Best Manhwa With Villainous Protagonists

Korean manhwa started getting popular in the early 2000s with the likes of Noblesse capturing the attention of readers. The art style, colors, and great stories have spawned millions of fans across the globe. Manhwa has produced a lot of memorable protagonists, but not all of them fit the natural expectations of a main character, with some of them being the downright scummiest characters in the story.

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By  Nahda Nabiilah

Villains have always been fascinating, but even more so when they are the main driver of the series. There are several of these villainous characters in manhwa, but is there one that is the worst of the worst?

Updated on March 13, 2025 by Oluwafemi Famutimi: New manhwa are always getting published and sometimes old tales slip through the cracks. With some of the new series that started this year, some pretty gnarly protagonists live up to their reputations and show off rather villainous tendencies. Yet in spite of that, these protagonists will draw readers in.

1 Rosa Park (Villain With A Crush)

MyAnimeList Score: 7.63

Villain With A Crush, sometimes called 'Pure Villain' is a comedy. The heroine, Rosa Park, is in love with the incredibly awkward Do-Ryeong Han, who also happens to be a police officer. The problem is that Rosa Park is actually a villain known as 'Blackdog' and it is believed she has a sinister plan for humanity.

While it is a comedy where Park's attempts at demonstrating her love for Han go awry in hilarious ways, it doesn't take away from the fact that she is actually also committing crimes. The story takes a good look at the cost of having powers that can't be controlled and the reaction of society to such. While she is well-meaning, she still fits as a villain.

2 Tak Seyoung (Rooftop Swordmaster)

MyAnimeList Score: 6.50

Tak Seyoung was mercilessly bullied in school to the point where he falls into a coma. Upon waking up, he finds that his father has died while trying to get justice for him and his life seems upside down. This is until he finds a sword on his rooftop that gains him immense powers which Seyoung uses to get his revenge.

Rooftop Swordmaster is a simple revenge story, but it differs in that it seems that Seyoung truly enjoys his revenge. He shows no mercy to the ones who have wronged him and takes the revenge to higher levels targeting all the individuals, the enablers, and institutions that caused him sorrow.

3 Cassian Lee/Gangu Gwon (Villain To Kill)

MyAnimeList Score: 7.33

The world of Villain To Kill feels like My Hero Academia, where there are super powered beings on both the good and bad side. Cassian Lee is one of such. Known as a psyker, they fight evil. But, he is killed and comes back in the body of a South Korean student, Gangu Gwon, who has the potential to be a very terrible villain.

The story is interesting enough with Gangu turning out to be somewhat charismatic. The side characters are awesome though with the likes of Driver and others. Gangu seeks revenge against the ones who killed him and framed him and this means he has to start co-operating with the villains. It does make him view life differently as he finds that the lines between good and evil can sometimes be blurred.

4 Kim (I Grow Stronger By Eating)

MyAnimeList Score: 6.85

Also known as Pet Shop, Kim is a nasty man who also has the power to gain the abilities of anything he eats, including monsters. He was already a criminal in his normal life, but when he is transported to another world and finds mythical monsters that he can also eat and gain their abilities, he goes on a reign of terror.

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Kim is nasty, uncaring, and willing to do anything to further his cause. His powers also make him a fearsome opponent who anyone would do well to steer clear of.

5 Lee Kiyoung (Regressor Instruction Manual)

MyAnimeList Score: 7.54

Cursed with a third-rate ability in a world where a character’s skills determine who they become, Lee Kiyoung seemed fated for a mediocre existence. Able to peek into the status window of any being, Lee Kiyoung uses this ability to his advantage as he takes steps to rise to the top.

Lee is the perfect disciple of Machiavellianism and is ready to use anyone for his personal gain. In the opening chapters, he already shows these traits, using the kind-hearted Park Deokgoo as his "meat shield." Lee has no love interests but plays the women in his life to get an advantage. He is a scummy character in a scummy world.

6 Marnac (Cleric Of Decay)

MyAnimeList Score: 8.40

Cleric Of Decay (otherwise known as Priest Of Corruption) features a protagonist who loves to play games where he uses unusual classes. In this one game he plays, he tries for the role of a corrupted priest. Unable to gather the materials, he messes with the game’s code and is isekai’d into another world.

There he is the Priest of corruption, bound to serve the evil goddess of the world. The action in this manhwa is a lot of fun and with the priest being strong but not overpowered, there is a bit more excitement in a lot of the fights. The protagonist has no qualms doing some pretty nasty things all to serve the Mother of Corruption who constantly yells ‘Murder’ to him to get him to do her bidding.

7 Jin Mu-Won (Legend Of The Northern Blade)

MyAnimeList Score: 8.40

Jin Mu-Won is the 5th generation Sect Leader of the Northern Heavenly Sect and the main protagonist of Legend of the Northern Blade. His tale is one of revenge when his father, Jin Kwan-Ho, is accused of colluding with the enemy. He is killed right in front of Jin Mu-Won by the Central Heavenly Alliance led by the Nine Skies, and the Great Four of the Northern Heavens.

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By  Emedo Destiny

Jin Mu-Won is now on a path of revenge, and he doesn’t care who has to go down for him to achieve his goals. He is incredibly powerful and strikes fear in the hearts of his enemies.

8 Ji-U (+99 Wooden Stick)

MyAnimeList Score: 7.16

The world of Chrono Life is a dangerous one and Ji-U has the unlucky lot of being with trash stats and items. When he is betrayed by a pretty girl, he goes back to the lobby and is then gifted a wooden stick.

However, it turns out that he can relentlessly level up said stick to become the most powerful weapon in the entire game. Ji-U is not evil in the conventional sense of the word, but he does some pretty questionable things, including killing over 800,000 players in one fell swoop.

9 Estelle (House Garnet's Archvillain)

MyAnimeList Score: 6.64

Estelle is a very compelling character who stands out, as she is a villain in a shoujo manhwa. She is sacrificed to the devil and comes back seeking revenge. To this end, she does some pretty despicable things.

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Estelle is aware of her evil nature and doesn’t try to act hypocritically based on her actions. Things are spiced up even further with the introduction of a love interest, a childhood friend who has a mission to eradicate all evil in the world. The two fated lovebirds seem on a path of collision.

10 Bi-Gwang/Gyeongsoo Kim (Return Of The Bloodthirsty Police)

MyAnimeList Score: 7.08

Police brutality and corruption are very touchy subjects, but they also happen to be the background of Return Of The Bloodthirsty Police. The protagonist, Bi-Gwang, was a legendary assassin who was betrayed and killed by his organization. He is reincarnated as the police officer, Gyeongsoo Kim, and vows to have his revenge.

While Bi-Gwang looks to clean up the corruption in the police department, he is still a killer who continues with his crusade, but with methods that would repulse many. Bi-Gwang might have a new lease on life, but he still seems the same as the ruthless assassin who was killed.