t mind when everyone treats the female lead poorly at the start, love historical romance manhwa with truly gorgeous art, and enjoy stories where it’s not immediately clear who the male lead really is. It’s also a great pick if you want to have something to read for a few days, because Villains Are Destined to Die has over 170 episodes and even several physical copies.

Forget My Husband, I’ll Go Make Money (남편은 됐고, 돈이나 벌렵니다)

Official Summary on Tapas: “Imprisoned for years, Princess Aristine hides her true nature and that she possesses the Emperor’s Eye—a skill to see past, present, and future that the emperor of Silvanus covets. Finally, her chance to escape comes when her father sends her to Ilugo, Silvanus’ enemy nation, as a scapegoat to incite war under the guise of an arranged marriage to Ilugo’s second prince, a known barbarian. Now ready to take the reins to her life, will Aristine be able to make money to support her freedom?”

My take

Forget My Husband, I’ll Go Make Money is weird, to be honest. At times, it feels really refreshing. There is a scene where the ML watches the FL sleep next to her bed, and when she wakes up, she is understandably creeped out and asks whether he has a life or not.

But then there are moments where the writing feels forced, especially when the story tries to present the FL as extremely intelligent for doing things that are not that impressive.