Here's a secret a lot of K-drama fans don't realise: a huge number of the dramas you've binged started life as webtoons. The bones of the story — the swoony romances, the slow-burn tension, the satisfying revenge arcs — were all drawn first. So if you've ever finished a drama and wished there was more, the original webtoon is often waiting with extra story the show didn't have time for.
These are the best webtoons to read if you love K-dramas — a mix of ones that became famous dramas and ones that simply scratch the same itch.
Totally up to you! Reading the webtoon first gives you the full story; watching the drama first means you already know the characters. Either way, you get to enjoy it twice. For the full list of adaptations, see Webtoons That Became Famous K-Dramas.
The best webtoons for drama lovers
A girl who feels invisible masters the art of makeup and transforms into her school's "goddess" — while hiding her bare face from everyone, including the two boys falling for her. Funny, warm, and packed with the exact love-triangle tension K-drama fans live for. Became a hugely popular 2020 drama.
An ex-convict with an unbreakable moral code opens a little bar-restaurant in Seoul's Itaewon district, determined to take down the food empire that ruined his life. A gripping underdog revenge story about loyalty and ambition. The 2020 drama was a smash hit.
A hardworking university student gets entangled with a charming, wealthy senior who is not quite what he seems. A psychologically sharp campus romance with an undercurrent of unease — is he kind, or calculating? Adapted into a 2016 drama and film.
A narcissistic, impossibly handsome company heir panics when his perfect, long-suffering secretary finally announces she's quitting — and realises he can't function (or stop thinking about her) without her. The ultimate office rom-com. The 2018 drama was a phenomenon.
A young woman who was bullied for her looks gets plastic surgery before university — only to face a new kind of judgement. A thoughtful campus romance that takes on beauty standards and self-worth with real heart. Adapted into a 2018 drama.
A zombie outbreak traps a group of students inside their high school, where surviving means out-thinking both the infected and each other. Tense, brutal, and emotional. Became a global Netflix hit in 2022 — and the webtoon is the original source.
Loved a specific drama? Try our Webtoon Finder AI tool — name the show and it'll point you to a webtoon you'll love. Or browse all our K-Drama guides.