Although manhwa isn’t as widely popular as manga, the South Korean medium deserves just as much attention. Slice-of-life is one of the most underrated genres in anime and manga, and there are plenty of slice-of-life manhwa as well. Many readers avoid this seemingly straightforward genre in favor of action or drama-filled stories, but not every slice-of-life narrative is straightforward.
Many slice-of-life manhwa have intricate plots and fantastic character development, teaching valuable life lessons over the course of multiple arcs. Slice-of-life manhwa give readers an opportunity to relax and escape from the cruel realities of real life.
Updated by Ajay Aravind and Brianna Albert on June 9, 2023: The manhwa medium is slowly catching up with its manga cousin, although it’s going to be a long time before they’re both on equal ground. That said, the slice-of-life genre is best experienced through a manhwa’s unique storytelling structure. As such, we’ve updated this list containing some of the most pleasant manhwa out there.
15 Small World (2017 – 2021)
Written And Illustrated By Wonsun Jin
Robin and Julien love each other dearly, but they experience their share of relationship problems just like anyone else. That said, if one of them has a bad day at work or just needs a laugh, they call their partner for some much-needed solace.
Small World details the lives of these two lovable boys, navigating the titular “small world” where they live their perfectly ordinary lives. Manhwa fans who enjoy straightforward narratives punctuated by adorable twists can’t go wrong with Small World.
14 Who Made Me A Princess? (2017 – 2022)
Written By Plutus And Illustrated By Spoon
When a woman inexplicably awakens as Anthanasia De Alger Obelia, a girl who is killed by her father, she must do everything she can to get on his good side. Who Made Me A Princess is like a scary bedtime story come to life, and the newly awakened Anthanasia is stuck right in the middle.
Anthanasia has two options — she can either live quietly without attracting any attention to herself or accept her complicated status in the noble hierarchy. Who Made Me a Princess finally concluded in 2022, with 125 delightful chapters under its belt.
13 Ring My Bell (2019 – 2022)
Written And Illustrated By Yeongol
Mai Sohn has finally gotten her big break ー a major publisher wants her to write a webcomic. However, there is a major problem: her girlfriend has dumped her, leaving her heartbroken and unable to write about relationships.
Now in desperate need of something to give her inspiration, Mai Sohn must find out how to write about love once again. Interestingly enough, her seemingly homophobic neighbor seems to be making her heart twist in all kinds of directions. Ring My Bell is a fun exploration of very real romantic themes with the added bonus of being about a comic writer.
12 Daughter Of The Emperor (2015 – 2022)
Written By Yunseul And Illustrated By Rino
When a woman dies and is reborn as the daughter of a cold-blooded emperor, she has no choice but to learn how to survive her situation. Ariadna Lereg Ilestri Pre Agrigent is the one and only daughter of Caitel Agrigent, an emperor known for being a violent destroyer of countries.
Adriana struggles to interact with her father and forge a daughterly connection throughout Daughter of the Emperor, but it almost seems impossible. Ariadna somehow manages to outsmart her tyrannical father by the end of the story, but the twists and turns along the way are well worth a read.
11 Orange Marmalade (2011 – 2013)
Written And Illustrated By Seok Woo
This slice-of-life romance tells the tale of a world where humans live alongside vampires, but they discriminate against them for obvious reasons. Due to the anti-vampire bigotry, high schooler Mari Baek is compelled to disguise her identity.
As luck would have it, Mari ends up falling in love with the most popular (human) boy in her high school, Jaemin Jung. Although Jaemin initially abhors vampires, he soon learns to shed his prejudices and develop a bond with Mari. Orange Marmalade received a live-action TV adaptation in 2015, running for twelve episodes.
10 Who Invited You? (2016 – 2017)
Written And Illustrated By Lee Yun-Hee
Who Invited You focuses on two childhood friends. Seo Jaehee expects Willow, a childhood pal on whom she used to have a crush, to stay at her house. However, the boy she unexpectedly meets turns out to be totally unfamiliar.
Seo begins to find Willow unbelievably irritating and even thinks about kicking him out. But the longer they live together, the more her memories begin resurging. Seo and Jaehee must solve their differences and get along, but there’s also the possibility of romance looming in the background.
9 Everyday Lily (2016 – 2017)
Written And Illustrated By Gom Mail
This manhwa is targeted toward the yuri fans out there, but all readers can enjoy this slice-of-life narrative. The story centers on two young women: a lesbian who doesn’t wish the world to know about her sexuality and a lesbian who is open about hers.
When the closeted lesbian accidentally comes out to the other, their daily lives are interrupted by comedic events. As expected, a romance inevitably blossoms between them. The themes and concepts in this slice-of-life manhwa deal with identity crises and how people can slowly emerge from their self-inflicted shells.
8 Dear, Only You Don’t Know! (2012 – 2017)
Written And Illustrated By Yuria
In addition to being a slice-of-life, Dear, Only You Don’t Know is also a comedy targeted towards women. It follows the lives of several different women and the secrets they hide — either from their significant others or their friends.
Dear, Only You Don’t Know! takes every feminine stereotype out there and subverts it with a comedic twist. It’s a story about things that women feel they need to hide at all costs. While some of the tropes employed in this manhwa verge on problematic, the slice-of-life aspect makes it significantly easier to digest.
7 Nanohana Boys (2014 – 2016)
Written And Illustrated By Pyong
Nanohana Boys deals with mature themes such as bullying, so it’s recommended for older audiences. The story revolves around two boys, Kenji Ishida and Yuu Onishi, both of whom are disabled. As high school students, this makes them a target for unnecessary teasing from their peers.
Nanohana Boys stands out not only for its excellent depiction of disabled characters but also its well-executed and heartwarming platonic friendship. Despite what others label as limitations, Kenji and Yuu both work through their hardships together.
6 The Girl And The Geek (2015 – 2018)
Written By Heo Yun Hwa And Illustrated By Da Ga Bi
The Girl and the Geek has been translated into three different languages, and is available to read online. The story follows Go Nanhee, a single woman who snags a cleaning job.
However, when one of Oh Deokhoo’s expensive action figures disappears during her shift, Go has no choice but to clean his dust bunny-filled apartment. Despite having exclusively interacted with 2D women throughout his entire life, it looks like there’s something romantic brewing between Go and Oh.
5 Like A Butterfly (2016 – 2017)
Written By Hun And Illustrated By Jimin
Like A Butterfly is an extension of the iconic idiom “float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.” This manhwa’s story centers on a specific topic, namely doing whatever one wants during their twilight years. The plot is quite wholesome, not to mention popular enough to be recommended by BTS member V as a great manhwa.
When a retired old man attends his friend’s funeral, he realizes that he has little time left to follow his dreams. Impelled by this epiphany, he decides to pursue his dream of becoming a ballet dancer, attending a series of classes taught by a young man.
4 Thirsty Thirty (2013 – 2018)
Written And Illustrated By Jung Eun Soo
When Yaeun Chu is about to celebrate her thirtieth birthday, she comes to a realization. All of her friends are getting married, while all she has is a boyfriend who she only meets on the weekend.
However, Yaeun soon discovers that he is having an affair with one of her colleagues and begins to work herself to the bone. Despite all her new trials and tribulations, Yaeun Chu seizes control of her life and embarks on a romantic endeavor with someone who truly values her presence.
3 The Friendly Winter (2011 – 2013)
Written And Illustrated By Lee Jun
The Friendly Winter is another slice-of-life manhwa that deals with difficult topics like rare disabilities and mental illness. 19-year-old Han Da-jeong has a growth disorder that makes her appear like a child, while 17-year-old Kim Min-seong experiences a condition that causes him to behave like a child.
The Friendly Winter details their high and low points with astonishing empathy. Although endearing, The Friendly Winter can become occasionally somber when readers look back and think about these characters’ lives. Those who loved Bunny Drop would most likely enjoy this slice-of-life series.
2 Nocturne (2008 – 2015)
Written And Illustrated By Park Eun-Ah
Nocturne is filled with melancholy, making it a difficult read at times. Unlike most manhwa, which are printed in full color, Nocturne uses a black-and-white style much like traditional Japanese manga.
Yuri, a girl with the mysterious appearance of a doll, is orphaned when her mother dies in a car accident. Following this devastating event, she begins to live with a close family friend named Kim Dowook. However, the real plot of Nocturne has to do with Kim’s actual intentions.
1 Itaewon Class (2016 – 2018)
Written And Illustrated By Gwangjin
Itaewon Class was so popular that it even became a Netflix 70zll0v” title=”origin”>Original and was adapted into a K-Drama. Park Saeroyi’s conflict with the son of a big company owner leaves him languishing in prison for seven years. When he’s finally able to leave, he has only one goal in mind: revenge.
With the help of friends both new and old, Park Saeroyi is going to make his dreams a reality and bring down the Jangga company. He plans to accomplish his goal by setting up a shop — the problem, however, is that he knows very little about the world of business management.
