You don’t have to be a romance fan to enjoy romance manhwa. And you definitely don’t need to justify what you like to read. Still, the constant blushing, dramatic misunderstandings, and heart-eyes moments can be a bit much for some readers.
That’s why this list focuses on manhwa where romance is present, but not overwhelming. The stories lean more into plot, action, fantasy, or drama – with romance playing a supporting role rather than taking over the entire narrative. If you want action and romance check out my manhwa recommendations.
The Crown Princess Scandal
- Where to read: Webtoon
Summary: Hwa-yeong is tricked by her sister into taking part in the crown princess selection at the imperial palace, which means she’s stuck there for six months. From the very beginning, her only goal is to get disqualified as quickly as possible. She deliberately behaves improperly and tries everything to mess it up, but it completely backfires. Instead of being sent home, she starts gaining royal favor. Things only get worse when she keeps running into Crown Prince Shin-yeong, who seems determined to make sure she stays right where she is.
Why This Manhwa Also Appeals to Male Readers?
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:
- love enemies-to-lovers-manhwa
- 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 this is a good gateway romance manhwa?
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 of Unholy Blood, 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, an arrogant social media celebrity, runs into Alex, a nerdy gamer, at the gym, they immediately clash. Neither of them is impressed with the other. But as they’re forced to spend more time together, they slowly start to notice that they might have more in common than they ever expected.
Why This Manhwa Also Appeals to Male Readers?
Our female protagonist Alex games and goes to the gym. Even if the criteria sound a bit stereotypical, Swolemates fits this list surprisingly well. The art can be hit or miss because of the exaggerated faces and over-the-top reactions, but that’s also part of its charm. This is a light, silly romance manhwa that doesn’t take itself too seriously and works perfectly as a fun pick-me-up – just don’t go in expecting deep world-building or complex storytelling.
Check it out if you:
- like staring at drawn 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) and the pacing of the story is oftentimes not done well.
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 making it onto the national taekwondo team comes to an abrupt halt when she gets injured right before the tryouts. While struggling to come to terms with that setback, she meets Gyeol, a mysterious boy who quickly disrupts her carefully planned life. With his bad-boy aura and unexpectedly gentle side, Gyeol draws her in, even though all the red flags are seemingly there.
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 this manhwa works for non-romance fans?
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, and the ending feels very rushed.
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 male readers could enjoy this Manhwa?
One thing I genuinely love about this couple is that the male lead is actually smaller than the female lead – something you rarely see in romance-focused stories. While Morgana and Oz is clearly a romance, it never feels overly romanticized, as the characters are dealing with a missing grandfather and an impending war between vampires and witches.
Check it out if you:
- don’t mind when the story progresses slowly, cause the chapters are pretty short. This is a Slow burn Romance Manhwa.
- 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 into your favorite romance novel, what would you do? Peony already knows the answer. A devoted fan of The Song of Askar, she wakes up as a princess in the Kingdom of Garten with one very clear goal: marrying her favorite character. That character happens to be Richt, the novel’s second male lead, a deposed prince of the Fairspren Empire who was exiled to a brutal land after the story’s less-than-happy ending. Determined to change his fate (and secure her own happy ending), Peony sets her sights firmly on him.
Why could this be suited for guys?
Have you ever wanted to read a story where the female lead tries to woo 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 one of the most interesting premises I’ve read in a long time. Rosen Walker is the most infamous jailbreaker in history, having already escaped prison twice. Now she’s being transported to a maximum-security prison on a remote island. The entire story takes place on the ship – and the man tasked with guarding her just happens to be Ian Connor, a celebrated war hero.
Why this works for readers who usually avoid romance?
If you’re looking for a romance manhwa that feels more grounded and serious rather than overly soft or cute, Your Eternal Lies is a great pick. The premise is heavy: Rosen is imprisoned for killing her husband, and Ian is assigned as her guard. That dynamic alone is compelling, but the story goes much deeper, taking a tragic turn and portraying complex emotions in a very raw and realistic way.
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.
