20 Best Revenge Manhwa That'll Have You Instantly Hooked

After power fantasies, revenge might just be one of the most popular sub-genres across manhwa, webtoons, web novels, and even K-dramas. While it may not otherwise be considered a genre by itself, the theme of revenge has been so prevalent and popular in these mediums that it has been solidified as such over the years. That said, even within the revenge genre, every series can differ quite greatly in terms of its settings, characters, and the nature of the revenge itself. Some are set in contemporary high school or office settings, others are high fantasies, while still others intersect with the typical historical setting of otome isekai series. As for the retribution itself, it can be both cold and brutal as well as calm and methodical. All that to say, whether you're looking for instant gratification or to see a long game play out most satisfyingly, revenge manhwa have a little something for everyone. Devil Returns To School Days (2023) Devil Returns to School Days follows Kim Hyunsung, a high schooler whose life goes off the rails when a bunch of bullies push him off a rooftop right before graduation. The fall leaves Hyunsung in a vegetative state for ten years, while in the meantime his grandmother collapses and the bullies begin to target his younger brother instead. Miraculously, Hyunsung is given a second chance and wakes up in the past, where he finally gets to enact the vengeance he so meticulously envisioned over and over in his head for a decade while in a coma. Thus, Hyunsung methodically begins his revenge against his high school bullies, including all those who enabled them, using his knowledge of the future to manipulate whoever he must to achieve his goal of completely ruining their lives. While the premise of the story is quite generic, the true appeal of Devil Returns to School Days lies in how ruthless Hyunsung's revenge is, which eventually sees him turn into more of an antihero as the series progresses. Doom Breaker (2021) The success of series like Solo Leveling and Omniscient Reader has given rise to a seemingly never-ending sea of post-apocalyptic and regression manhwa. And yet, surrounded by stories that all begin to blend into one another after a certain point, Webtoon's Doom Breaker grabs your attention from the get-go with its distinctive artwork and rich world-building. The series follows Zephyr, an incomparable warrior who becomes humanity's last line of defense against Tartarus, the god of destruction, and his invading force of demons. The climactic showdown ends up claiming Zephyr's life, but not before he lands a fatal blow on Tartarus. This feat invites the curiosity of the other gods, who send him back in time with his memories intact so he can put on an even greater show for them this time around. Of course, Zephyr has many regrets, but that doesn't mean he's ready to play the gods' cruel game. Thus, he sets out once again to try and save humanity, this time with a renewed spite for the gods and a plan to exact vengeance against the god of destruction. Marry My Husband (2022) One of the most common catchphrases associated with revenge is that "revenge is a dish best served cold," and if there's one series that completely encapsulates this, it is Marry My Husband. Written by Sungsojak and adapted by Studio LICO, Marry My Husband is a regression story that follows Kang Jiwon, a terminally ill woman with only months left to live who finds out her husband has been cheating on her with her best friend while she's been battling cancer. Jiwon's life is cut even shorter in a scuffle when she catches the two red-handed. After years of putting up with a deadbeat husband and borderline abusive in-laws, Jiwon laments the life she's lived in her final moments. But when she opens her eyes again, she finds herself ten years in the past. As her revenge, Jiwon decides to let her best friend have her husband this time around, also passing on her ugly fate to her best friend by extension. Packed with plenty of scheming, melodrama, romance, and satisfying revenge, Marry My Husband is as addictive as they come, so much so that the series was also adapted into a hit K-drama available on Prime Video. The Scandal Maker Has Returned (2026) It's been barely a year since Not Your Typical Reincarnation Story dropped its beautiful conclusion, and its creator, Lemon Frog, is already back with another soon-to-be hit series on Webtoon, and this time it's a revenge series. The Scandal Maker Has Returned follows Harriet Listerwell, a young noble lady who was taken in by her uncle as a child after her parents mysteriously passed away in a boating accident. However, her uncle's guardianship comes at a steep cost as she takes the fall and is framed for her cousin's misdeeds, branding her as a scandal maker and promiscuous woman. After a major scandal involving the Duke Kalias, Harriet is sent away to a convent. While she is there, her uncle withdraws his support for her, and Harriet finds out her uncle may have been involved in her parents' death and stealing her rightful inheritance. Thus, she sets out to reclaim what is hers and swears to become her scheming cousin's worst scandal. Mime (2026) The Crow meets Absolute Batman in Mime, Webtoon's newest horror thriller with the perfect cut tale of revenge, betrayal, conspiracy, and a touch of the supernatural that brings its protagonist, a nameless mime, back to life after a dangerous back alley encounter. Scorned by the circus owner and the audience alike, the mime finds a ray of hope in a single young woman who cheers for him at what would soon be his last-ever performance, at least on stage. Fate, or perhaps a conspiracy, leads to the mime crossing paths with the woman in the audience once again in a dark alleyway where he attempts to save her from two men, only to die in vain. Brought back to life by a cat and armed with new powers that materialize into reality whatever he mimes, he sets out to get revenge for the woman, lifting the curtains on what may be the grandest, final performance of his life. Your Throne (2020) Your Throne revolves around Medea and Psyche, two ladies competing for the title of the crown princess. Believing herself superior in every way, Medea feels betrayed when the Crown Prince, Eros, chooses Psyche to be his wife instead. Thus begins Medea's plot to take back her rightful throne and title. However, the plot takes an unexpected turn when Medea and Psyche switch bodies after falling into the fountain at the temple. Though pitted against each other at the start, Medea and Psyche quickly realize their true enemy is someone else entirely. Unlike other revenge manhwa, which usually include romance in some form or another, Your Throne chooses to focus on the duality between its two protagonists and their developing relationship instead. Rooftop Sword Master (2020) Se-young Tak stars as the meek-turned-ruthless mountain of beef and hatred in Rooftop Sword Master, one of the edgiest manhwa of its decade. Unlike other bullied teen stories, Se-young's encounters cause him to be hospitalized and left traumatized when he returns from his coma, resigning himself at first to hiding away in his rooftop apartment after his parents die an agonizing death, setting themselves on fire. But everything changes when a massive sword appears outside his apartment, with Se-young's journey hardly resembling that of Arthur Pendragon's. Se-young begins his vengeance journey by strength training, using the blade's massive heft to build muscle over time. While implausible, the results are uncanny and incredible to behold, with him becoming a horrifying, muscular beast able to slaughter assailants and former tormentors alike. Rooftop Sword Master is a perfect revenge manhwa for those craving an antihero thoroughly and viscerally consumed by his animus. Roxana (2021) Roxana is a must-read manhwa for fans of the villainess trope looking for a fresh take on the trope. The protagonist of Roxana finds herself reincarnated into a scandalous novel called The Abysmal Flower as Roxana Agrece. Unfortunately, the Agrece family are the antagonists of the story, a group of assassins and poisoners, infamous for their cruelty and abuse while ultimately doomed to a grim fate at the hands of the story's real heroine. Not wanting to go down with her villainous family, Roxana takes matters into her own hands and the key to her survival is none other than Cassis, the heroine's brother. Unlike other series, Roxana isn't afraid to be gory and violent in the slightest, with a refreshing morally ambiguous villainess as a change of pace. More than just a feast for the eyes with its immaculate artwork, stunning character designs, and highly detailed wardrobes, Roxana exemplifies the manipulative traits needed to survive in an iconic otome isekai manhwa, while telling its revenge tale in a clean, concise 43 chapters. Villainess Turns the Hourglass (2020) The Villainess Turns the Hourglass is a classic in the revenge genre and a must-read for fans of the trope. The story follows Aria who, much like many other manhwa protagonists, gets a chance to travel back in time and live life differently. In her first life, Aria was every part the villainess, known for mistreating her step-sister to no end. However, just as she is about to be executed, her meek little sister Mielle reveals she has been manipulating Aria all along, provoking her into ruining her reputation, which led to her punishment. Now aware of Mielle's little scheme, Aria decides to truly become the villainess she was believed to be, outsmart Mielle, and save herself and her mother from her step-sister's wicked plans. I Tamed My Ex-Husband's Mad Dog (2022) With the protagonist doubling as one of the most compelling manhwa antiheroes due to her multifaceted development, I Tamed My Ex-Husband's Mad Dog is an immediately thrilling revenge story. The series follows typical regression plot line elements but with quick gratification for readers craving to see the villainous prince Michel, husband of protagonist Reinhardt Lincke, get stabbed through the leg after Reinhardt is sent fifteen years into the past. The story picks up from here, with her taking a very young Wilhelm Cohlonna as her primary ally and love interest. I Tamed My Ex-Husband's Mad Dog shows its protagonist taking proactive measures to stop her victimization on her terms. Reinhardt Lincke is nowhere near a perfect manhwa protagonist, and she doesn't try to be. Her actions resemble those of a yandere antihero with Wilhelm at her side, supplemented by gorgeous art depicting the characteristically beautiful characters of an otome series.