Exploring the enemies-to-lovers trope is captivating for many webtoon fans. Unlike typical romantic tales where the main characters quickly fall for each other, these stories offer a different thrill. Main leads, despite their best efforts to avoid each other, find themselves pushed together. Fate seems to enjoy leading them into unexpected and sometimes embarrassing encounters.
The palpable tension between the characters in enemies-to-lovers webtoons makes this genre gripping and compelling. Compared to characters simply falling in love, this trope offers a wider array of character development and satisfying payoffs. Many romance webtoons have tried to integrate the enemies-to-lovers trope, but only a few have done it better than the webtoons in this list.
10. Purple Hyacinth
Purple Hyacinth follows Lauren Sinclair, a determined police officer with a unique talent for spotting lies. Motivated by the tragic loss of her friend and parents to criminals, she sets out to apprehend the Phantom Scythe, a notorious gang that has terrorized Ardhalis for years.
When Lauren discovers that her goal coincides with that of The Purple Hyacinth, the city’s renowned assassin, they decide to join forces. Together, they embark on a mission to bring down the Phantom Scythe. This unexpected partnership between a police officer and an assassin promises an engaging narrative filled with suspense, moral dilemmas, and some spicy romance as they navigate the dangerous world of crime in the dark city of Ardhalis.
9. Our Beloved Summer
Our Beloved Summer series follows Yeonsu Guk, a top student at Midsummer High, and Wung Choi, who’s at the bottom of the class. They’re total opposites, with her being serious and him being laid-back.
When a filmmaker decides to shoot a documentary about their school life for a month, they’re not exactly thrilled about it. But as they spend more time together, they begin to see sides of each other they never knew existed. They were smushed together, forced to spend time with each other, and slowly, it became a summer they’ll never forget.
One thread user commented: “It is a slow burn romance, at the beginning, it started quite flat and unemotional but when the story started rolling and it gave space for the exploration of characters it built up a heart-warming, charming story.“
8. SubZero
SubZero tells the tale of Princess Clove from the Azure Clan and Prince Kyro from the Crimson Clan. They strive to end the age-old conflict between their clans through their marriage. The only problem is the hatred between these two clans is ironclad, with many against their relationship. Drama, rumors, assassinations, spying, and more await Clove and Kyro as they deal with all these while building a foundation for their relationship.
At the outset, Princess Clove reluctantly agrees to the marriage just to secure peace. However, as the series unfolds, their relationship evolves and deepens. Together, they strive to end the ongoing bloodshed between their clans, forging a bond that transcends their initial animosity.
One Redditor said: “Binged it. Love it. Lots of echoes of Avatar the Last Airbender–Kyro is very similar to Zuko (he looks almost identical to firelord Zuko without a scar at one point), so that’s a big sell. Clove is a great protagonist.“
7. The Witch And The Bull
The Witch And The Bull revolves around Tan, the King’s advisor, who is cursed to transform into a bull. Despite his attempts to use his political influence to break the curse, he wakes up the next day, still cursed. Desperate to break the spell, he joins forces with the enigmatic witch Aro, who isn’t exactly a fan of him and his annoying personality. And together, they embark on a journey to break the curse.
Drawing inspiration from the good old nomadic lifestyle, this series promises an enthralling adventure filled with magic and mystery. Fans rave about the series’ immersive storytelling, rich character development, and stunning artwork. It is definitely a must-read for anyone craving an adventure filled with intrigue and enchantment with an added layer of some enemies-to-lovers action.
6. To Love Your Enemy
To Love Your Enemy centers on Yeonhee Bae, who’s pretty good at bending the truth to her advantage and wants to put her past behind her. After finishing high school, she got caught up in a shady job, which eventually led her to pursue a business degree at 24. However, a fellow student, Yikyung Yoon, knows about her suspicious past. So, to keep things under control, she makes her classmates think that they’re dating. Well, that’s until they actually grow fond of each other.
To Love Your Enemy features an unexpectedly sweet romance between these two amazingly well-written leads. It strays away from all the cute clichés like being each other’s rocks or spoonfeeding ice creams. Instead, it presents its viewers with an appealing university romance backed by an intense, mystery-filled plot.
A review on Anime-Planet states: “this romance webtoon is worth a try… you won’t be disapointed with the story line, overall plot, character developement is also praise worthy. Romance between the 2 main characters are soo cute! the art is top notch.“
5. So I Married The Anti-Fan
So I Married The Anti-Fan centers around the drama between a struggling news reporter Geun-Young Lee and popular K-pop idol Who Joon. After gaining notoriety as his anti-fan, Geun-Young loses her job. But by a miraculous twist of fate, she gets invited to a reality show called, “So I Married an Anti-Fan” with none other than Who Joon. The show’s premise is for the two to cohabit as a fake married couple. Things take a complete 180 as they get to know each other, and Geun-Young’s hate slowly turns into admiration for the celebrity.
The webtoon was so well-received that it garnered a Chinese film adaptation in 2016 and a South Korean television series in 2021. So I Married The Anti-Fan is an adorable webtoon that gives you a sneak peek of the hardships of the celebrity world—from hiding relationships to overcoming loneliness. It’s a different take on a romantic story; so if you love your romcoms, this webtoon is for you.
4. I Hate That I Love You
I Hate That I Love You revolves around Lilith and her quest for revenge on Blade Shin, the former leader of a gangster group. After finding the former gang leader helpless and sleeping on a bench with a newspaper for a blanket, she feels sorry for him and allows him to stay at her place. Initially wary of Blade, her curiosity grows, leading her to delve deeper into his life. As she uncovers his true character, she finds herself increasingly attracted to him.
As their unlikely romance blossoms, I Hate That I Love You unfolds as a charming rom-com, packed with laugh-out-loud mishaps and heartwarming moments. Through their hilarious interactions, readers witness a beautiful character arc for both Lilith and Blade. With its captivating story and endearing characters, this webtoon promises everyone an enjoyable journey filled with laughter, romance, and tons of heartwarming moments.
3. Match Made In Hell
Match Made in Hell follows Kylie, a girl who developed a strong will to protect her sister Lacey when they were children. Their family moved to a new state during their upbringing, where Kylie met her neighbor and equally stubborn counterpart, Tristan. As their lives intertwine throughout high school, will this unlikely pairing blossom into something unexpected?
Following the journey of Tristan and Kylie, this webtoon explores the importance of kindness and self-respect in navigating the complexities of teenage emotions and relationships. It hits all the right feels with characters you can totally relate to and a story that immediately sucks you into the crazy world of being a teenager, figuring yourself out, and growing as a person.
2. Age Matters
Age Matters follows Rose Choi, a 29-year-old who lands a job as an assistant to Lime’s 23-year-old CEO, Daniel Yoon. The two start on the wrong foot as she finds him irritating and he finds her reckless. Despite not having the best first impressions, they eventually learn more about each other, strengthen their bond, and might even give this romance thing a shot.
Age Matters is a lighthearted romance full of humor that bathes you in romantic suspense. Daniel’s protective nature and attempts to flirt with Rose add comedy and charm to their relationship and the overall story. Additionally, it flaunts a fantastic art style that one fan even applauded the enemies-to-lovers webtoon for: “The depictions of each emotion the character felt were simply made obvious with the drawing.“
1. Maid For Hire
Maid for Hire is a romance webtoon centered around Andrea Robinson—the popular girl everyone looks up to. But little do they know that she works as a maid for a displeasing playboy, Alex. With money and good looks, everyone thinks that Alex has the world in his hands. However, this particular playboy is sad and lonely—saying he only has a few friends. With both of them always in their grills, will this dynamic make it through?
Maid for Hire is an unexpectedly wholesome webtoon that tackles love and friendship differently from other enemies-to-lovers webtoons. It takes unnecessary things like love triangles and drama away from raw romance. One thread user shared this about the webtoon: “How can it be so cute, so nerve-wracking, so intimidating, so funny, so stupid and so lovely at the same time?“