Summary
Coming-of-age manhwa tackle many topics to whichreaders of all ages can relate: from needing a sense of belonging, going through a phase of change in life, and even understanding better one’s self, these manhwas provide interesting (and even educating, or healing) reads to both younger and older readers. Sometimes, this manhwa genre can give new readings to past or current events.
Whatever the reason is for enjoying coming-of-age manhwa – be it in the hopes ofsweet, tender first lovesor character development – here is a series of different ones that tackle a variety of issues, from heart-fluttering crushes, self-esteem issues, shyness, acceptance of one’s self, discovery, and finding one’s place in the world despite differences or expectations between family, friends, and society itself.
7Annie Green Hates Girls
Overcoming Shyness And Crushes
This is a manhwa for readers that are looking for a painstakingly shy character with a heart of gold. Annie is an incredibly sweet girl but is heavily tainted by harsh self-judgment and insecurities. In this manhwa, Annie will go through the classic high school trials and events: crushes, making friends, and navigating life, all while trying to overcome her biggest issue: making friends with girls.
With a delicate, ethereal art style, the author beautifully illustrates the characters and their stories, each one with different needs and wants, crushes, insecurities, and problems of their own, keeping the focus on Anna’s story and her will to finally leave her past of misunderstandings behind her.
6The Kiss Bet
Dared To Kiss A Stranger, Fated To Meet Him Again
This manhwa withnon-Korean main charactershas quickly become a fan-favorite due to its sweet and down-to-earth portrayal of high school characters, making for a realistic and adorable romance story about self-discovery, friendship, and crushes.
Sara Lin just turned 18, and she has a lot of good things in her life: a loving father, supportive friends, and, of course, her life ahead of her. But when she is challenged to kiss a stranger by her best friend, Patrick, little does she know that she is fated to meet him again, as this stranger will become crucial to her life in many ways.
5Senpai Is An Otokonoko
A Delicate Story About Understanding One’s Identity
This story, which has also been turned into ananime, is an adorable coming-of-age romance that tackles sensitive themes such asgender identity and preferences and one’s sense of belonging. Saki, a total sweetheart, confesses her feelings to Makoto, and so he reveals his secret to her – but Saki doesn’t seem to be bothered by it at all. Saki adores Makoto, and she isn’t willing to give up on him, so she asks Ryuji (Makoto’s best friend) for advice.
The story quickly becomes a love triangle when Saki is integrated in the friend group and Ryuji realizes that all of Saki’s attention to Makoto is somehow bothering him, triggering a series of events that will lead him to understand that, perhaps, he harbors more than friendship for Makoto. Readers will love the art and the unexpected turns of each character’s development.
4Not So Shoujo Love Story
Accepting One’s Self And Finding True Love
Rei Chan is head over heels for Hansum Ochinchin, the highschool’s dream boy, and fantasizes about herperfect shoujo romance story(her obsession with shoujo manga might be getting the best of her). The thing is, not only Hansum can’t even seem to remember her name, but the school’s most popular girl, Hanna, suddenly confesses her love to Rei Chan. This is not how it’s supposed to go in her perfect romance.
With impeccable comedic timing,Not So Shoujo Love Storyalmost comes off as a shoujo satire, reversing all that the readers expect in a classic shoujo trope. Funny and unique, this manhwa expertfully tackles crucial coming-of-age themes such as one’s preferences, self-discovery, and accepting one’s feelings.
3Lady Knight
Fitting In Without Standing Out
In the middle between a manhwa and a webtoon, this is one story sure to impress readers with its art style and gorgeous European religious architecture. Aurora is a selfless, hard-working orphan that finds out she’s marked by a terrible curse, and must attend an academy to take part in an ancient and mysterious order of knights, studying in what looks kind of like avery dangerous high school.
With determination and grace, readers will see Aurora become a fierce D’Artagnan-like lady, all while maintaining her desire to avoid unnecessary harm and use the academy’s knowledge in new, unexplored ways. And, of course, all while (seemingly) being the only girl at the academy, as the curse has always and only hit males. Readers will follow with curiosity, amazed also by the romantic andelegant choice of historical clothing.
2True Beauty
Bullyism, Beauty Standards, And Finding Your Place
Perhaps one of the most well-known romance manhwas that tackle coming-of-age themes, True Beauty is an example of a beautifully crafted lengthy manhwa that stays engaging through the end. Since the story follows the characters from a young age throughout adulthood, the story has plenty of time to tackle themes such as bullying, self-image, beauty standards, and choosing one’s path and career,
Junyeong is a wholesome character, plagued by her “unattractive appearance” according to Korean beauty standards: it is in makeup that she will soon find solace and the ability to fit in. But as the story progresses, her secret will become her cage, and makeup will make her a prisoner, unless she learns how to both embrace herself and also not give up on what she is passionate about. Plus, this story has some of thebest couple chemistry.
1Cursed Princess Club
Imperfections Are What Make You Beautiful
In this princess fairy tale parody, readers will meet Gwendolyn, the odd one in a family of sparkling and gorgeous princesses and princes (including the King, her father). But in her family’s eyes, she is incredibly beautiful, so that Gwendolyn has never doubted herself to be different from so – Gwendolyn is indeed one of themost wholesome, kind, and talented characters one will meet. Everything changes, though, when she is confronted with the outside world in a possible arranged marriage: her self-image shatters.
All seems lost to her – including her idea ofa classic romance– until she accidentally ends up at the Cursed Princess Club, a place where she seems to belong, for all princesses there are cursed or born with a “flaw” that makes them different from the classic fairy tale stories. In a funny and heart-warming story of self-love and acceptance, readers will find plenty of life lessons and strong depictions of friendship, as Gwendolyn does her best in navigating this new Club and balancing it with her family and her neighboring kingdom’s world.
