Summary
Romance is great! Witnessing two people catch feelings for each other and watching said feelings blossom into something more — it’s great content, and we love to see it. But there’s this sense of monotony that’s entered into the romance genre, especially in manga and manhwa. It feels like most stories are just recycled versions of the same old, generic plotline that barely has any depth or complexity. Sure, a lot of people prefer straightforward stuff to complicated dramas that end with a lot of plot holes, but a little shake-up for the genre wouldn’t hurt.
This is whydark romance’spopularityhas really gained momentum over the past couple of years. It’s the perfect way to spice up stale storylines and add some color — albeit dark and mysterious — to the otherwise very one-dimensional characters without taking out the essence of romance. With that said, it’s also a bit of a gamble. Finding a really good, well-rounded dark romance story means sifting through a lot of hit-or-miss projects. The odds become even worse when there’s manhwa involved, given the constant influx of new titles and series flooding the market. That said, readers can stumble upon some real gems if they look carefully, or if they simply continue reading below.
Updated Jun 11, 2025, by Fatima Naeem:The manhwa industry has recently seen a surge in dark romances that explore a wide range of themes. These titles aren’t for the faint of heart or, as they venture into territory far beyond what is found in conventional romances — and that’s exactly what makes them so interesting to readers. Their unconventional approach takes on big questions about life, love, and individuality, challenging what is considered the norm. These stories dive straight into complex themes like political corruption, warfare, and self-acceptance through hardship. They are far more intense than typical romances and demand complete attention and focus.
Other Names
N/A
With art this good and a setting that screams “dark romance,“Betrayal of Dignityis one manhwa romance fans definitely shouldn’t miss out on. It has some really mature themes that revolve mostly around how unforgiving rich societies were in older times. With that said, because the manhwa is a romance, most of itsstory is about the main coupletrying to fight their own inner demons and grappling with their unhealthy interactions — dark romance, right? Also, for all theAttack on Titanfans, the main lead looks like a shojo/josei version of Erwin Smith, so it’s got that going for it as well.
The story mainly revolves around Chloe Verdier, Viscount Verdier’s eldest daughter, who tries to shoulder most of her family’s burdens as a way to make up for her failing health and inability to do much. Unfortunately, she gets herself in trouble when she unexpectedly takes up the arrogant Duke, Damien Von Thisse’s, offer to become his bride in exchange for a favor he did for her family.
Luciais a dark romance manhwa that might not appeal to everyone at first glance due to its distinct art style. It has a unique autumnal color palette and a wonky-looking two-dimensional character design that might initially come across as ‘off’ to some people. However, once readers overcome that early stage reading barrier, the manhwa ends up being not only creative with its premise but also offers a fresh take on the isekai/transmigration genre.
The story centers around Lucia, a forgotten princess who has endured countless vile experiences in order to secure a peaceful life, far removed from the royal spotlight. She hasstrange psychic powerswhere she can predict what her future holds for her through her dreams. Unfortunately, what she foresees does not end well for her. To prevent her dreams from becoming a reality, Lucia decides to pursue the vicious Duke of Taran in hopes of becoming engaged to him and placing herself under his protection.
Please Be Patient, Grand Duke
Jin Soye is a very well-known name in the manhwa industry who does dark romance like no other. One of their ongoing works, which was released in 2021 and is currently in its third season,Finding Camellia, isa heart-wrenching taleabout a woman who gets stripped of her identity early in her life. Most of the manhwa is about said woman, Camellia, trying to reclaim herself and her lost power throughout different stages of her life. Along the way, she makes some friends and even finds love.
Camellia is only a child when she is torn from her mother’s embrace and handed over to the vengeful wife of Marquis Bale. She is forced to cut her hair and live as his illegitimate son as a replacement for the Marquis' already ailing son. Despite being taken in by the nobility, Camellia — now known as Camellius — has never been fortunate enough to be allowed to embrace her real identity. And she’s finally had enough of that.
Sangsurinamu Arae
There’s nothing more that speaks true love than growing as a person with a loved one.Under the Oak Treeis a romance fantasy that captures the very essence of that subject. The idea that two imperfect people, if bought together, can make each other better than they were before is exactly what this series encapsulates, and it does it beautifully.
Like most undermined femalemain characters of Victorian-styled romance manhwa, Maximilian Calypse is a highly mistreated young mistress of the terrible Calypse family. Her father is a terrible man, and he makes sure to make the world and Max know it through his actions. She’s driven to get married to a commoner-turned-noble warrior, Sir Riftan, and is worried he’ll not like her — which might cause him to abandon her eventually. Riftan, on the other hand, is just a jagged warrior who has his own demons to deal with.
Dark romance, despite being a popular genre, does not have one singular definition that gives it a grounding presence. It’s a spectrum that consists of many different themes and ideas. A cute high school romance with one of the main characters having a somewhat tragic past is just as much of a dark romance as, say, a full-blown tragedy with devastating psychological themes.My Beloved Oppressor, a relatively newer manhwa in the scene, is categorized as the latter.
My Beloved Oppressortells the story of a doomed noble couple whose chaotic relationship has left them far from stronger. Annette Rozenberg was the naive, carefree daughter of the tyrannical Rozenberg family, known for their secretly corrupt and evil practices — until she wasn’t. Annette’s own husband and lover, Heiner Waldemar, a victim of the Rozenberg family, had staged a coup and killed every last member of the Rozenbergs apart from her.
In this grim new reality, Heiner remains consumed by his hatred for Annette.Despite his revenge, he is determined to make her pay for the crimes of her family through any means necessary. While this manhwa has everything going for it — great art and a gripping story — it has some dark themes that need to be approached with caution.
Only Hopeis a 2022 manhwa set in modern-era Korea, diverging from the typical backdrop of old European nobility. In addition to its distinct setting, this particular series focuses more on mystery and crime and even adds a touch of sci-fi in it with itssubtle time-traveling elements. It also has really prominent romance themes that are, frankly, quite cute and wholesome compared to what other dark romance stories usually entail.
Ju Eunhye did not have the best childhood because of her rich stepmother’s borderline oppressive treatment of her, along with her father’s complete indifference towards it. As an adult, she escaped her situation and married the love of her life — seemingly getting her happily ever after. However, her perfect marital bliss came crashing to the ground when she uncovered some very disturbing revelations about her husband.
Mafia syndicates, organized crime, and revenge stories aren’t only limited to action-thrillers. In fact, some might argue that they do better when mixed with romance.The Dilettanteincorporates most of these elements into its story on top of having a totally hardcore female lead.
The manhwa follows Lee Hana, ahigh-ranking special forcesagent so good at her trade that it’s earned her a huge bounty on her head. After her twin brother, Lee Duyi, an intelligence operative working in Cambodia, loses his life under suspicious circumstances in the field, Hana sniffs out foul play and sets out. On her quest for vengeance, she uncovers layers of deception and finds herself face-to-face with Giulio Parenti, the ruthless head of a massive mafia family.
Heungmageul Beorineun De Silpaehaessda
Although most isekai romances are highly predictable and go a certain way that most readers usually figure out early on,I Failed to Oust the Villain!stands out of the bunch. Not because of its premise, because — as interesting as it is — it is sort of predictable. What makes this particular manhwa stand out from the sea of other romance isekaiwith morally ambiguousmale leads is the one simple fact that the man in question is inadvertently and unapologetically unhinged.
There is a transmigrated woman In the body of Lady Valeta of House Delight who knows everything about her fate. She’s read it in a novel and can easily predict that it does not end well — particularly because of a man. Reinhart is a highly powerful magician taken in by Valeta’s father simply to fuel his inner malevolence. He’s treated horribly by the house and its people despite Valeta’s warning and eventually has enough. Which prompts him to kill everyone in the state except for Valeta.
Kimchacha / Chokam (Story), Cheong-gwa (Art)
This Marriage Is Bound to Fail Anyway
There’s nothing quite like a cute, well-executed grumpy-sunshine trope in a story. It starts off with readers feeling like the “grumpy” lead finds the “sunshine” lead annoying, only to find out after reading their POV how down bad they are for them. Having said that, most of these tropes feature the male lead as the grump, and the female lead as the bubbly one.The Broken Ringdoes not! It’s one of the few Grumpy x Sunshine stories that features anadorable, golden retriever-esquemale lead, and a cold, catty female lead.
The plotline forThe Broken Ringis pretty heartbreaking, all things considered. It follows the various lives and reincarnations of Ines Valeztena De Perez, the daughter of a high-ranking house, who seems to be plagued by misfortunes across each lifetime. In her most recent reincarnation, she’s determined to live a quiet life, and she needs Lord Carcel Escalante to do that. The only problem is, Carcel is in the prime of being a bachelor and isn’t ready to commit.
How to Get My Husband on My Side
If there’s one manhwa that truly captures the essence of angst and heartbreak, it’sHow to Win My Husband Over. It touches on some very heavy topics and does it with a lightheartedness that doesn’t undermine their seriousness, yet doesn’t make them the sole focus of the series either.
Rudbeckia de Borgia, or Ruby, is the only daughter of the influential Borgia family. Despite appearing as a doting and spoiled younger sister of two seemingly adoring brothers and a loving father, thereality is far more sinisterand disturbing. The Borgias are a menacing, power-hungry, and oppressive group of individuals who see Ruby as a mere tool for their ambitions. They coerce her into an arranged marriage with the notorious Izek Van Omerta, a man NOT known for his kind and gentlemanly qualities.
