Highlights
- The Solo Leveling anime has reignited interest in manhwa, known for their beautiful art and captivating stories.
- The medical genre in manhwa is often underrated but offers engaging reads that incorporate action and romance.
- Various manhwa series, such as The Holy Power of Modern Medicine and Dr. Choi Giseok Levels Up, explore themes of reincarnation and growth in the medical field.
The release of the new Solo Leveling anime, based on one of the best action manhwa in recent times, has sparked a surge in the public’s interest and fascination with manhwa. Who wouldn’t want to indulge in something that looks like it’s drawn straight out of heaven? That’s what these South Korean-originated comic books are known for. Their exquisite art and enchanting stories keep their very loyal readers on their toes, always asking for more.
Even though the manhwa world is brimming with a myriad of different genres, most fans tend to gravitate towards genres like scaling-action or isekai-romance because, well—they’re in abundance, and despite sharing the same themes on the surface, each piece is highly unique and different from the other. The medical genre in manhwa, on the other hand, remains particularly underrated. There are plenty of good reads out there that are set in the underrepresented world of health care and medicine, and some of them even incorporate action and romance.
10 The Holy Power Of Modern Medicine
MyAnimeList Score: 6.74/10
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Written By |
Goreap (Story), Hammi (Art) |
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Status |
Ongoing |
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Genres |
Adventure, Fantasy |
The Holy Power of Modern Medicine is a great piece that blends themes of reincarnation, growth, and medicine perfectly. This ongoing manhwa debuted its first chapter in 2022 and currently has 79 chapters published.
Dr. Shin Yoosung is a miracle doctor in every sense of the term. He’s known to bring back patients from the brink of death and is renowned in the medical community as the “Hand of God.” However, despite his skills in surgery and his uncanny ability to save every patient he’s worked with, Yoosung is overworked and isolated by his fellow practitioners. One fateful day, after heroically saving yet another life, Yoosung calls it a night and starts to walk back home until he, in classic isekai manhwa fashion, gets hit by a truck and is isekaied to a fantasy world. He’s no longer Dr. Shin Yoosung, but a little toddler called Ray with very doting parents and magical healing powers!
9 Dr. Choi Giseok Levels Up
MyAnimeList Score: 6.84/10
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Written By |
Yoon Baekhyun (Story), Jang Seonhye (Art) |
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Status |
Ongoing |
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Genres |
Drama, Supernatural |
Manhwa writers sure have a penchant for incorporating reincarnation elements into their stories. Just like The Holy Power of Modern Medicine, Dr. Choi Giseok Levels Up is also mainly based on resurrection. It had its first chapter released in 2022 and currently has 97 chapters on the official website.
Dr. Choi Giseok Levels Up follows a surgical resident, Dr. Jung Haejin, who, on his last day of residency—yet again—falls victim to the notorious truck-kun. Unexpectedly, Haejin finds himself waking up in the body of Choi Giseok, a recently graduated doctor who’s about to start a surgical internship. Determined not to let his second chance at life go to waste, Haejin vows to transform Giseok into the best cardiothoracic surgeon in the country. And to spice things up, he starts seeing these weird holographic screens above himself and everyone else.
8 Super Genius DNA
MyAnimeList Score: 6.88/10
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Written By |
Lim Ido (Story), Ji Unseong (Art) |
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Status |
Completed |
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Genres |
Supernatural |
Super Genius DNA takes a more pharmaceutical focus rather than centering on medical practice. Originally released in 2020, the series concluded with its final chapter released in 2023, with 120 chapters under it.
Ryu Youngjoon hits a rough patch when he finds himself suspended from his job as a research scientist at a leading pharmaceutical company for speaking out against their unethical practices. Things take a turn for the worse when his health takes a massive hit because of all the accumulated stress. Yet, in a turn of events, Youngjoon gains superhuman intelligence and strength after he unexpectedly comes into contact with a sample of “artificial cells” at his workplace (he doesn’t even have to wear his contact lenses anymore). He’s now determined to use his newfound powers to expose the corruption going on within the pharma industry.
7 Doctor Player
MyAnimeList Score: 7.04/10
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Written By |
Yuin (Story), Rikodaram (Art) |
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Status |
Ongoing |
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Genres |
Action, Adventure, Fantasy |
Doctor Player is an ongoing fantasy manhwa that is thankfully devoid of any reincarnation themes but does have a lot of “scaling” and action. Its first chapter was published in 2022, and it currently has 65 chapters under its belt.
Doctor Player is set in a magical fantasy world where healers are the most esteemed class of people. Raymond, the King’s illegitimate child, is a mistreated individual who desperately desires to prove his worth. Unfortunately, Raymond lacks any notable healing powers and is mocked openly by his peers. Eventually, he receives an epiphany of sorts—the knowledge of “medicine.” He uses his newly acquired wisdom to climb through the ranks within his kingdom.
6 Perfect Surgeon
MyAnimeList Score: 7.14/10
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Written By |
Moedal (Story), Gyeongseok (Art) |
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Status |
Ongoing |
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Genres |
Drama, Supernatural |
Perfect Surgeon is a 2022 ongoing manhwa that has 99 chapters published on its official website. Similar to other medical manhwa, this one kicks off with a deadbeat, overworked doctor second-guessing all of his choices.
Jang Hyunjun was destined for success until he wasn’t. His life as a soon-to-be doctor completely changed when his mother succumbed to a terminal illness. To shoulder her continuously mounting hospital bills, he reluctantly took up a career as a subpar dermatologist. His future looked bleak until an unexpected encounter led him to absorb a self-reliant AI called Ronnie.
5 Trauma Center: Golden Hour
MyAnimeList Score: 7.20/10
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Written By |
Hansan Leega (Story), Hong Bichi-ra (Art) |
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Status |
Completed |
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Genres |
Drama |
Trauma Center: Golden Hour is the only manhwa on this list that does not feature the MC randomly acquiring sentient AI or healing powers. Its simplicity makes it the most “normal” read here and is exactly what sets it apart from the others. It made its debut in 2019 and has since released a total of 147 chapters.
A remarkably skilled traumatologist, Dr. Baek Kanghyuk is entrusted with the revival of a once-fallen trauma hospital, with the officials believing that he’s the only one who can revive the place to its former glory. They’re proven right, when he, with his weird antics, and his unwavering will to save patients, starts to make a significant change.
4 Doctor’s Rebirth
MyAnimeList Score: 7.22/10
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Written By |
Taesun (Story), Dobin (Art) |
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Status |
Ongoing |
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Genres |
Action, Fantasy |
Doctor’s Rebirth is a reincarnation manhwa that leans towards more traditional vibes, setting it apart from the previous entries. It was released in 2021 and has, since then, published 147 chapters.
Dr. Jin Cheonhee is a young physician who was pressured into volunteering for a war-torn country and unfortunately got caught in the crossfire. In his second chance at life, he finds himself sucked into his favorite novel “Murim,” where he once again takes on the role of a physician. However, the only problem is—Murim is a realm of demons, and Cheonhee is resurrected in the body of a child.
3 The Divine Surgeon
MyAnimeList Score: 7.37/10
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Written By |
Park Dongshin (Story), Choi Byungick (Art) |
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Status |
Ongoing |
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Genres |
Drama |
The Divine Surgeon is a 2022 manhwa set in the Eastern Han Period of the Chinese Dynasty. It’s another fun isekai manhwa that is currently standing at 147 chapters.
The Divine Surgeon follows Dr. Han Jinsoo, a good, virtuous man with a terrible fate. After a series of unfortunate events, Jisoo tries to get his life back on track, only to have his professor orchestrate his assassination. In the supposed afterlife, he is given the option to either resurrect or go straight to heaven. He impulsively selects the former and is now reincarnated as Hua Tuo, a legendary Chinese doctor in the Han Dynasty.
2 Doctor Elise: The Royal Lady With The Lamp
MyAnimeList Score: 7.68/10
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Written By |
Yuin (Story), mini (Art) |
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Status |
Completed |
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Genres |
Comedy, Fantasy, Romance |
Doctor Elise: The Royal Lady With the Lamp is predominantly a romance-themed manhwa with the other themes as a secondary focus. It hit the scene in 2017, concluding its run in 2021 with a total of 143 chapters.
Song Jihyun was a prodigal South Korean doctor haunted by the memories of her unfortunate past life. Her choice to pursue a medical career was driven by her need to atone for the sins she had committed in her previous life. However, an unexpected turn of events resulted in her being back in the body of Elise de Clorance, the evil wife of the Emperor who had ruined numerous innocent lives in pursuit of her greed and malevolence. This time, Jihyun (as Elise) is determined to live righteously!
1 Medical Return
MyAnimeList Score: 7.79/10
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Written By |
Yuin (Story), Kidari Studio (Art) |
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Status |
Completed |
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Genres |
Drama |
Medical Return is sort of like Perfect Surgeon but in reverse. It’s a completed manhwa that had its first chapter published in 2019, and its last in 2022. It ended with a total of 150 chapters.
The main character of this manhwa goes by the name of Kim Jihyun. Jihyun was a struggling surgeon in his past life, barely scraping by. He was an average doctor at best and was pushed away from the spotlight by the continuously increasing competition in his field. As a final nail in the coffin, he was diagnosed with terminal cancer and lived his life full of regrets. In his second chance at life, Jihyun is determined to make amends. He decides to study harder and become a successful dermatologist instead of a surgeon.
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