The 10 Best Manhwa (Webtoons) With Strong Female Leads
Looking for webtoons with bold, smart, and fearless heroines? Dive into this top 10 list of must-read manhwa where strong female leads steal the spotlight and rewrite their destinies.
Badass Female Lead Manhwa Recommendations: When Girl Power Takes the Lead
I’ve read hundreds—maybe even thousands—of manhwa by now. And one trend that’s impossible to miss? The slow fade-out of the weak, Mary Sue-type leads. In their place? A rising wave of fierce, capable women who are sweet when they want to be—but never afraid to take control and bend fate to their will.
From thrilling adventures to emotionally rich romances, these heroines are stealing the spotlight and winning hearts left and right. It’s no wonder readers everywhere are falling head over heels.
So why not give a few of these titles a shot? Below are some of the most badass, overpowered female lead manhwa that absolutely deserve a spot on your reading list.
My Top 10 Strong Female Lead Webtoons (Manhwa) You Must Read
The Lady and the Beast
Roxana
The Golden-Haired Summoner
Unholy Blood
Hero Killer
Master Villainess the Invincible!
The Siren: Becoming the Villain’s Family
Light and Shadow
Beware the Villainess!
1. The Lady and the Beast
War, betrayal, and bloodshed mark Empress Martina’s reign and life. But upon her death, she’s given a second chance to live a peaceful life as Astina.
However, peace is short-lived as she soon finds her family knee-deep in debt and her sister facing a forced marriage. To save her new family, Astina makes a hard choice: to marry the cursed Archduke Atalenta.
My Rating: 9/10
The Lady and the Beast is one of the biggest surprises of this list. Its plot is fresh, while its main character (MC) is simply a badass goddess. I also love the psychological depth of its storyline.
Though it’s not the best, the art looks smooth and pleasing. If you’re into romance manhwa with strong female leads, then I recommend you try this goodie.
2. Kill the Villainess
Eris Miserian has become the antagonist of a popular romance novel and is doomed to meet a cruel demise. Her only escape is to die, just as the story dictates.
Like any sane lady, she rejects her fate. But as she navigates the treacherous plot, Eris discovers dark secrets hiding behind the shadow of the storyline. Can she triumph over her authored destiny? Or is she fated to suffer as the villainess?
My Rating: 9/10
Though Kill the Villainess has a classic shoujo art style, you don’t need to worry about that. After all, this webcomic is a cliché-breaker. Its plot is gripping enough that I’ve stayed up late just to finish all its chapters.
The characters are not tired cardboard actors and have rich humanity in them. If you like political and psychological thriller webtoons with strong female leads, then you’ll love this gripping story.
3. Roxana
The Agrece family is despised throughout the empire—wicked, brutal, and evil. There’s nothing more certain than their downfall. But when a young girl suddenly finds herself transmigrated as Roxana, the Agrece’s villainous daughter, destiny shifts.
Still, to live in a family full of crazy bastards, Roxana must use all her wits to survive—and to hopefully break free from her family’s nefarious grip.
My Rating: 10/10
Roxana stands tall with its gorgeous art, stunning characters, and gripping world-building are a feast for the eyes. The plot isn’t your usual villainess trope; rather, it’s deeper and darker.
It’s not an exaggeration to say that it’s one of the best villainess manhwa out there. Anyway, if you’re looking for a manhwa with a strong female lead, then don’t miss this goodie.
4. The Golden-Haired Summoner
Taking the advice of her parents to heart, Jinny studies way too hard—and winds up dying because of it. Still, fate’s not so cruel to hard-working types, and she receives a chance to reincarnate as Geenie Crowell.
No, she’s not back on Earth; she’s in a mysterious realm where magic, demons, orcs, elves, and spirits exist. And this time, she won’t take any crap. Expectations be damned! She’s planning to live the life she wants.
My Rating: 9/10
The Golden-Haired Summoner has stunning artwork, a funny plot, and a free-spirited main character. I promise it’s going to give you a few good laughs.
Anyway, if you’re into underrated webtoons with strong female leads, then this goodie will be up your alley.
5. Unholy Blood
Hayan’s life is not what she wants it to be. She longs for a quiet life, but fate isn’t on her side. Worse, a swarm of vampires suddenly scours her college and home, leaving her adoptive father dead. She knows she can’t keep hiding from her past any longer.
Furious, Hayan sets out to rid the world of blood-sucking pests. But to succeed, she must also face her inner demons—the cursed pureblood bloodline she inherited. But can her thirst for justice overcome the darkness within her, or will it consume her in the end?
My Rating: 9/10
Unholy Blood is a top-notch vampire romance spiced further with a badass female lead. It boasts a high-tier art style—neat coloring, detailed lining, and picture-perfect characters.
Plot-wise, it’s a classic revenge trope mixed with a good dose of mystery and badassery.
6. Hero Killer
Ihwa is a lady on a mission of revenge. Her sole purpose is to hunt and kill the hero who killed her sister. To reach her goal, she’s willing to infiltrate the Hero’s Society or even the League of Villains.
But as she delves deeper into the dark underbelly of the hero-villain world, she realizes things are not as straightforward as they seem. Lines are blurred. Sometimes a hero can be a villain, and a villain … a hero.
My Rating: 9/10
Hero Killer is a must-read revenge manhwa with a strong female lead. With its complex characters, solid storyline, and wonderful art, this webtoon deserves more eyes on it.
It’s also loaded with heart-thumping fight scenes and unexpected story depth. If you enjoy hero-villain webtoons, then you should try this cookie.
7. Master Villainess the Invincible!
Yeoju is a failed writer in Korea. Still, the gods of transmigration like her so much that she gets transmigrated into a popular martial arts novel.
Unfortunately, she isn’t the female lead; she’s Tang Clan’s Haewon Tang—the novel’s villainess, who’s destined for death. To avoid her bloody fate, she sets out to learn the ancient secrets of martial arts. After all, she’s read the book so many times that she already knows most of this world’s veiled secrets.
My Rating: 8/10
Master Villainess the Invincible is a kickass manhwa with a badass female MC. It’s a fine brew of murim romance and transmigration tropes.
Its art panels also look amazing and sleek. Still, the characters sometimes act like tired clichés. It’s not bad, but quality-wise, it lacks a few layers of depth.
8. The Siren: Becoming the Villain’s Family
Aria has lived like a puppet her entire life. The emperor keeps her in a cage and forces her to sing until her death. Though it’s already too late, the demonized Grand Duke Lloyd Valentine comes and releases her from her shackles.
In thanks, just before she dies, she draws all of her strength to offer him a last song. But the next time she opens her eyes, she finds herself back in the past. This time, she plans to save the young duke just like he saved her.
My Rating: 9/10
The Siren: Becoming the Villain’s Family’s art panels deserves applause; it’s stunning and intricate, and the artist draws emotions well. Best of all, the characters aren’t templates. Rather, they’re complex and very human.
The plot also has a gritty yet charming dark tone. Perhaps my only gripe about this strong female-led manhwa is its slow pacing.
9. Light and Shadow
Though a maid, Edna is forced to marry the infamous Duke Eli. Still, unbeknownst to her masters, the young maid has a secret that can change the very path of the kingdom.
Can this odd marriage of convenience end age-old enmities? Or will she and the Duke draw swords once her secrets come to light?
My Rating: 8/10
What makes Light and Shadow stand out is its well-crafted medieval kingdom romance plot and its intriguing and badass female lead. Still, its art isn’t the best out there. It’s not super bad—just alright.
10. Beware the Villainess!
Awakening as the bedraggled villainess from a novel, a young college girl realizes she must deviate from the wretched plot for her sanity’s sake.
Thus, Melissa Foddebrat 2.0 emerges from her green tea shell to become a true villainess. This time, she refuses to be a doormat, and she’s well-primed to whip into shape any insolent male leads who dare to cross her path.
My Rating: 9/10
Beware the Villainess has one of the most hilarious and badass FLs among all the manhwas I’ve read. She’s feisty, she’s not a Mary Sue, and she doesn’t think twice when shoving off selfish bastards.
The art looks gorgeous and fun—a mixture of shoujo and gag-style manhwa. If you like completed isekai manhwa with strong female leads and good laughs, then this goodie is for you.
