Best Psychological Horror Manhwa

Key things

  • The psychological horror manhwa delves into the darkest sides of human nature and challenges the reader.
  • These manhwas explore violence, abuse, and complex human emotions in complex plots.
  • Among the best
    Dead Days, Bastard, Killing Stalking,
    and
    A hanging doll
    for chilling fairy tales.



Manhwa are widely celebrated for their captivating fantasy, murim and reincarnation/regression stories. However, especially horror psychological horroris a rarer gem within this franchise. The psychological horror manhwa delves into the darkest corners of the human mind, presenting stories that range from apocalyptic terrors to harrowing tales of violence and abuse. These stories aren't just about hauntings; they explore the complexities of human nature and often leave readers thinking long after they've turned the last page.

These manhwas are full of unique characters and created by artists whose work is both mysterious and fascinating. The narrative often revolves around cycles of violence, the fragility of sanity, and the depths of human despair. They challenge readers to face their own fears and question the nature of reality. The psychological tension and convoluted plots make these stories stand out and offer a different kind of suspense compared to more traditional horror films. Here they are top ten psychological horror manhwa, ranked.



10 Dead days

End of the World

dead days

  • Release date: September 25, 2014
  • Number of chapters: 12
  • Position: Completed
  • Author: DEY

Dead days is a post-apocalyptic survival horror manhwa set in a world overrun by zombies. The story follows a high school student named Jungkook who sees the beginning of the apocalypse as people who drank a newly made drink turned into zombies.

He tries to find a way out, but the entire street is littered with zombies. His only hope is another girl across the street who is in the same situation as him, forcing them both to rely on each other to get out.


9 MIA: Lost In Operation

A soldier's worst nightmare

mia lost in traffic

  • Release date: 2015
  • Number of chapters: 28
  • Position: In progress
  • Author: KIM Chang Woo, LEE Chang-Jun

This psychological thriller manhwa revolves around a military operation and the psychological toll it takes on a squad.

The story follows Corporal Chan Soo Gim and his squad on their way to close down the General Base, but they soon realize something is wrong. There are traps of all kinds and a mysterious attacker. They eventually find a bunker and think they can rest, but it seems they made a big mistake.

8 We are all dead

Struggles And Fears All The Way

we are all dead


  • Release date: August 16, 2021
  • Number of chapters: 9
  • Position: Completed
  • Author: Joo Dong-geun

We are all dead is a popular zombie apocalypse manhwa set in a high school. When a zombie outbreak occurs, the students of Hyosan High find themselves trapped and fighting for survival.

When they discover their entire school has been overrun by zombies, they must find a way to fight their way through and out of the school or die trying. The story has a lot of edge in its seat-of-the-seat moments, but still manages to pull off a coming-of-age story in between.

7 Bastard

A bullied child hides a dark secret

bastard

  • Release date: June 15, 2015
  • Number of chapters: 10
  • Position: Completed
  • authors: Carnby Kim, Youngchan Hwang


Bastard is a dark psychological thriller that follows a high school student living with his father, who is secretly a serial killer who preys on young girls. Jin is forced to assist in his father's crimes, creating intense inner conflict and psychological trauma.

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The story explores abuse, violence, and the struggle to break out of a cycle of violence, a cycle Jin soon discovers that he must also break out of using violence. This is a story full of personal battles and a boy trying to push back against his psychopathic father and protect the girl he cares about; a story of selfishness and selflessness intertwined.

6 Killing the chase

A deeply disturbing story

killing the chase


  • Release date: 2016
  • Number of chapters: 76
  • Position: Completed
  • Author: Koogi

Killing the chase is a controversial psychological horror manhwa that explores toxic relationships and obsession. It follows the story of Yoon Bum who becomes involved with Oh Sangwoo, a charismatic but deeply disturbed individual.

This manhwa delves into dark themes, including stalking, abuse, and psychological manipulation. It has quite intense, often disturbing content and interesting character dynamics.

5 Sweet Home

Voice from inside calls

sweet home

  • Release date: January 15, 2018
  • Number of chapters: 14
  • Position: Completed
  • authors: Carnby Kim, Youngchan Hwang

Sweet Home is a horror manhwa set in an apartment complex where people turn into monsters based on their deepest desires.


The story follows Cha Hyun-soo, a suicidal teenager who, after the death of his parents, who decides to become a recluse and stay inside all day, now has to fight for survival and sanity as a voice keeps telling him to succumb alongside the others. residents.

4 The Pawn's Revenge

A dark and dirty tale of revenge

pawns of vengeance

  • Release date: 2021
  • Number of chapters: 93
  • Position: In progress
  • Author: Eve

This drama-filled yaoi manhwa follows Je-oh, a male prostitute struggling to survive in the slums. Je-oh lives at the lowest rung of the social hierarchy, constantly fighting to improve his circumstances, but often finds himself in increasingly worse situations. The story takes a dramatic turn when Je-oh is kidnapped by a serial killer, which unexpectedly thrusts him into the wider social arena.


Taking this opportunity, Je-oh uses his skills and talents to avenge those who wronged him. This protagonist is not one to set boundaries and is willing to cross all boundaries to make sure his revenge is achieved, which is the complete opposite of the usual protagonist seen in these types of stories.

3 Pigpen

Mystery and horror, all in one

pig farm

  • Release date: November 7, 2020
  • Number of chapters: 9
  • Position: Completed
  • Author: Kim Carnby

This story was written by Kim Carnby. The main character wakes up on an amazing coast, but the twist is that he has no idea who he is or how he got there.


As the mysterious man tries to piece together his identity, things get wilder by the minute. Every answer just leads to more questions, and the “helpful” family that takes him in isn't quite as kind as he imagined.

2 Shotgun Boy

From bullying to protecting his bullies

shotgun boy-1

  • Release date: March 18, 2021
  • Number of chapters: 7
  • Position: Completed
  • authors: Carnby Kim, Hongpil

This manhwa takes place in the same universe as Sweet Home but serves as a prequel. The manhwa follows Gyu Hwan, a victim of bullying, whose life takes a drastic turn during a terrifying ordeal in the woods. While escaping from his bullies, Gyuhwan discovers a shotgun and a limited number of grenades. Limited, but sufficient for his classmates.

However, when Gyuhwan returns to find his classmates under attack by monsters. He becomes a protector when Gyuhwan finds himself the only line of defense between his peers and predatory creatures.


1 A hanging doll

Well woven story, with a twist

hanged doll

  • Release date: August 2019
  • Number of chapters: 71
  • Position: Completed
  • Author: Team Getname

This is a dark psychological manhwa created by the Getname team, a duo that includes Kim Carnby, co-creator Bastard. This gripping story revolves around five people: John, Angelina, Joan, Mike and Alfred, who delve into their memories of 1994.

The narrative revolves around a mysterious murder and the fates of everyone involved, whether they survived or not. Despite the somewhat dated art style, A hanging doll readers will be captivated by the chilling atmosphere and wonderfully written characters.

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