South Korea is continuing to enjoy a worldwide cultural moment as the public’s eye continues to shift toward its film, television, aeni, and webtoon output. Loaded with cultural commentary and iconic, morally gray characters, the country’s pop culture footprint may project a prestige image of itself. But its webtoons and overall comic scene, known internationally as manhwa, is far more approachable, lending itself to said darker themes in addition to lighter, more humorous tones.
The most successful Korean webtoons in particular have persisted due to either the novelty of their premise, the strength of their writing or art, or just how dedicated their creators are to crafting an intricate plot over years or indeed even decades. The longest manhwa truly worth reading are thus hundreds of chapters long, broken up into particularly long seasons, beloved by readers worldwide, and in some cases, turned into globally-dominant anime adaptations. But below are the greatest long manhwa, either perfect for a lengthy binge, or to follow for many years to come.
Return of the Blossoming Blade (168+ Chapters)
Based on the Web Novel by Biga, Illustrated by Studio LICO
Sporting one of the most exciting debut chapters in recent memory, this series doesn’t necessarily meet the usual 200 chapter threshold for a “long manhwa”, but it’s easily poised to meet that threshold soon enough. Adapting the beefy novel with a chapter count in the thousands, Return of the Blossoming Blade is a phenomenal adaptation.
This manhwa follows a typical murim formula with cultivation fantasy elements, following master martial artist Cheongmyeong of the Mount Hua Sect. Following his fatal last stand against the villainous Cheonma, he reincarnates and is forced to see the once glorious place where he trained fall into disrepair. Cheongmyeong wastes no time in gathering power and disciples to restore Mount Hua.
Solo Leveling (201 Chapters)
Based on the Web Novel by Chu-Gong, Written by Hyeon-Gun, & Illustrated by Seong-Rak Jang
When magical gates suddenly appeared in the world, allowing dangerous otherworldly beasts to emerge from dungeons, ordinary humans received extraordinary powers to combat this threat and clear the dungeons.
Despite being one of the fortunate people to have received such an ability, Sung Jinwoo is known as one of the weakest hunters, having no choice but to struggle in low-level gates to support himself and his mother. But after nearly losing his life in a dungeon, Jinwoo receives an unexpected quest, becoming the chosen Player of the System.
Although its premise may seem generic, given the medium’s tendency to favor similar stories, Solo Leveling manages to provide a polished, dynamic, and fast-paced power fantasy experience without needing to reinvent the wheel.
Its story is unlikely to surprise anyone, and the characters aren’t always fully developed, but Jinwoo’s evolution throughout the series, as seen in the exceptionally drawn and intelligently choreographed breathtaking action scenes, is entertaining enough for this title to deserve any manhwa fan’s attention.
The Legend of the Northern Blade (202 Chapters)
Based on the Web Novel by Woogack, Illustrated by HAE MIN
Telling a more concise story compared to the epic of Mount Hua Sect, The Legend of the Northern Blade’s complete run follows the revenge story of Jin Moowon as he rebuilds the Northern Heavenly Sect following its dissolution and the suicide of its leader, Moowon’s father.
15 Best Webtoon Series Everyone Needs to Read
Webtoon has a little of something for everyone, with well over a million titles to choose from. Here are 30 of the best manhwa on the platform.
The Legend of the Northern Blade balances somber, moody visuals with brightly highlighted action taking full advantage of its vertical scroll format. Moowon’s characteristic cool demeanor belies a deep-seated animus toward the villainous Silent Night. It’s loaded with fluid action visuals, steeped in emotionally-driven conflict with enough character growth to appeal to fans of the shonen genre.
Villains Are Destined to Die (212+ Chapters)
Based on the Web Novel by Gwon Gyeoeul, Adapted by SEOL
One of the most strikingly beautiful manhwa on the market, Villains Are Destined to Die is a stellar reminder that otome isekai is possibly one of the medium’s strongest genre offerings. It’s not even controversial to say it’s the best villainess manhwa around, transporting Cha Siyeon into the in-world Daughter of the Duke: Love Project otome game.
Inhabiting this world’s villainess, Penelope Eckhart, Villains Are Destined to Die brings the stakes to sky-high proportions despite the game’s saccharine goal of securing a love confession. But one false move could mean death as Penelope finds herself in the game’s hard mode, turning romantic plot beats into careful, calculated bids for survival.
The Greatest Estate Developer (215 Chapters)
Original Story By BK_Moon, Adapted By Lee Hyun-min & Illustrated By Kim Hyun-soo
An isekai masterpiece from start to finish, The Greatest Estate Developer enjoyed a stellar run of 210 mainline chapters and even some bonus material up to its recent conclusion. That being said, hopes were quickly sparked for more manhwa on the way with Moon Baek-kyung releasing a surprising season 2 for the webnovel with regular updates since then. Still, the webtoon adaptation remains an essential read for isekai fans craving something new, ditching overpowered fantasy tropes for the story of the civil engineering student Kim Suho, who wakes up in the body of dirtbag nobleman Lloyd Frontera.
Rather than fight his way out of trouble, Suho (as Lloyd) uses his fresh civil engineering knowledge to modernize the surrounding kingdom, rather than survive through combat or become a looming overlord. It feels like a fresh isekai take while simultaneously not feeling aggressively gimmicky or venturing into “isekai slop” territory, due to factors like Lloyd’s absurdly over-the-top personality with Javier Asrahan as the perfect “straight man” foil to Lloyd’s antics. But perhaps most noteworthy of all is that Lloyd seemingly exists as if to see Boris Karloff, the Man of a Thousand Faces, and take that personally, adding several thousand more absurd expressions of his own.
Omniscient Reader (311+ Chapters)
Based on the Web Novel by singNsong, Adapted by UMI & Sleepy-c
By and large, Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint, or simply Omniscient Reader, is considered Solo Leveling’s successor in popularity, but in many circles, it’s understandably regarded as superior. Kim Dokja stars as a young salaryman and sole reader of a bizarre 3149-chapter web novel, “Three Ways to Survive the Apocalypse,” giving him bespoke insight when that apocalypse hits his world.
This allows Dokja to understand the various scaling threats of a world being plunged into a death game and how he will choose to participate as he gathers other survivors.
Omniscient Reader‘s upcoming anime adaptation is exceedingly anticipated because, with Solo Leveling’s adaptation, fans of this similarly long manhwa want viewers to understand why it’s such a strong series.
It’s a somewhat uncommon case where the novel and the manhwa are regarded as similarly excellent, with expert handling of characters and genres elevating the self-awareness of this series. Omniscient Reader is one of the highest-rated Webtoon series, with a staggering 9.91. Beware, though, as the series is a slow burn that packs an emotional punch.
Leviathan (214 Chapters)
Original Series Written by Lee Gyuntak & Illustrated by Noh Miyoung
For readers who enjoyed Scott Snyder’s The Wake, Leviathan churns out similarly apocalyptic aquatic horrors but on a larger scale, longer story, and overall better experience. Leviathan is an exceptionally well-drawn manhwa featuring Bota and Kana surviving a ‘Waterworld’ scenario in which the world’s continents are engulfed by rising sea levels, with people forced to live in boats, scavenging ruins under the depths.
However, searching for even the basic necessities brings out deadly sea monsters, as Leviathan’s characters mature and develop while living with this persistent danger.
Shockingly, Leviathan is unavailable as a licensed series for English-language readers despite being an acclaimed and beloved manhwa. Its previous home, Toomics, recently notified its readers that the series has been taken down due to a discontinuation by the copyright holder.
However, its status will likely only be temporary, as it’s commonly regarded as an all-time great among manhwa readers, especially with its immaculately detailed artwork and foreboding backgrounds.
A Returner’s Magic Should Be Special (268 Chapters)
Based on the Web Novel by Usonan & Illustrated by Wookjakga
After the destructive Shadow Labyrinth ravages the lands, causing humanity to nearly go extinct, only a few brave mages continue to fight. As these skilled mages make their final attempt at ending the war, it soon becomes apparent that they stood no chance all along.
However, much to Desir Herrman’s surprise, he finds himself sent back in time, given a second chance at life, and armed with all of his prior knowledge and experiences. As an analytical mage at the Hebrion Academy, Desir is determined to strengthen himself and his allies and prevent the end of the world.
Although regression stories that feature characters traveling through time and fixing their past mistakes are not uncommon, A Returner’s Magic Should Be Special stands out thanks to its protagonist, who, instead of being absurdly overpowered, compensates for his lack of strength with wits and strategy. Moreover, the other characters, Desir’s allies, are likewise intriguing and well-developed.
Blade of the Phantom Master (285 Chapters)
Based on the Manga Written by Inwan Youn and Illustrated by Kyungil Yang
Blade of the Phantom Master was originally released as a manga available in South Korea and Japan, even getting an anime film adaptation from OLM in 2004. Since then, Webtoon has rebooted the series on its platform as a long-running manhwa with new installments every Friday. The series depicts royal inspectors tracking down corrupt government officials in the fictional country of Jyushin.
The series bridges several stylistic gaps between the aesthetics of classic anime of the late 1990s, like Cowboy Bebop or Trigun, stylishly presented in an optimal reading format for mobile devices. It’s a revered classic tackling difficult philosophical topics in the fashion of similar all-timer seinen manga from the era.
But perhaps the most compelling aspect of this series, for people seeking a gateway into an ever-expanding library of content, is that Blade of the Phantom Master is part of the Super String manhwa universe, alongside excellent series like Westwood Vibrato, Island, Distant Sky, and Jungle Juice.
Eleceed (407+ Chapters)
Original Series Written by Jeho Son & Illustrated by Hye-Jin Kim
Despite having superhuman speed, Ji-Woo Seo tends to hide his power, afraid of being shunned by others for being different. However, he still uses it when he finds it necessary, such as when trying to save defenseless children and cats.
On one such occasion, he saves a fluffy old cat, who turns out to be Kayden Break, the strongest unaffiliated awakener and a secret agent on the run. From this point on, Kayden becomes Ji-Woo’s mentor and takes on the task of teaching him about his powers and the secret awakened world.
As a brilliant action manhwa that effortlessly incorporates witty comedy into its story, Eleceed perfectly balances serious, emotionally impactful scenes, with light-hearted, amusing ones to provide an experience that is as engaging as it is moving.
From the main characters to the supporting ones, everyone is unique, interesting, and well-developed, and the remarkable art style does nothing but further add to the characters’ identity and expressivity.