What's With All These Villainess Manhwa (Webtoons) & Why Are They So Popular Anyway?

Villainess webtoons are one of the most popular sub-genres of manhwa in recent years. If you're a fan of manhwa, you must have noticed the abundance of new webtoons with "villainess" in the title. While they have been popular for a long time now, they are popping up more and more these days as the trend continues. So, what exactly are villainess manhwa, and why are they so popular? Let's find out!

 

What Are Villainess Webtoons About?

Just as the name suggests, these webtoons revolve primarily around a female antagonist or "villainess" who is given a second shot at her life, either through reincarnation, transmigration, or regression. As such, these villainess manhwa fall predominantly in the fantasy, or more specifically, the isegye (also know as, isekai) genre.

Isegye, for those who might not be familiar, is a category of manhwa that translates to "another world" or "different world". It is a sub-genre of fantasy and involves our characters being transported from their own world to a different one or to a different (in turn, unfamiliar) timeline in the same world. K-Dramas in the isegye genre famously include "Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo", "Mr. Queen", "W: Two Worlds Apart", "Go Back Couple", and "The King: Eternal Monarch", among others.

 

Common Themes

The aforementioned themes of reincarnation, transmigration, and regression are central to isegye and hence, are also key concepts in villainess manhwa. Let us briefly define each in the context of isegye manhwa below.

Reincarnation is the rebirth of a character's soul into a new body after death, either in the same world and time or another. The reincarnated character may or may not carry the essence of their past life, such as their memories and personality.

Reincarnation Villainess Manhwa Recommendation: "Beware the Villainess!", "The Perfect Plan for a Fairy-Tale Ending"

Transmigration is the movement of a character's consciousness or soul from one world or universe to another, often inhabiting someone else's body in the new world. The character may or may not be dead in their own world and may or may not retain the memories of their previous life. Themes like portal transmigration, magical, spiritual or dream transmigration do not require death as a precursor.

Transmigration Villainess Manhwa Recommendation: "The Perks of Being a Villainess", "Who Made Me a Princess?"

Regression involves a character reverting to a previous state of existence, such as returning to a younger age or a specific point in their life. They usually retain the memories of their future despite the physical regression, which gives them an advantage in their current world. Regression may or may not happen after death.

Regression Villainess Manhwa Recommendations: "Father, I don't Want this Marriage", "The Villainess Turns the Hourglass"

 

General Plot

Villainess manhwa usually combine two or more of the above concepts to create a tailored premise for our MC (Main Character). This MC is either originally a villainess or suddenly finds themselves possessing the body of one. Like with all female antagonists, they are despised and destined for an ugly end. So, it isn't quite an ideal situation for our MC, who is not only thrust into an unknown world but is also headed towards certain destruction.

These villainesses may also be misunderstood and, hence, misrepresented as antagonists, which makes her doomed fate even more unfair; they may be scorned sweethearts turned angry anti-heroines out for revenge against those who did her wrong or true she-devils who go back in time to rewrite their ending. Similarly, they may also feature MCs who get transported into the world of a game they're plating or a novel they're reading, albeit as a villainess, such as in "When the Villainess is in Love" and "Author of My Own Destiny".

 

Setting Of Villainess Webtoons

Villainess manhwa are usually set in medieval worlds, inspired by European mythology, fairytales, and folklore. The characters are largely ethnically ambiguous, yet the artwork often evokes a European atmosphere with German and French architectural influences and conventional Western beauty standards, such as features like blonde hair and light eyes. The fashion portrayed in these webtoons similarly reflects European styles. With that being said, despite the setting, the characters are portrayed with Korean sensitivity, which is why they may remind you of K-Dramas.

There is a sense of escapism, adventure, and romanticism in these settings, as medieval times are well-suited to fantasy. At the same time, such a setting also provides the author with greater creative liberty, allowing them to establish fictional kingdoms/empires, customs, and hierarchies, which open up the door to royal and political intrigue, both essential components of villainess webtoons. Two great examples of this are "Your Throne" and "The Villainess is a Marionette".

Ancient settings also come with their own set of characteristics, conflicts, and limitations, which drive the plot forward, whereas similar action would arguably fall flat in a modern setting. Now, of course, this is a generalization, and there are exceptions because not all villainess manhwa draw on European tropes. An example of this is "Master Villainess the Invincible!", where a modern-day struggling author transmigrates into a martial-arts novel as its infamous villainess.

 

Why Are Villainess Webtoons Popular?

One of the most prominent strengths of villainess manhwa is the subversion of expectations and stereotypes. Villainesses, who are otherwise perceived as one-dimensional and wicked for no reason, are given the spotlight in these webtoons, flipping the script and bringing us a fresh perspective. Some of the best villainess manhwa, according to fans, are those that stick to their guts and present a villainess extraordinaire instead of taking a roundabout route, just to portray a reformed and virtuous traditional heroine. However, the latter type has its own fandom too!

Our protagonists, who have been villainized, are intelligent, powerful, strategic, and even manipulative women who will do what it takes to ensure their own survival. It's an underdog story at its core, where we're rooting for someone who has the odds stacked against them. Such characters are flawed, morally ambiguous, and complex, perhaps even more so than conventional heroines, which is what makes them all the more interesting. Some examples of this type of villainess webtoons are "Villains Are Destined to Die", "Roxana", "The Crimson Lady", and "Kill the Villainess".

These villainesses also come with their own web of pre-existing relationships, complete with suitors, allies, and enemies. The changing dynamics in these relationships make for a major plot point in the webtoons, with enemies becoming lovers and friends turning villains. The complexity of human relationships is treated with emotional depth, which certainly makes for another plus point.

There is also the aspect of star-crossed romance, with the villainess being faced with even more obstacles on the way to her happily-ever-after. Being the "antagonist", her love story is not an easy one, although there are instances where she ends up making the whole kingdom fall head over heels in love with her, such as in "Aileen's on Fire!".

Villainess webtoons are also quick to present their central conflict, which constantly keeps us on our toes. For instance, if there has been transmigration and characters need to return home, it sets up a mission from the get-go, along with a time limit in most cases. So, the stakes are high, and the sense of urgency keeps the pace steady. The "fish out of water" trope is usually well-explored as our MCs adjust to the new world and learn of its rules. The unpredictability of it all is a powerful enough hook to keep readers invested in the story.

In the grand scheme of things, our affinity for villainess webtoons stems from a simple desire: the occasional wish-fulfillment of wanting the villain to walk away victorious. Besides, who doesn't want to root for someone who turns their life around and writes their own destiny, determined to get a happy ending? Ultimately, there is something to be said about how cathartic such villainess webtoons can be because sometimes, it is just much easier to relate to an imperfect and misunderstood MC than your friendly neighborhood Mary Sue. The allure is undeniable, and we just can't get enough.