Summary
- Love in romance manhwa goes deeper than sparks - respect, admiration, and trust are essential.
- Couples in romance manhwa face trials beyond just affection, proving the strength of their love.
- Manhwa like "Maid For Hire" explore complex relationships with class differences and power dynamics.
There's nothing sweeter in a romance manhwa than seeing the sparks fly between the two main characters (or even the supporting ones), whom readers hope will get their happy ending together, with all the due tribulations and trials that will come their way. But sparks are not enough to light a fire, or to keep it burning: it is in those trials and difficulties that often we see how strong the couple's chemistry is, bound by more than just attraction, but respect, admiration, and trust, all of which are essential in a couple beyond just love.
17 Best Fantasy Romance Manhwa
Fans interested in fantasy manhwa with a dash of romance should check out the following titles.
When the easy times fade, how will all the possibly meant-to-be manhwa couples fare? This is a list of couples in romance manhwa that show more than just affection and banter, but a love that stands the test of time – often, under the immense pressure of a kingdom, losses, magical events, and vile enemies, as the stakes rise higher, often involving politics, organizations, families or, even, entire populations. Readers will find out exactly what makes the love unbreakable in these couples – no ambiguous or dark romance relationships here.
10 Maid For Hire
A Rocky, Messy, Start And A Class Difference
- Genre: High School, Power Dynamic, Class Difference, Real-Life Struggles
- Completed: No
- Where To Read: Webtoon
This is a manhwa – possibly ending soon – that tackles well a romance with class difference and power dynamics, in a way that's neither romanticized nor disregarded. The story's couple, Andrea and Alex, couldn't be more different on the surface: one is an admired college student in a prestigious high school, hardworking to the point of burnout to afford this totally out-of-budget education and help her family – while the other one is a known playboy at school, charming girls with his looks and his old money mansion and family, but is, in reality, very lonely and has a few true friends.
What's beautiful about this story is how both characters have deep flaws beyond their perfect surface, and as Andrea starts secretly working as a maid at his mansion, the story gets incredibly messy, especially due to the characters' strong personalities and Alex's difficult family. Readers will enjoy the true relationship between Andrea and Alex, which will take some time to become romantic, and how both will face the numerous difficulties that will come their way.
9 I Thought My Time Was Up!
When Till Death Do Us Apart Goes Wrong
- Genre: Fantasy, Magic, Royalty, Illness
- Completed: No
- Where To Read: Webtoon
Besides the gorgeous illustrations and the breath taking ability of the author to portray characters, clothing and buildings, this manhwa has a unique take on romance, making for an unusual couple. Lariette Blanche is your typical cheery, bubbly, cute character, but she has a terrible secret: her family hates her and she is dying (this manhwa sure starts off as a possible tragedy).
Hit with a mysterious illness, Lariette sets her mind on completing a bucket list before death, including dating a gorgeous man, which ends up to be the cursed Asrahan, convincing him to let her stay in exchange for her healing services. In this manhwa, the couple will discover that there is more to each other and the relationship between them goes from superficial companionship to tenderness and protection, in a way that will leave both confused and unsure, with much at stake – including Lariette's secret illness, which she will soon find out to be a wrong diagnosis.
8 Let’s Get Divorced!
This Was Supposed To Be A Visa Benefit Marriage
- Genre: Contract Marriage, Enemies-To-Lovers, Drama
- Completed: No
- Where To Read: Webtoon
Baek-hui has a nervous breakdown that goes viral and is so profoundly embarrassed she decides to move to Australia from Korea – but first, she needs a Visa, and Han-gyeol is the perfect candidate for a contract marriage for the visa benefit (this is a real visa benefit, by the way).
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Here's the catch, though: they need to prove their love is "legit", but both seem to not particularly like each other, and their banter is often more hateful than playful, not to mention the whole life implications of this marriage for both, including their friends and their family (add in a mysterious lover for Baek-hui and you have the recipe for disaster). Baek-hui and Han-gyeol will make for a fun and resilient couple, as readers will enjoy their progression from hateful to loving banter and their ability to juggle both of their lives drastically changing at once. Plus, this manhwa has been turned into a K-Drama.
7 For My Derelict Favorite
From Fangirl To Legal Wife
- Genre: Contract Marriage, Isekai, Politics, Drama
- Completed: No
- Where To Read: Webtoon
There is much to admire in Hestia's character, a writer who, in true isekai manhwa fashion, is reincarnated as a new character in her favorite novel and swears to change the fate of her favorite character and Second Male Lead, Caelus, who ends up taking his life due to tragic circumstances.
However, what Hestia did not predict is that her contract marriage to save him will slowly morph into a real one. This couple is adorable to watch falling in love from the beginning, as both become wonderful and just characters, dedicating themselves to the wellness of the kingdom and developing a deep respect and admiration for one another. Interesting is also the true follow-up of the supposed happily-ever-after of the two original main characters in the novel: readers will love the scandals and the test of true love for both couples in this story.
6 Maybe Meant To Be
Childhood Friends Into Casual Marriage... Right?
- Genre: Contract Marriage, Childhood Friends, Slow Burn
- Completed: No
- Where To Read: Webtoon
What starts off as a casual marriage for childhood friends Jia Han and Mincheol Jin to avoid family nagging turns into a real spectacle of awkwardness, self-discovery and hilarious scenes for the readers. Both have never truly understood love and will find out that, perhaps, it does not lay just in the striking, butterfly inducing sparks, but first in the soft, known hands of someone who's been with you through the thick and thin.
It is only when these two characters will understand what love means to them that Jian and Mincheol also start feeling those butterflies and sparks, totally oblivious to their own feelings, feeling flustered and embarrassed. This is one of those manhwa stories that feel like real-life romance, and readers will enjoy Jia and Mincheol's friendship bond turning into love.
5 His Majesty’s Proposal
Waking Up In Bed With The Emperor
- Genre: Fantasy, Royalty, Courting
- Completed: Yes (103 episodes)
- Where To Read: Webtoon
Penelope has some nerve, waking up in bed with the Emperor after a broken engagement and a few too many drinks. Her character is quite feisty, not prone to accepting Bart's advances after their encounter, not impressed by his status or looks. Yet this will become a beautiful, elegant and truly royal couple, as Bart will learn how to melt's Penelope's heart.
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The following isekai manhwa possess striking, full-color art to accompany their thrilling stories.
As Penelope comes off at times a little Tsundere-like, while Bart is a true soft romantic, this will be a fun couple to witness throughout the manhwa. With lots of lore (including magic), side characters' romance and stories, and evil forces at play, the couple will have to quickly pick up the pace with the consequences of their relationship and the involvement in each other's lives.
4 My Gently Raised Beast
A Truly Worked For Happy-Ever-After
- Genre: Fantasy, Magical Powers, Different Races, Childhood Friends
- Completed: Yes (106 episodes)
- Where To Read: Webtoon
This is one manhwa that checks off a lot of marks: gorgeous dresses, a beautiful, unique art style, and loveable characters. Blondina is a little bit of a real-life Cinderella, except she is not truly welcomed at first by her new long-lost royal family. Throughout the story she finds comfort, growth and progressively companionship into romance in her mysterious friend, Amon, who is part of another race that can transform into feline beasts.
While the story if one that strongly echoes a fairy tale, this manhwa throws some serious challenges at the couple (including mixed-race marriage issues in their world), plus some final trials that are enough to break the readers' hearts – but worry not, as the two are truly meant to be together and will show so throughout a lifetime of resilience, respect, and true, gentle love for each other.
3 The Makeup Remover
Mutual Admiration And Slow Burn
- Genre: Character Development, Slow Burn, Workplace
- Completed: No
- Where To Read: Webtoon
This is one of those manhwa that truly do not look like romance at the start, as the character's growth and focus on their objectives is so prevalent. Yeseul is a photography student who's conflicted about her looks and her opinion on makeup. One day, Yuseong, a nationally known makeup artist, asks her to model for him in a national competition, setting off Yeseul's opinions on society and ample creativity – which will go beyond just her modeling role.
The love that will ensue between the characters is unexpected – neither seems to be looking for romance, or at least, not in each other – and readers will find themselves deeply invested in the makeup contest in the manhwa, impressed by the characters' fierce involvement in social issues about self-esteem, self-image, and Korean beauty standards, making for a couple that clicks so well when working together and sharing their passion.
2 True Beauty
A Coming-Of-Age Story Full Of Trials
- Genre: Beauty/Fashion, Idol, Coming-Of-Age, High School, Slow Burn
- Completed: Yes (256 episodes)
- Where To Read: Webtoon
This is one of the most famous coming-of-age manhwas, which has been turned into an equally famous K-Drama, and even an Anime, tackling sensitive issues such as bullying, beauty standards, and much more. So it's no surprise that the "final couple" in this manhwa, Jugyeong and Suho, will face many trials – it will truly take years for them to become an item.
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Dystopian futures are nothing new, but these great manhwa prove that there is still more storytelling gold to be mined from these sci-fi settings.
The result is that the couple is extremely well-developed, as this manhwa follows the characters through highschool and adulthood, and all of the characters have detailed backstories, motivations, struggles, and aspirations, making for a fantastically crafted manhwa couple. Of course, this is one of the reasons True Beauty has become a completed fan-favorite romance manhwa: it takes dedication to plan out such a lengthy, well-made, realistic, and intricate plot. Readers will also enjoy all the extras and side stories, with a whopping 33 spin-off episodes.
1 From Knight To A Lady
They Were Never Truly Enemies
- Genre: Reincarnation, Character Arcs, Obsessive Second Male Lead, Fantasy, Enemies To Lovers
- Completed: No
- Where To Read: Webtoon
From Knight To A Lady is a truly one-of-a-kind manhwa, with a wonderful chemistry between the "final couple". But much of the story is centered on the characters' growth, making for a realistic and well-balanced romance. Estelle, an iconic knight, dies at the hands of her best friend – all to be reincarnated a few years later into Lucifela, the spoiled and bratty daughter of a count. What's more, she is set to be married off to her sworn enemy from her previous life, and her best friend seems to be alive and kicking into the enemy's kingdom. As Lucifela has to find a new identity, coming from the life of a knight, and being catapulted into the harsh socialite world, she will discover there's more than frills to it.
Plus, both Lucifela and Zedekiah, her future spouse, will have to navigate war, conflicts, treason, and traitors while trying to restore peace and wealth all throughout the territories. Of course, Lucifela has a dark secret, but perhaps Zedekiah will prove to be the opposite of her sworn enemy once it be revealed. Readers will love Lucifela and Zedekiah's relationship evolution, as both are characterized by a deep sense of honor, respect, and loyalty, building their interactions off of these values, even when things get tough – and they will –, leaving both with potentially fatal decisions to take, up to the point where sacrifice may become an option to save your loved one.