Best Manhwa from weak to strong

Key things

• The classic underdog trope in action manhwa makes the audience rightly relate to the characters.
• Infinite Leveling: Murim features an underdog story set in the world of Chinese martial arts.
• UnOrdinary showcases the power progression of a seemingly weak main character with hidden strength.

Perhaps the most classic trope in the action genre is the underdog. A seemingly weak character who slowly but surely rises through the ranks and eventually wins a fight or competition. It gives the audience someone to root for, a relatable character they can relate to.

Manhwa that feature this trope are plentiful, but finding good ones can be challenging. It's likely that every action manhwa one starts reading will contain this trope, although there are plenty of critics who change the formula to keep things interesting. The best stories are still the ones that have an engaging character that grows alongside the viewer.

1 Infinite Leveling: Murim

Reaching Martial Peak

• Genre: Action, martial arts, fantasy
• Release date: March 19, 2021
• Where to read: Webtoons

A classic murim manhwa, murim is a martial arts story set in a Chinese setting, Infinite Leveling: Murim is one of the best examples of an underdog story. It has powerful critics who oppose the protagonist at every turn, overbearing lords who push the protagonist down, and plenty of training montages to help the protagonist overcome his shortcomings.

Comic book art is nothing spectacular, but the artist makes good use of color and traditional art techniques to bring life to their creations. The story is quite interesting and the plot is easy to follow.

2 Tower of God

I will fulfill your wish

• Genre: Action, climbing the tower
• Release date: July 1, 2014
• Where to read: Webtoons

Another classic from the early era of webcomics, Tower of God is a simple story that stays true to the roots of the genre. It features a young boy with a mysterious past who slowly discovers his abilities as he climbs an all-powerful wish-granting tower.

The art style is a little sketchy at first, but quickly picks up as the story progresses. Readers can even watch the anime instead of reading the manhwa to avoid the harsh art at the beginning.

3 extraordinary

Hidden In Plain Sight

• Genre: Action, superpowers
• Release date: May 24, 2016
• Where to read: Webtoons

Extraordinary is another classic that has been circulating the internet for quite some time. It is one of the best superpower stories in the universe and has quite an interesting story for the viewer to follow.

The main character of the comic is seemingly a weakling, but she is quite powerful, although she doesn't want anyone else to know. As he is slowly forced to reveal his powers, the audience is treated to a very natural progression of power.

4 Exaggeratedly

Tales of the Whining Legendary Blacksmith

• Genre: Fantasy, action, VR game
• Release date: September 18, 2021
• Where to read: Tapas Comics

It takes place in a world where VR has developed to the point where you are fully immersed, Exaggeratedly represents a would-be pro gamer who is extremely down on his luck. However, through a lucky encounter, Grid becomes a legendary blacksmith, and with some overpowered equipment, a bit of skill, and a lot of flair, he grows.

The story shows how the protagonist increases his strength, either through traditional training or powerful equipment. The comic features a VR game with massive real-life economic implications and a beautiful cast of characters that feel just as important as the main character.

5 I killed the main character

A hostile takeover is fine

• Genre: Regression, Isekai, Action
• Release date: October 6, 2024
• Where to read: Webtoons

A twist on a classic trope, I killed the main character follows a person who transforms into a video game world as an NPC. The story is a bit convoluted, but it's quite an enjoyable read. Since the series started publishing in October 2024, not many chapters have been released, but there is a lot of potential behind the concept.

The art of this comic is incredible and complements the great story. Viewers who like regression, game systems, and “fix” stories will enjoy this one quite a bit.

6 The tutorial is too hard

Difficulty spikes don't stop me

• Genre: Tower climbing, action
• Release date: October 19, 2021
• Where to read: Tapas Comics

The The tutorial is too hard is a type of manhwa that does not require too much attention from the viewer. The story is pretty interesting, but climbing the tower and cleaning the floor is what the audience will focus on in the comic.

The story follows a normal person who is teleported to a tower of the highest difficulty he needs to climb, requiring him to rapidly increase his skills through torturous means in order to have any chance of survival.

7 Solo leveling

Game system, necromancy and dungeons

• Genre: Game system, actions
• Release date: April 5, 2021
• Where to read: Tapas Comics

A classic among classics, Solo leveling is a beloved manhwa that inspired an entire genre, it's dungeon clearing and rapid power progression. At its core though Solo leveling it's about the slow and methodical rise of the main character, which no one can stop.

The game features dungeons, gameplay systems, interesting power mechanics, and an amazingly well-rounded story that leaves no storyline unresolved.

8 Omniscient reader

Ouroboros never could

• Genre: Isekai, Action
• Release date: August 19, 2020
• Where to read: Webtoons

Omniscient reader is a manhwa that tries to do a lot of things at once and does it beautifully. The plot follows Kim Dokja, an avid reader of a fairly unknown web novel, who finds herself in a situation where the web novel's story becomes a reality.

He uses his metaknowledge to methodically clarify scenarios, gaining a lot of power along the way. It's a while before he can really be called a contender in a race based on his power level alone, but his meta knowledge makes up for his shortcomings.