While manga about high school life is plentiful, there are manhwa that are also worth reading for readers who are more interested in seeing how life is beyond teenage life. Especially if one is interested in South Korean dramas, there are quite a lot of them that were adapted from popular manhwa or webcomics.
These college life manhwa are exciting, fresh, relatable, and most definitely can make one’s stomach filled with butterflies. College life itself is a specific period where most are not teenagers anymore, yet they are still far from being called mature people. It is a beautiful period where life might get tangled between romance, studying, adulthood, independence, and responsibilities, and where having fun is the ultimate goal.
7 My ID Is Gangnam Beauty
A Story About Insecurity In College Life
- Author: Ki Maenggi
- Status: Completed
- Genre: Romance
Insecurities about physical appearance are always the enemy of everyone, not just apply to teenagers. A struggle that also Kang Mirae has experienced throughout her life since childhood. In her desperation to get her confidence back after being constantly bullied about her looks and being unlucky in love due to her appearance, as she is entering university to become an expert in perfumery, Kang Mirae decided to become a “Gangnam Beauty”, a term popular to describe girls who changed her appearances through a total plastic surgery.
As fate would have it, she met her former middle school classmate, Do Kyungseok, who could not understand her obsession with her physical appearance. In this exploration of love, insecurities, and adulting, readers can see Kang Mirae’s journey to achieve true beauty.
6 My Roommate Is a Gumiho
Unique Mythical Creature As Roommate
- Author: Na
- Status: Completed
- Genre: Supernatural, Romance
Many college students leave their parents’ houses and live alone or with roommates in dormitories or student apartments. In the case of cohabitation, it can be a new experience for many who need to share their space with new people. But, what if the roommate is a 900-year-old nine-tailed fox? This is the crisis that Dam Lee has to face, as she accidentally encountered the said nine-tailed fox, also called “Gumiho” in Korean mythology.
Not only was she unlucky enough to meet this supernatural being, but she also accidentally swallowed the mythical bead of the Gumiho, causing him and her into a panic frenzy. Now, Dam Lee only has 1 year to get the bead out, or else, she will die, and the Gumiho can never become human. Moreover, Dam Lee has just begun her romance-seeking journey as a normal college student, and now her dating life seems super bleak.
5 Cheese in the Trap (Season 1)
A Sprinkle Of Mystery And Psychology
- Author: Soonkki
- Status: Completed
- Genre: Psychology, Mystery, Romance
Slice of life meets mystery meets psychology meets college life, this manhwa takes the cake for sure. A deep yet relatable story of Hong Sul, an over-achiever type A student who has just returned to college after taking a break for a year. Before she took the break, she got on the wrong side of her senior, but when she came back, he suddenly acted quite friendly.
The plot seems simple, but the element of surprises will keep the readers on edge, as this manhwa tackles the dynamic between the leads’ relationship, as well as Hong Sul’s mind and point of view. The characters, even the supporting ones, are interesting and well-written, enough to enhance the polarizing art style that the author has in this particular manhwa.
4 Nevertheless
Complicated Romance In College Life
- Author: Jeonseo
- Status: Completed
- Genre: Romance
Dating and romance are the essence of so many stories in literature, but these two things are always something complex and complicated that people struggle with, including Nabi, a college student who does not believe in love yet wants to experience the taste of romance.
As fate would have it, she meets a guy who does not want to commit to a relationship just yet, is an infamous flirt, and is burdened by the thought of relationships. Their initial bond is formed through their similarities as Art students who are heavily inspired by Nabi–meaning butterflies in Korean. Their story is not all up, it is literally full of butterflies, both in a bad and good way. In 2021, the manhwa was adapted into a TV drama series starring Han Seo Hee as Yu Nabi and Song Kang as Park Jae-Eon.
3 Something About Us
Best Friends Reunited In College
- Author: Lee Yunji
- Status: Completed
- Genre: Romance, Slice of Life
Friendship between a man and a woman does not exist, or does it? The plot of the story is fairly simple. It is about Doh Gayoung and Han Woojin, who are the total opposite but became best friends in high school. After Woojin finished his mandatory military service, he enrolled at the same university as Gayoung.
However, the difference in environment has surely affected them both compared to their high school days. They are now entering their 20s with other issues coming their way, including the issue of romance. Their relationship then folds into another level as their feelings for each other turn knotty and puzzling. This story is the perfect blend of coming-of-age, slice-of-life, and adulting, as their friendship is tested through these changes in their lives.
2 Super Secret
Fluffy College Life Mixed With Supernatural
- Author: Eon
- Status: Completed
- Genre: Romance, Supernatural
Ji Emma and Nam Ryan have been neighbors and close friends since forever, especially since Emma often gets lost and can be helpless at times. Ryan is always there to accompany Emma, but one day, Emma finds a giant sleeping dog on her balcony, and Ryan is nowhere to be found.
Although Emma is often aloof, she can sense that there is something suspicious about Ryan and his entire family. Those who enjoy childhood friends manga will surely love this fluffy supernatural mixed with a college romance story between a clumsy girl and her best friend. The art style is cute, and easy on the eyes, with an interesting plot filled with romance and mystery.
1 Romance 101
Blossoming Romance With Quirky Lead
- Author: Namsu
- Status: Completed
- Genre: Romance
Being in tune with her schedule is everything for Jung Bareum. She dedicates her life to the plan she organizes to its fullest abilities and never fails to follow it. Although this quirk of hers is the thing that helped her get into a good school with a major that she believes will be the most prosperous possibility, she fails to fill the gap in her heart.
Ultimately, she is still a normal human being who wants to enjoy her college life with romance. She then decided to join a programming club at her college after being struck by a college mate’s charm, Jaehyun. However, as her time in the programming club progressed, she also encountered Na Yuyeon, a fellow club member who was the total opposite of her. He is a notorious gamer who is always late to class, but strangely full of charms too. The manhwa becomes an entertaining spectacle of whether it is the start of Bareum’s dating life or her self-imposed strict schedule.
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