2027 isn't just another year for Korean manhwa, it's a rare intersection point. Solo Leveling: Ragnarok is returning from a forced hiatus, Tower of God is gearing up for a fourth part after its creator's break, Lookism is entering its final war arc after 600 chapters, and four other series are being adapted to anime simultaneously. This guide breaks down what makes 2027 different, and why these ten in particular deserve a spot on your list before the streaming noise reaches them.
Why 2027 is "the year of manhwa"
Three waves rarely converge at the same time: series returning from long hiatus, anime adaptations launching in parallel, and major story arcs reaching their conclusions. The first wave is led by Solo Leveling: Ragnarok after it entered an indefinite hiatus in January 2026. The second wave is shaped by announcements that shook the market — most notably the November 2025 partnership between Webtoon Entertainment and Warner Bros. Animation to adapt 10 webtoons, eight of which were announced by May 2026 with the rest pending reveal. The third wave belongs to series that started between 2010 and 2014 and are now visibly approaching their endings.
Solo Leveling opened the door in 2024. The question 2027 simply asks: will Korean manhwa become a permanent wave, or a passing moment that one title cashed in on? This guide structures the answer across four axes — the returners, the adapted, the ending, and the rising. A quick snapshot for anyone who wants to understand the year before it arrives. For broader context, see The 5 most popular manhwa of 2026 — the numbers speak.
Axis one: the returners
Three series share one thing — a patient audience that waited, and the wait is now bending the curve.
Solo Leveling: Ragnarok. The official sequel to the biggest manhwa of the decade entered an indefinite hiatus on January 7, 2026 after artist JIN announced his enlistment in mandatory Korean military service (18 to 21 months). REDICE Studio confirmed the work will resume with a different artist, putting a full return on the 2026 to 2027 radar. For English readers, Ize Press — Yen Press's imprint — releases the official Volume 1 on July 21, 2026 via Amazon and Crunchyroll at 296 pages, making 2027 the first complete year of official global readership for the sequel. In short: the hiatus isn't the end of the story, it's a reminder that Sung Jinwoo still carries the weight of his world on his shoulders.
The Beginning After the End. Season 2 of the anime launched on April 1, 2026 on AT-X and globally via Crunchyroll, produced by Studio A-CAT, and is set to cover roughly 50 chapters of the original webtoon. That pushes TurtleMe and Fuyuki23's manhwa to peak readership in 2027 as the academy and combat arcs reach their pivotal moments. Readers who started TBATE in 2022 now face the "read it before the viewer catches up" moment — a moment that recurs often this year.
Return of the Blossoming Blade. The official translation of Return of the Mount Hua Sect returned on April 14, 2026 with a third season on WEBTOON paired with an animated promo from Studio LICO. The promo alone elevated anime speculation throughout 2027, despite no official confirmation as of May 2026. Korean murim is at peak form, and the series is in an ideal position to make the jump to screen.
Axis two: the manhwa getting anime in 2026-2027
The anime adaptation wave is no longer a luxury. For the industrial context, see Crunchyroll: growth hides structural problems.
Eleceed. The anime was officially announced on June 30, 2025 for a 2026 launch from Dandelion Animation Studio, directed by Hiroshi Nishikiori with Yōsuke Kuroda writing. That positions Son Je-Ho and ZHENA's manhwa as the most prominent "2027 series" — especially since the original — running since October 2018 — has surpassed 1.42 billion views globally and remains one of the top action manhwa on Naver Webtoon and WEBTOON English. It was among Naver's highest-earning manhwa in 2022 alongside Marry My Husband, and a strong candidate to be the biggest name after Solo Leveling if the anime lands.
Tomb Raider King. The manhwa, adapted from SAN.G's novel and illustrated by REDICE Studio, is getting its first TV anime in July 2026 from Studio EKK, with Yoshimasa Hosoya (Reiner Braun in AoT) voicing protagonist Seo Joo-Heon and an opening theme by the band QWER. That combination makes it a "must catch up on" series before entering 2027 — especially since REDICE Studio is the same studio that illustrated Solo Leveling, giving the story a visual familiarity for anyone who loved Sung Jinwoo.
Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint. Aniplex — Solo Leveling's historical partner — is preparing the 2027 punch. Expected launch is "late 2026 or 2027," following the success of the Korean live-action film in July 2025 starring Lee Min-ho, Ahn Hyo-seop, and Blackpink's Jisoo. ORV has a complex narrative structure and meta-storytelling that will test Aniplex's ability to handle a non-linear text.
Solo Leveling Season 3. Official confirmation hadn't arrived as of May 2026, but executive producer Atsushi Kaneko at A-1 Pictures stated the realistic release window is "late 2026 or 2027." The season alone keeps demand for the original manhwa at its peak, and forces new readers to start from the beginning. For the full background on the Jinwoo phenomenon, read The 10 best manhwa on MangaTime — reader's guide 2026, a practical guide for anyone starting late.
Axis three: the series approaching their endings
Endings to major series don't come often. Three of them intersect in 2027.
Lookism. Park Tae-jun has been on Naver Webtoon since 2014, crossing 600 chapters (chapter 602 on April 9, 2026). The series has entered the final war arc between Allied and Workers with Daniel Park uncovering Charles Choi's secrets — which puts the ending one to two years away. The series already has a Netflix anime since December 2022 (Studio Mir), and fans have been demanding a second season with no official confirmation as of May 2026, making 2027 the classic "read before you watch" moment. A full decade of buildup is approaching its conclusion, and that isn't hyperbole, it's the simple math of the series' curve.
Tower of God. S.I.U. (Lee Jong-hui) has been running Tower of God on Naver Webtoon since June 2010 — 16 continuous years. The series entered hiatus after the end of Part 3, while the spin-off Tower of God: Urek Mazino continues to keep the world alive. According to fan speculation on X, anime Season 3 is expected during 2027, with Studio MAPPA's name circulating — but no official confirmation from Aniplex as of May 2026, so file the information as a possibility, not a date. The momentum favors the series, and readers returning from S.I.U.'s hiatus discover that waiting has been part of the game from the start.
The Greatest Estate Developer. Completed on March 12, 2026 after starting on August 5, 2021 on Naver Webtoon — Lee Hyun-min's novel illustrated by Kim Hyun-soo. With the rising wave of Korean isekai anime, demand for an official announcement is climbing, and a 2027 reveal is expected. The series is relatively short (compared to Lookism), which makes it an ideal entry point for new readers who want to catch the Korean isekai wave without committing to 600 chapters.
Axis four: the rising — the murim and Korean action wave
The Korean market is redrawing its lines, and the manhwa that succeed in 2027 will be those that bridge Naver's male audience and KakaoPage's female audience at once.
Nano Machine. Novel by HANJUNG WOLYA, webtoon by Great H, art by GGBG. One of the most-read murim manhwa today, publishing chapter 309 on April 22, 2026 and continuing weekly every Wednesday on Naver Webtoon. Critics expect it to enter major conflict arcs against the legendary factions in 2027 — the moment every classic murim reader has been waiting for. Nanotechnology layered over classical martial arts isn't a new combination, but here it's executed with precision.
Lout of Count's Family. Formerly known as Trash of the Count's Family, from Yoo Ryeo Han's novel illustrated by PAN4 on KakaoPage. Its first season started on August 31, 2020 and it has entered its fourth season, and as the story advances toward its major waypoints fans are pushing for an anime announcement in 2027. This series tests a specific hypothesis: can a KakaoPage manhwa with light romance-fantasy DNA translate visually to anime with the same success as action manhwa?
The KliTReads report for April 2026 shows that KakaoPage's instant rankings remain dominated by romance-fantasy and regression stories, while Naver's male readers prefer murim and action manhwa. That places Nano Machine, Return of the Blossoming Blade, and Legend of the Northern Blade in a strong competitive position throughout 2027. For readers, this means unprecedented variety in reading choices — for full weekly release schedules, follow the Latest manhwa and anime news category on MangaTime.
What does the 2027 season reveal about manhwa's future?
2027 isn't a random year. It's the result of financial decisions made between 2024 and 2025: Webtoon Entertainment's partnership with Warner Bros. Animation for 10 adaptations, Aniplex's multiple contracts on the Solo Leveling and ORV side, A-1 Pictures' investment in upcoming seasons. Korean manhwa has moved from "mobile reading content" to global IP — the anime, the Korean film, and the game are all now built around the original work, not tacked on after.
The question 2027 simply answers: was Solo Leveling an exception, or the start of a wave? Eleceed, ORV, and Tomb Raider King will answer publicly. And for readers, this is the best time to catch up on a series before the streaming noise — start reading now and keep a two-month edge on those who'll arrive via the anime. Put these ten on your reading list, and come back to this guide in January 2027 to assess which ones actually climbed.