Manhwa, or Korean webtoons, have become more popular and accessible in recent years thanks in part to online platforms like Webtoons and Tappytoon. Much like their Japanese counterparts, manhwa series come in a variety of genres and some, like GL (Girls’ Love), only continue to grow in popularity.
GL, also known as Yuri, is a genre of stories about women falling in love. While not as well-known as its male counterpart, BL (Boys’ Love), the GL genre is starting to pick up steam, especially with queer ladies looking for some much-needed representation in the world of online comics.
Both GL and BL comics have been criticized for not being written for the LGBTQ+ community despite being about queer love. Thankfully, things are starting to change (albeit not as quickly as we’d like) and more series in this genre are telling more complex and three-dimensional stories. These manhwas and webtoons run the gamut from wholesome and sweet to dramatic and, dare we say, spicy.
Here are some of the best GL manhwa and webtoons available now.
10. What Does the Fox Say?
What Does the Fox Say? follows a steamy love triangle between three women who work at a mobile gaming company. Sungji is the young new employee at Hello Studio and she almost instantly finds herself attracted to her team leader Sumin. The feeling is mutual but Sumin is in a tumultuous on-and-off relationship with Seju, the company president, who adds an extra layer of complexity to their would-be romance.
This is a more mature GL series for those who grow tired of adolescent protagonists. Readers should be warned this is a steamy series but it does hit some emotional beats as well, especially as the story progresses.
9. Love Doctor
In Love Doctor, college student Erae is generally clueless when it comes to love. Despite this, she still wants to fall in love so she enlists the help of a professional love doctor, Cha Yoon, to teach her what she needs to know.
Obviously, the two fall in love themselves and it’s just as cute and awkward as you’re probably imagining. Although it’s mostly a lighthearted webtoon, Love Doctor offers a nuanced depiction of one realizing their sexuality through Erae. Little things like this are much appreciated after years of bad rep!
8. My Princess Charming
21-year-old Yuna is sick and tired of fending off unwanted attention from the crowds of men who follow her every move (it’s not her fault she’s so pretty and popular). One day, she comes up with the perfect plan: find someone to be her boyfriend so she can get guys to finally leave her alone.
She sees the perfect man for the job when she spots the handsome Min Suh. When Yuna finds out Min Suh is actually a woman who’s rumored to be a lesbian, she still asks her to enter a fake relationship with her. Sure, it’s a cliche but it’s one for a reason; this is cute.
7. Getting to Know Grace
Getting to Know Grace is a short webtoon with fleshed-out lead characters and a captivating story. Herta has lived her life in captivity as a slave in the wealthy Grace household and worked to make herself indispensable to their incurably ill daughter, Andrew. Over time, the two fall in love despite their tragic circumstances.
This is a historical drama with some of the most beautiful art to grace the pages of a GL manhwa. The psychological aspects and themes of classism make this a page-turner you won’t be able to put down.
6. Pulse
Pulse is a Thai webtoon about Mel, a heart surgeon, who only does casual relationships and couldn’t care less about love, and Lynn, her new patient with a lethal heart disease. Lynn is a friendly romantic and over time, the two form an unlikely relationship.
Unlike many GL series, Pulse explores the complexities of navigating a queer relationship and accepting one’s identity in a world that isn’t always welcoming. The webtoon explores their individual struggles as well as coming out to those around them in a way that’s realistic and relatable.
5. Ring My Bell
Mai Sohn is an aspiring webcomic author who gets the offer of a lifetime when a major publisher asks her to create a romance webtoon. Unfortunately, Mai’s girlfriend just dumped her so she’s lacking in inspiration. Things get complicated when she finds herself falling for her sometimes-homophobic neighbor, Chungyeon, who just might be falling for her too.
Despite homophobia being used as a plot device (in a sadly realistic way), Ring My Bell is a lighthearted manhwa with two likable lead characters and plenty of cute moments.
4. Mage and Demon Queen
Mage and Demon Queen is a webtoon created by Filipino artist Kuru and is set in a fantasy world where adventurers journey to the famed Demon Queen’s tower for the chance to kill her and earn renown. One adventurer, the mage Malori, often climbs the tower but her intentions are different; Malori wants to win the Demon Queen’s hand in marriage.
The RPG-like setting — adventurers are resurrected after dying to the Demon Queen, thus giving them almost infinite tries to defeat her — differentiates this series from others. It’s a refreshing twist on the enemies-to-lovers trope we love so much.
3. Everyday Lily
Everyday Lily is a short, slice-of-life manhwa about two lesbians with different views on relationships. Jua considers herself a realist and rarely enters committed relationships while Nayoung is a romantic idealist who’s only experienced relationships in fiction. When Jua inadvertently comes out to the closeted Nayoung, Nayoung develops a crush on her.
This webtoon is a lot of fun and features two endearing leads. We would love to see more cute and realistic webtoons like this!
2. Not So Shoujo Love Story
Not So Shoujo Love Story has all the makings of an enjoyable GL series. The two main characters are charming, the romance is adorable, and it has a ton of hilarious moments.
The story follows Rei, a romance manga super-fan who’s decided she’s going to date the most handsome boy in her school: Hansum Ochinchin, a boy drawn with the most exaggerated chin we’ve seen in media (aside from everyone’s favorite cartoon hero, the Crimson Chin). Everything is going according to plan until the most popular girl in school, Susan, declares herself a rival for Rei’s affections.
1. Her Tale of Shim Chong
Her Tale of Shim Chong is a historical webtoon based on the classic Korean folktale, The Tale of Shim Chong. The two leads both come from different social backgrounds but, despite their differences, both desire to leave their patriarchal world. Shim Chong, a poor beggar doing her best to take care of her blind father, saves the life of the future bride of the old Chancellor Jang.
This encounter leads to a sweet romance between the two women. Her Tale of Shim Chong is peak GL, with all the angst and tender moments we love.
