Summary
Webtoonsand manhwa have become increasingly popular in the west, so many of their most popular series are getting anticipated anime adaptations. Still, the best dark fantasy series have yet to gain exposure. Much of the time, many popular manhwa have dark fantasy undertones but only commit to varying levels of its often brutal violence and sinister undertones. The genre can manifest in modern-day escapist fantasy, twists on medieval settings with necromancers aplenty, or eclectic universes with vampires and other monsters.
But the best dark fantasy manhwa often features a distinctive, fascinating aesthetic and a unique enough premise to not feel like so many isekai, reverse isekai, and otomeisekai manhwathat dominate the medium. This means overlooking a series declared as dark fantasy, likeTower of God,in favor of a deeper cut and often being rewarded for it in the process.
Beware, though. The dark fantasy manhwa genre is known for blending elements of psychological horror, body horror, morally ambiguous characters, and plenty of gore.
11The Hero Returns
Original Novel by B. Ain, Art by Antstudio and Yungun, Story by Antstudio, Available on Tapas
The Hero Returnsmay scratch a similar itchfor readers who enjoyedSolo Levelingand is not the only Tapas webtoon to do so,but with a darker twist quickly affirmed by the intro. Instead of a protracted and more even response to the opening of dungeons worldwide,The Hero Returnsshows its protagonist, Sungin Kim, as the only remaining Awakened, a human with special powers. When he dies, he is sent twenty years into the past as Soohyun Kim, where he quickly regains his combat abilities and a second chance to thwart disaster.
9Fray
Created by GO100, Available on Webtoon
The main character, Magpie, fights in a world inundated with demonic threats, where fighters like herself are equipped with miracles to fight them.
Much like many popular Webtoon series, Fray is largely only available through the mobile app despite being complete. Still, it’s entirely worth it,with a furious aura that makes every chapter breezy.The main character, Magpie, fights in a world inundated with demonic threats, where fighters like herself are equipped with miracles to fight them, with Magpie’s miracle being a flame strong enough to kill demons. However, this power comes at a cost in true dark fantasy fashion, with Magpie losing time off her lifespan when the sun goes down and gaining time after slaying demons.
8Eyes
Created by Jeong Summer, Available on Webtoon
Trading swords and sorcery for a modern setting,Eyesis well-received among its readers for creating a fascinating premise anda distinctive monochrome color palettewhere distinguishing features of characters, like eyes, are among the only sources of color. The story ofEyesfeatures disguised avian humanoids living in society while attempting to blend in, with some having more nefarious and dangerous abilities and others capable of premonitions. At protagonist Juan Seo’s school, students or staff can become food for the birds of prey, with readers having fun figuring out which species of bird’s powers each character has.
7Deor
Created by J.oori, Available on Webtoon
With a titular prince born without magical abilities in a society where it’s practically a given,it’s easy to draw parallels betweenDeorandthe underratedBlack Clover.However, the latter has some interesting and unique draws. Despite his limitations, though, especially with a commoner mother, Prince Deor is given a chance at his father, the king’s crown in a sort of free-for-all for the throne, another familiar concept for dark and high fantasy fans in this manhwa. With a definitive set of final chapters spread across two successful seasons,Deoris a complete and utterly stunning visual showcase.
6The Raven King
Created by Kyorin, Available on Webtoon
More dark fantasy manhwa stories deserve female protagonists if only they could break away from the bullied teen power fantasy tropes so common in the webtoon world.The Raven Kingfollows Vie, a thief in the Kingdom of Aelis' capital, Corva, where her deeds are caught by the Raven King, landing her in his service. While the service certainly begins with a more tame general high fantasy setting, the plot develops further with dark fantasy elements, includingmorally ambiguous main characters and dreaded, arcane powers with lethal potential.
5The Strongest Evolutionary Necromancer
Original Novel by TBD Ghost, Art by Jang Zak, Story by Seong Hun Kim, Available on Tapas
The confident delivery of large-scale battles and body horror appropriate for reanimating fresh corpses for battle makes this an instant hit.
This series has only recently gotten an official localization, known initially asNecromancer’s Evolutionary Traits. It’s making waves with its explosive first chapter, and dozens of chapters later,readers can be assured they’re in for an excellent ride. The premise is somewhat typical, with Kim Jinhwan reincarnating as a necromancer in the game Piccata, where he has six months before he is killed for practicing the dark arts. Readers will be rewarded with a familiar fantasy/isekai premise. Still, the confident delivery of large-scale battles and body horror appropriate for reanimating fresh corpses for battle makes this an instant hit.
4The Blood of the Butterfly
Created by Remin, Available on Webtoon and Tappytoon
For other fascinating bug-related manhwa,Jungle Juiceis a stellar recommendation, but more strictly action than dark fantasy.
The Blood of the Butterflyis a strong and unique example of how dark fantasy can be adapted into a modern setting for a manhwa, using intense shades of red in its color palette.The series is steeped in dread and body horror due to a bug-related apocalypse eventcausing humanity to rely on savior figures like the Butterfly Goddess and people injected with her blood after she dies. This creates the Butterflies, products of genetic experimentation, to whom Maehwa Baek belongs, but his abilities show when he sees his blood, sending him into a frenzy.
3Dark Mortal
Created by Jeonyok Lee, Available on Webtoon
What could just as easily have been turned into another power fantasy webtoon,Dark Mortalintroduces a progressively sinister yet grounded dark fantasy set in an otherwise normal world. Nam Kang, the story’s protagonist, survives a horrific fire but loses his parents, soon meeting the mysterious, shadowy creature Inky and a loving adoptive father. As he walks through his emotional trauma and surprisingly loses the physical scars from the incident,Nam is tested persistently on the kind of person he wants to be, capable both of heroic deeds and brutal violence thanks to his mysterious dark passengers.
2Doom Breaker
Art and Story by Blue-Deep, Available on Webtoon
Also known asReincarnation of the Suicidal Battle God, this series depicts Zephyr as the last human fighting the wrathful gods who have already destroyed the world. In his last spiteful moments, Zephyr gets one last humiliation against his opponent, Tartarus, by inflicting the first known injury against the conquering god before dying in battle. This initially prompts unknown forces to offer him a chance to take down the god bygoing back in time like his former slave self, but armed with incredible RPG-inspired perks,rising through the ranks to become an asset even royalty can count on.
