9 Best Enemies To Lovers Manhwa

The enemies-to-lovers genre in Manhwa is among the most popular romance tropes. The genre usually involves two characters who start with a deep-seated hatred toward each other or rivalry, creating a thrilling tension that slowly melts or transforms these characters’ emotions into a toxic relationship of hatred and love.

The tension and conflict emitted between the two characters create a fascinating narrative as the occurrence is generally rarer in real life. This transformation from enemies to romantic partners provides drama, humor, and sometimes a satisfying emotional journey for readers. The enemies-to-lovers genre is well-known for its often-absurd plots, character growth, and engaging world-building in the Manhwa realm.

Updated on November 1, 2024, by Nahda Nabiilah:A unique element of the enemies-to-lovers trope in Manhwa is the way it challenges the typical romance dynamics within relationships. Since the characters often start off as rivals or enemies, their confrontations are initially intense and filled with sharp banter, strategic maneuvers, and clashes of willpower. This rivalry allows for a more complex and layered romance that transforms the growing tension into a passionate romance. As both characters push each other’s boundaries, testing limits and growing as individuals. The slow burn of growing attraction amidst the ongoing conflict creates an irresistible emotional rollercoaster that keeps readers hooked to the growing affection.

9 How To Win My Husband Over

How To Win Over My Cold Husband To Escape My Doomed Fate

This Manhwa discusses heavy subjects such as anorexia, family abuse, trauma, and sexual harassment.

In How to Win My Husband Over, Ruby and Iske’s relationship begins rocky and turbulent. Ruby, unsure how to act naturally, makes herself in awkward, cringy obedience, while Iske’s poor communication skills make him seem cold and distant. Despite genuinely caring for Ruby’s safety and well-being, his aloofness and her confusing and controlled behavior create a gulf between them, leading to mistrust and misunderstandings. In their first lifetime, these misunderstandings result in tragedy, with Iske killing Ruby and her family for betraying him and poisoning his sister.

In the second lifetime, however, Ruby’s soul is replaced by a girl from modern-day South Korea, who read about the worlds she’s fallen into from a novel. Now determined to escape her tragic fate that cruelly resembles her past life, Ruby sets out to win Iske’s trust and affection in the hope of securing his loyalty to escape her family and their schemes to throw the north into chaos.

8 An Hour Of Romance

Funny and Heartfluttering Romance

Jooahn and Dojin, identified by an ordinary relationship between a boss and employer, find themselves facing an unexpected twist of fate when their souls swap during a work meeting in An Hour of Romance. Terrified of what happened, the two decide to brush it off as a mere coincidence. However, when their souls swap again inexplicably, they decide it is time to unravel the mystery of this bizarre phenomenon.

As the days pass, they uncover that their souls will swap daily at an unexpected hour. To maintain the probability, they establish strict rules and regular meetings, but their contrasting personalities and objectives threaten to ruin such efforts. Can they set aside their differences and collaborate effectively, or will their conflicting traits jeopardize their attempts to maintain a normal daily life as they try to uncover the reason behind this?

7 For Better Or For Worse

Agreed To Marriage of Convenience To Save My sister

In For Better or For Worse, Lady Dillon and Marquess Cedric have rocky and heated arguments as their initial interactions are filled with tension and misunderstandings. When Cedric attempts to propose to Dillon’s sister, Dillon strongly opposes the idea, not out of jealousy or because of her past as a villain in the previous timeline, but to protect her sister, whom she knows is destined to die during childbirth after marrying him.

Despite their heated arguments and differences, Cedric feels compelled to follow his grandfather’s wish to marry someone from Dillon’s family, leading to them to agree to a marriage of convenience. As the story unfolds, their relationship takes an unexpected turn, filled with moments of growth, vulnerability, and shared experience. However, with Cedric’s intertwined fate with the original female lead of the novel, can they navigate the complexities of their situation and find a way to forge their own path together?

6 Iseop’s Romance

The Story Of TK Crown Prince

An outstanding working force for the TK Group, Mingyeong Kang gets demoted to become Iseop secretary with no further notice. Confused, she asks the higher-ups what led to such a conclusion, despite her non-stop hard work for the past 10 years, and that is when the company’s CEO offers her a deal that she can’t reject. She has to handle Iseop as his secretary and get him in line in exchange for the TK Group sponsoring her athlete siblings.

After she decides to take the deal, she meets Iseop again after 10 years, but he confesses that he dislikes her. His reason is that she was always better than him and trampled all over his ego even when he sacrificed his life to be TK’s true successor. Even though he never stated his reasons out loud, and she always finds a way to get on his nerves, why can’t he stop himself from thinking about her?

5 Villain With A Crush

Unlucky Crush

In a world of humans wielding special abilities, none could even come close to Officer Han Do-Ryeong’s power. His charm, kindness, and rare abilities make him stand out in Villain with a Crush. Rosa Park is equally gifted with strong and unique abilities but never learned to wield her powers properly. Her uncontrolled abilities became the tools that could bring her closer to Do-Ryeong, as she yearned to declare her affection and gratitude for him.

However, a series of misfortunes hindered her attempts at a successful love confession and transformed her into South Korea’s notorious villain, Blackdog. This grave misunderstanding turned Do-Ryeong and Rosa into enemies, with Do-Ryeong wanting to capture Blackdog. Despite Rosa’s persistent efforts to fix Blackdog’s damaged image, each action only brought further misunderstandings, deepening the chasm between them.

4 To Love Your Enemy

Sweet And Funny Romance

Yeonhee Bae grew up in a broken family and honed her skills of deception in To Love Your Enemy. At 24, she decides to start anew and pursue the education she had to halt. On campus, she crosses paths with someone from her past, destroying the hope for a brighter future.

Determined to leave her old self behind, she tries to correct the misunderstanding between them. Will their shared history threaten their college journey, or will they overcome the misunderstandings and forge a new future?

3 Not-Sew-Wicked Stepmom

Heartwarming Family Relationship

When Lily Lee wakes up as the cruel villainess in a fairytale, she decides to turn the little princess’s life around and free her from all the abuse of her previous stepmother in Not-Sew-Wicked Stepmom. Lily was always fond of cute, beautiful, and lovely things, and she happened to find her cute little Blanche embodies everything that she adores.

She’s fiercely protective of Blanche and is prepared to fight everyone to protect her, even from her dad, King Freidkins, whom she thinks might be too harsh on the young princess. Determined to ensure Blanche’s happiness, Abigail finds herself entangled in a complex web of familial dynamics, where she has to “put up” with the King to enjoy her little angel’s company.

2 The Spark In Your Eyes

Blinded By The Setting Sun

Erkin is a young pharmacist from the north who lost his parents after a lengthy war in The Spark in Your Eyes. He believes their death is all because of the Sun’s Witch, who’s been blessed by the sun goddess, Karia, with the magical ability of light and heat. After making a name for himself in Mormeratta, he is requested by two suspicious persons to treat their master.

Thinking this will make it easier for him to end the Witch of the Sun, he accepts the offer and moves to the castle. Inside the castle, no one knows nor has seen the master, making it easier for Hildegar to blend in with the rest of the staff and get closer to Erkin. As days pass, the two become friends, but will they remain as such when Erkin finds out his sworn enemy is none other than Hildegar, or will he find a way to overcome such hatred?

1 Trapped

Toxic Enemies-Lovers Relationship

In everyone’s eyes, Chae-a Han and Yunsu Park are the spitting images of angels, but underneath those masks lies an ex-convict and a blood-sucking vampire. Armed with knowledge of Chae-a’s past, Yunsu blackmails her with a murder she didn’t commit to manipulate and entertain himself.

However, Chae-a Han is not someone who gives up easily, especially to Yunsu’s twisted games. Determined to break free from this torment, she tries every tactic to escape this living hell. As their games become more toxic by the day, they revel in each other’s misery and suffering, dancing on the edge of life and death. Yet, amidst the chaos, unexpected emotions begin to stir, leading to the formation of romantic feelings that neither can control nor admit.