The webtoon format is perfect for thrillers. The vertical scroll controls the pace — the artist decides exactly when you see the next clue, the next twist, the next reveal. You can't skim ahead. You're trapped in the story's rhythm.
Korean thriller and mystery webtoons use this brilliantly. Here are the best ones to lose a weekend to.
This list focuses on thriller (tension and danger) and mystery (puzzles and investigation). If you want pure scares, check our separate best horror webtoons guide. Some titles overlap — the genres blur — and content warnings are noted where relevant.
The best thriller & mystery webtoons
One of the most talked-about and controversial webtoons ever made — a deeply disturbing psychological thriller about obsession, captivity, and trauma. Not an easy read, and absolutely not for everyone, but undeniably one of the most influential thriller webtoons in the medium's history. The art and tension are extraordinary.
A mystery webtoon set in the BTS Universe, following a group of young men bound together by a tragedy — and a mysterious time loop that lets one of them try to save the others. Emotional, melancholy, and genuinely intriguing as a mystery, even if you're not a BTS fan. The time-loop structure keeps you guessing.
An ordinary high school student discovers magical dice that can change reality — your appearance, your abilities, even your life — but using them drags you into a dangerous competitive game with deadly stakes. A long-running mystery-thriller with an addictive game structure and escalating tension. One of LINE Webtoon's most popular long-form series.
A grieving teenager and the residents of his apartment building must survive as a mysterious plague turns people into monsters. As much a survival thriller as a horror story — the tension of who can be trusted and how to stay alive drives every chapter. Adapted into a hit Netflix series.
A short, devastating survival story about a young boy and an even younger child trying to make their way across a war-torn landscape. Quiet, tense, and emotionally overwhelming — a different kind of thriller, where the suspense comes from the simple, brutal question of whether they'll survive. Beautifully drawn in stark monochrome.
Tips for reading thriller webtoons
- Always check the content rating — Thriller webtoons range from teen-friendly to extremely mature. LINE Webtoon and Lezhin both label maturity levels clearly.
- Completed series are best for bingeing — Thrillers are agony to read week-by-week. Pick completed series so you can follow the suspense without waiting.
- Don't read the comments first — Webtoon comment sections are notorious for spoilers, especially on twist-heavy thriller chapters.
- Read in dark mode at night — It genuinely heightens the atmosphere. But maybe not right before bed.
Check our guides to best horror webtoons and best completed webtoons to binge.