Manhwas, which are basically South Korean Web comics in a vertical reading format, often get live-action adaptations instead of animations. Unlike Mangas, which are usually published by a proper publisher, Manhwas can be published by anyone on platforms like Webtoon, giving artists and storytellers a lot of freedom.
This makes it so that there are more than enough live-action adaptations going around as well. While some nail the source material, some just borrow the name and coast on a good cast. There are even those that far surpass the original material in terms of quality. Let’s rank ten such live-action adaptations based on the said factors.
10. Yumi’s Cells Is a Cute One-Note
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Credit: WEBTOON
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Credit: WEBTOON
Yumi’s Cells is adapted from the manhwa with the same name that was published from 2015 to 2020, and is ranked at the bottom because it sticks too hard to the original gimmick: cute “cells” reacting to Yumi’s love life inside her brain. It’s a fun idea for sure, but only for the first three to four episodes. After that, the joke wears thin fast, and the show becomes a normal romance story.
Even then, it’s carried entirely by the CG cells doing the heavy lifting instead of the human character actually growing on their own. While this live-action adaptation does improve a lot on the source material, it eventually gets boring. It’s a comfort watch, not a must-watch, and that’s exactly why it’s here at number 10 instead of higher up with shows that actually build on their premise.
Where to Watch: Rakuten Viki
Where to Read: WEBTOON
9. True Beauty Works Because of the Cast
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Credit: WEBTOON -
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Credit: WEBTOON -
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True Beauty is a very generic plot that is saved by an amazing cast. The manhwa, also called True Beauty, published from 2018 to 2023. The love triangle, the makeup transformation that feels unreal, the common high school insecurities – none of that is anything new in the K-drama landscape. And the story never actually tries hard to break out of that mold either.
What actually makes people watch is Moon Ga-young, Cha Eun-woo, and Hwang In-yeop just having insane chemistry together, to the point where you forget how familiar the actual plot beats are. Take away the cast, and you’re left with a story that’s been done a hundred times before, making this adaptation rank low.
Where to Watch: Prime Video
Where to Read: WEBTOON
8. Business Proposal Plays It Safe, and It Shows
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Credit: Tapas
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Credit: Tapas
Business Proposal, adapted from the manhwa with the same name, is a genuinely fun watch, but it never takes a single risk with the format. Fake identity, secret crush, CEO twist- it’s the most textbook romantic comedy plot you could pick, which is done well, but there is nothing ambitious about it.
The characters are likable, the comedy timing is good, but you could predict basically every plot point from episode one without being surprised a single time. It ranks above True Beauty and Yumi’s Cells because it’s more consistently entertaining from start to finish, but being safe and predictable is not enough when you’re competing with the stories sitting higher in this list.
Where to Watch: Netflix
Where to Read: Tapas
7. The Uncanny Counter Mixes Comedy and Real Danger Well
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Credit: Tapas -
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Credit: Tapas -
Now we are getting into the territory of “should-watch” K-dramas. The Uncanny Counter actually balances the story and tone in a way the first three entries don’t even attempt. The story is adapted from the manhwa with the same name, and it follows exorcists working at a noodle shop by day and hunting evil spirits by night, which makes it an amazing watch if you want to see both comedy and horror.
However, that also means that the show doesn’t fully commit to either of the themes, which makes it rank this low. While it is ranked low, it doesn’t mean that it is unwatchable. You’ll see in a moment that the standard set by some other shows is simply too high.
Where to Watch: Netflix
Where to Read: Tapas
6. Extraordinary You Has One of the Craziest Premises
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Credit: Tapas -
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Credit: Tapas -
This story is adapted from another manhwa called July Found by Chance. A girl realizes she’s a side character in a manhwa and starts trying to rewrite her own fate before the story kills her off. That has to be the most creative plot in this entire ranking, and the show mostly commits to the idea instead of treating it as a one-time gimmick and moving on, which is common in stories like this.
It ranks in the middle because the execution occasionally gets lost in typical teen drama filler that doesn’t add much to the meta concept, but the core idea is smart enough that it earns points that other, safer entries just don’t get from viewers. Extraordinary You gets points for ambition even if the follow-through isn’t perfect the whole way through the season.
Where to Watch: Rakuten Viki
Where to Read: Tapas
5. Weak Hero Class 1 Doesn’t Pull Any Punches
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Credit: WEBTOON -
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Credit: WEBTOON -
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You rarely find a school drama that leans into the action the way Weak Hero Class 1 does. It’s adapted from the South Korean manhwa named Weak Hero, which was published from 2018 to 2023. The fight scenes in this show are very brutal and grounded, and the protagonist’s brain-over-brawn angle actually gets shown instead of simply being talked about after the fight has ended. All of this makes the stakes feel much larger.
This is one of those unique shows where the characters don’t have to be relatable at all because all of them are so masterfully written. The only reason it doesn’t rank any higher is that it’s not a show that will appeal to everyone. The show doesn’t try to appeal to a broad audience either, making it rank perfectly in the middle.
Where to Watch: Netflix
Where to Read: WEBTOON
4. Itaewon Class Stays Faithful Without Feeling Dated
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Credit: Tapas -
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Credit: Tapas -
Itaewon Class is a name that you may have heard even if you’re not into K-dramas, as it’s adapted from a popular manhwa with the same name. It had a lot to live up to since the original webtoon is very beloved. The revenge plot, the found family running the bar, Park Seo-joon’s whole arc – it all translates well from page to screen without feeling like an adaptation made purely to cash in on the name.
In fact, one could say that the adaptation is better, as it doesn’t just copy the Webtoon panel by panel; it actually adapts it in a way that still feels fresh years later, even after the initial hype died down. This show is a kind of adaptation that ought to be studied by those ranked lower in this ranking.
Where to Watch: Netflix
Where to Read: Tapas
3. Hellbound Is Slower but Way Creepier
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Credit: WEBTOON -
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Credit: WEBTOON -
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Finally, we enter the top three. This is where you’ll see why some of the best adaptations in the industry are still ranked so low in this ranking. Hellbound, which adapts the story of the manhwa The Hellbound, ignores the traditional way action is done, and opts for something way more unsettling and quiet. This show is slow and very atmospheric, leaning into dread instead of jump scares to get reactions.
That pacing might turn some people off looking for a quicker, more binge-friendly watch, which is basically the only reason it’s not higher on this list. But the tension it builds is genuinely more effective than most horror adaptations manage, and it never feels like it’s wasting time getting there.
Where to Watch: Netflix
Where to Read: WEBTOON
2. All of Us Are Dead Keeps You Hooked the Whole Way
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Credit: WEBTOON
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Credit: WEBTOON
The plot of All of Us Are Dead is simple. There are students stuck in a high school after a zombie outbreak. This plot sounds like it can get repetitive really quickly. However, it doesn’t. The show does a wonderful job of exploring the background of each character by putting them in various situations and then dealing with them accordingly.
In fact, this show avoids every single zombie story trope and feels like a realistic outcome of what would happen if zombies really did break out. It ranks this high because throughout multiple episodes, it was able to stay interesting while maintaining pace and a whole class of characters at the same time. That is hard to pull off, but All of Us Are Dead executed it perfectly.
Where to Watch: Netflix
Where to Read: WEBTOON
1. Moving Earns Every Bit of Its Hype
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Credit: Tapas -
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Credit: Tapas -
Moving takes the top spot because it does everything the rest of this list does well, just at a bigger scale and with a lot more heart behind it. Thirty years of story, two generations of characters with powers (the parents and their children), an ensemble cast that never feels like it’s too much even with so much going on, and it all still lands emotionally instead of getting lost in pure action.
It respects both the action and the family drama equally instead of picking one. Every other entry on this list nails one or two things really well. Moving nails almost all of them at once, which is exactly why it’s number one and probably will stay there once season two drops. The story of Moving is also adapted from the manhwa with the same name.
Where to Watch: Disney+, Hulu
Where to Read: Tapas
| RANK | SHOW | IMDb RATING (as of July 10, 2026) |
| 10 | Yumi’s Cells | 8.1 / 10 |
| 9 | True Beauty | 7.9 / 10 |
| 8 | A Business Proposal | 8.1 / 10 |
| 7 | The Uncanny Counter | 8.0 / 10 |
| 6 | Extraordinary You | 7.7 / 10 |
| 5 | Weak Hero Class 1 | 8.4 / 10 |
| 4 | Itaewon Class | 8.1 / 10 |
| 3 | Hellbound | 6.6 / 10 |
| 2 | All of Us Are Dead | 7.6 / 10 |
| 1 | Moving | 8.4 / 10 |
So, which one of these live-action adaptations is your favorite? Let us know in the comments.
