Have you ever read a webtoon ? At the start, webtoons are manhwas (korean mangas) that are published online. So when we talk about webtoons, there are lots of Korean webtoons because of course, it came from there, but now you can also find Japanese, Chinese, and even French webtoons.
What is so practical with webtoons is that you can read a catchy story, in colors (compared to the printed editions of mangas/manhwas who used to be only in black and white), on your phone, and all of that for free ! You can find several websites online where you can read webtoons for free, and there are also a few apps now where you can read them for free in a specific timeline, or you can pay to have more episodes faster, it varies from one app to another. I will not mention any names in this article because… I work as a freelance translator, and I do translate webtoons, and I don’t want to either promote competitors of my client or promote my own client, both feel weird so yeah haha. Just make your own little research, it’s very easy to find.
So, in this ocean of possibilities (there are really a lot of webtoons online now)… You don’t know where to start ? Or you don’t know what to read next ? Let me share with you my top 10, and maybe you’ll find something interesting in there 😉 ! I will devide this post in two so that it doesn’t get too long, so here are the first 5 !
(There’s no specific order of preference, these are just the 10 webtoons I liked best among the many I’ve read.)
#1 : Master Villainess the Invincible !
A petty author has an accident and wakes up in the body of Haewon Tang, the great villainess of the martial arts novel she was reading. How will she navigate her new life, trying to right the past Haewon’s wrongs while actually saving her from being poisoned ? The new Haewon is determined to move forward and change the storyline. She will have to master her own chi, an inner force that will make her a master in martial arts, and on her journey to being a better person, who knows who will stand by her side…?
Why I love it so much : It’s not the kind of story I usually like. Martial arts is not my stuff, but the character of Haewon really brought me in. Oh and her and Gunwoo are just so adorable, I’m in love with all of their interactions haha.
#2 : Flirting with the Villain’s Dad
An average woman suddenly wakes up in the body of Princesse Yerenika. It all seems familiar until she realizes that she’s within the webnovel she had read, “Brigitte wants to be happy”. But she’s not Brigitte, actually Brigitte is not even born yet ! She has arrived 20 years early, right into the generation where everybody dies, where Yerenika is the first to die ! So how can she change her fate, and the fate of the people she now cares about ? Easy, she just needs to prevent the villain’s birth ! Which means… actually trying to seduce the future villain’s dad, King Euredian. Yeah, easy…
Why I like it so much : It’s just a feel-good webtoon ! Not that there’s no plot and drama oh no, far from it. But Yerenika is a dork, and I love every second of it. Euredian is not bad either, and their banter is delightful.
#3 : Under the Oak Tree
Maximilian is forced into an arranged marriage with Sir Riftan. She doesn’t have the time to get to know her husband though, because he leaves on a campaign right after their wedding night. 3 years later, he comes back as a hero, and poor Maximilian thinks he’s going to throw her away. But her husband comes back to her and finally takes her home, to his own lands, far away from her hellish ‘home’. Despite her particularity – she’s stuttering since she was a kid – Maximilian is determined to do her best to stay beside Riftan as the Lady of their new home and people.
Why I like it so much : The bond between Maxi and Riftan. It’s just beautiful the way it develops, and the way they just make each other better. Maxi is impossible not to love, and it’s a real pleasure to see her becoming happier. (Just a little warning : this one is a josei, not a shojo, so there are one or two detailed scenes if you see what I mean haha. Not overly detailed, but yeah.)
#4 : The Symbiotic Relationship between a Rabbit and Black Panther
Vivi is a rabbit shapeshifter who can’t seem to transform into a human. Because of that, her family abandons her in the black panthers’ territory, hoping that they will ‘deal’ with her. But she’s found by the heir of the black panthers’ clan, and… saved ? Why did he save her ? What is he going to do with her ? Eat her later ? As Vivi learns to survive in this new environment, she also starts to learn more about her and her special pheromones…
Why I like it so much : Vivi as a rabbit is just so cute, I can’t. Just for that, it’s worth it. But of course, this is not the only reason. The whole webtoon is kind of cute yet a bit sexy too (nothing fancy for now, but yeah it’s a josei, not a shojo so…) and the plot is interesting. Oh and Ahyn is hot, too. Yep. Vivi agrees.
#5 : The Villainess Flips the Script !
What is it like to wake up in your favorite novel ? Not so good when your favorite is a dark story of revenge ! She’s also not the main character, Luca Winterwald, but his abusive aunt, Judith. Determined to change the genre of this story, the new Judith does everything she can to give Luca a happy life, so that eventually, she won’t have to die either. But Luca is the potential heir of the prestigious Winterwald family, and his uncle, Ruediger, has come to bring him home. Judith thinks her job is done, when Luca suddenly asks her to come with him and puts an end to her dreams of an easy and peaceful life.
Why I like it so much : It changes from usual romances and plot lines. There’s a kid who doesn’t act like a kid, a aunt who tries to do what’s best for her nephew, and a uncle… who may be more interested in his nephew’s aunt than in the kid himself. I mean, the kid seems to hate him anyway, so. Their dynamic is quite funny, and it keeps you on your toes on how this may turn out.
Aaand the first part is done. Did you find something interesting ? Is there one you’ve read ?
I hope you all have a lovely day and see you next Wednesday !
Marie.
Marie K. Ricci - Author | Translator 