TheWorld Webtoon Awards for 2025have wrapped up their nominees for this year and feature a range of Korean-adapted works that cover genres from power fantasies to thrillers and cultivation. Having been voted in by fans and critics alike, the entries on this list might just have to be your next read.
The followingmanhwacan mostly be found on Webtoon; however, a few may be limited to other webcomic supporting websites and applications like the sister site, Naver, and Tapas. Whether readers are in for a romance, action, slice-of-life, or mystery, these award nominees are worth the investment.
10Tears on a Withered Flower
Tied for 9th Place Nominee
Created by GAE,Tears on a Withered Flowercan be found on Webtoon, where it continues to update every Thursday. The manhwa follows Haesu, a woman whose marriage is on the rocks and comes to a head once she catches her husband cheating on her. Distraught and upset, she finds herself in a mountain of debt, divorced, and alone.
That is, until a mysterious young man approaches her, seeking her affection, and while the attention seems nice at first, there’s a much darker shadow lying just beneath his pretty face that is as unnerving as it is enticing.Tears of a Withered Floweris a tense, unnerving rollercoaster as Haesu’s life risks upending in a downward spiral.
9Lookism
Written and illustrated by Taejun Pak, creator ofViral HitandMy Life as a Loser,Lookismis a story about a young man who has been bullied all of his life for being overweight and weak-willed, unable to stand up for himself. After convincing his mom to move schools, Daniel is looking for a fresh start.
To his surprise, he wakes up in a new body, able to change between his normal overweight body and a toned, attractive alter. For the first time, he’s able to gain popularity, recognition, and friends, but with this new secret comes its fair share of troubles. And Daniel would go to any length to not lose his newfound popularity.
Lookismis not only a fantastic underdog story that’s reminiscent of Taejun’s other works, but its supernatural concept of Daniel’s switching bodies leads to some hilarious hijinks. While also highlighting action, a surprising amount of fashion, and a journey of self-discovery,Lookismcontinues to be an outstanding manhwasince its start in 2017.
8On the Way to Meet Mom
8th Place Nominee
After his friend returns home with her mother, Mori packs up his things and sets off on a journey to find his mom. Along the way, he encounters creatures, hungry ones, other mothers, but lizards, and Ryder, who is a spastic, energetic demon who rather quickly gets attached to Mori, and seems to know where the boy originated from.
Chaotic and endearing,On the Way to Meet Mombalances levity with tension, allowing the world around Mori to speak for him since he knows so few words. The manhwa echoesBeelzebub, featuring a delinquent babysitter and a young boy who can’t seem to avoid new adventures.
7Maru is a Puppy
7th Place Nominee
Maru is a Puppyis a funny little episodic series that follows the adventures of Woori and Maru, who is a young puppy at the beginning of the manhwa, but through a set of circumstances, ends up transforming into a 5-year-old little girl. This makes the perfect setup for all kinds of hilarious antics that are both cute and wholesome.
Available on Webtoon, this series continues to update every Sunday and has about 100 episodes (chapters) for readers to enjoy. Written and illustrated by Mojo,Maru is a Puppyis considered more popular among Korean audiences, but American audiences have a chance to check it out and discover what makes it so lovable.
6The Antique Shop of Mirae
6th Place Nominee
The Antique Shop of Miraeis one of the most unfair nominations because, for the most part, while it is available on the Naver webtoon platform, it has yet to receive an official English translation, which makes it difficult for overseas readers. Yet it has a fascinating premise that explores Korean culture and folklore in a beautiful artstyle.
Created by Gu Ah-Jin,The Antique Shop of Miraefollows a small family of exorcists who reside on a small island. Mirae is a rather gifted exorcist, having been trained by her grandmother since very young. While her family uses tried and practiced techniques, Mirae’s gift is one part of the mystery in this episodic series of haunting cases.
5Solo Leveling
Tied for 5th Place Nominee
Based on the webnovel by Chugong, it’s no surprise thatSolo Levelinghas persisted in the webcomic world after seeing monumental success with its anime adaptation. Illustrated by Dubu, the power fantasy continues to generate readers to this day, earning its rightful place among the nominations for the Webtoon Awards.
Solo Levelingis a cult classicthat hardly needs any introduction, showcasing the journey of Sung Jinwoo’s journey to becoming the most powerful Hunter, thanks to the System that was endowed to him after surviving the Double Dungeon. His army of shadows is infamous among S-Rank Hunters and fans alike, each a fascinating follower with unique abilities.
4Return of the Blossoming Blade
Return of the Blossoming Bladeis an underrated cultivation gem of a manhwa on Webtoon. Cheongmyeong is the last of the disciples of Mount Hua Sect in the battle against the Demon King. Having been the only one to land a serious blow on Cheonma, Cheongmyeong severs his head and dies from his injuries among his comrades.
Years later, Cheongmyeong awakens in the body of a child slum rat only to learn that his beloved Mount Hua Sect has fallen into disrepair, and what’s worse is Cheonma alluded to a new evil said to arise. Written by Biga and illustrated by Studio Lico,Return of the Blossoming Bladeis a journey of one swordsman’s sect revival plan.
3Debut or Die!
3rd Place Nominee
Created by Soheun, DS.Back, and Jangjin,Debut or Die!is amanhwa based in idol culture, though one that’s a little more deadly than Ryu Gunwoo would have preferred. After one late night of drinking, Ryu, the aspiring civil servant, passes out only to reawaken three years in the past in an entirely different body.
A notification appears, ordering him to debut as an idol in a year or die. Now competing in a high-stakes idol game, Ryu has to figure out if he has what it takes to make it in the idol world. Coupled with a beautiful artstyle,Debut or Die!has an interesting premise to keep fans interested in each page.
2Like Mother, Like Daughter
2nd Place Nominee
What happens when a parent’s love for their children’s success exceeds their well-being? Somyung Gil originally believed that she was blessed with good looks and perfect grades, achieving the gold standards set by her mother, but when her brother is sadly found dead in a nearby river, her whole world is turned upside down.
Unlike Somyung, her brother never tried to pacify his mother, and the way she acts afterward fills Somyung with growing suspicion as she aims to get away from her family or else find herself at her mother’s mercy next. Created by Yidahm,Like Mother, Like Daughteris an eerie entry on the effects of harsh parenting and generational trauma.
Given the premise,Like Mother, Like Daughtertackles some pretty dark subjects, so while this thriller is intense, it isn’t recommended for sensitive audiences.
1Omniscient Reader
1st Place Nominee
Despite having ended in 2022,Omniscient Reader, orOmniscient Reader’s Viewpointas the web novel is called, persists to be an astounding narrative that explores the meta of one reader’s impact on a story he’s followed for upwards of a decade. Kim Dokja is a plain guy till the apocalypse hits, then he becomes the most knowledgeable survivor around.
Written by the couple, SingNSong, the manhwa was adapted by UMI, and illustrated by Sleepy-C, curtailing its success as a beautiful and faithful adaptation of the original web novel. Don’t let thelive-action film fool you; the original source materials have earned the top nomination for a reason.
