It’s no secret that webtoons and manhwa have seen unprecedented growth in demand and popularity in the last couple of years. The proof is in the number of anime and k-drama adaptations of manhwa that have been announced since this surge in readership. At the same time, the medium’s growth has also manifested in the form of increased new releases.
Across platforms such as Webtoon, Tapas, Lehizin, Manta, and many more, newly localized titles are being released nearly every day, and frankly, it can sometimes get a little hard to stay on top of these new releases. The last month or so has also seen many new amazing manhwa and webtoons enter the scene, though a handful among them do stand out as especially unique.
8
The Maid’s Secret Tea Recipe for the Prince
Where to Read: Manta
The Maid’s Secret Tea Recipe for the Prince follows the typical otome isekai formula with its protagonist, a tea enthusiast reincarnated as Erica Manel. Even in her new life, Erica continues to pursue her passion, winning over everyone with her intuitive tea blends and brews.
Eventually, Erica becomes a palace maid, with her sole goal being to save enough to open her own teahouse. However, the Crown Prince seems to fire maids nearly every other day, making Erica’s new job a nerve-wracking one. But, little does she know that the temperamental Crown Prince not only has feelings for her but is also her pen pal — the latter being a fact even the prince is unaware of.
While it may follow a generic formula, The Maid’s Secret Tea Recipe for the Prince is simple yet charming, much like its art. All that said, with time, the series will surely spread its wings, and it’s worth getting ahead of the curve while its still hot off the press.
7
Shall I Write You A Love Letter
Where to Read: Lehzin
Looking for a new BL to kick off 2026 with? Lehzin has you covered with Shall I Write You A Love Letter by Nickup and Yutae, which recently made its way to the platform on December 25, 2025.
The series takes the typical otome isekai formula and applies it to a BL instead with its protagonist Lim Seongshik finding himself transported into a BL novel as a minor villain named Elliot Brown. Elliot makes his living as a ghostwriter after his one and only novel is trashed by the protagonist, Duke Arzen Theron.
An opportunity for revenge presents itself when the novel’s love interest, Lorin, comes to hire Elliot to ghostwrite love letters to the duke, though it is precisely this that leads to his death at Arzen’s hands, which means Elliot must avoid becoming Lorin’s ghostwriter at all costs to survive.
6
The Prince Doesn’t Cry Over Onions
Where to Read: Tapas
Most otome isekai and historical romance manhwa tend to blend into one another. That said, The Prince Doesn’t Cry Over Onions is one series that immediately stands out among the sea of uninspiring new releases.
This series by c.wan and Jegwajeppyeo finally made its way to Tapas on December 25, 2025, and with just a little over 30 chapters is already proving to be a breath of fresh air, despite its simplistic art style. Set in a fictional kingdom ravaged by war, The Prince Doesn’t Cry Over Onions follows Anna, who runs a village restaurant.
Being as kind as she is, Anna has never hesitated to take in strays, be it offering a weary stranger a meal or helping those shaken by the war find their footing again. Unsurprisingly, this also applies to the Prince cursed with the heart of a dragon who can no longer feel any emotion.
But, it just so happens that this curse makes him great at peeling onions, and with a debt a repay to Anna’s father, Anna wastes no time putting him to work at her restaurant, completely unaware that this burly stranger who calls himself Bertram is none other than the so called tyrant prince.
5
Return of the Demonic Instructor
Where to Read: Webtoon
Much like otome isekai, murim manhwa are definitely a dime a dozen, but very rarely do you see a martial arts manhwa where the protagonist wins a fight by casting fireball. At first glance, Return of the Demonic Instructor seems like your typical murim manhwa.
That is, until it brings in the outer-space demonic invasion, and with it sci-fi and apocalyptic elements, a magic system, and even regression. When the demons invade, the story’s protagonist, Bigang Sa, finds himself brainwashed and experimented on due to his inability to use the so-called inner power of the murim world. Eventually, he becomes a commander in the demon army.
Unable to kill the demon king, Bigang returns to ten years before the demon invasion, swearing to use his knowledge of the future and the demon king, as well as his centuries of fighting experience to hopefully change the future.
4
The Tale of the Skeleton Messenger
Where to Read: Webtoon
Released on Webtoon on January 14, 2026, The Tale of the Skeleton Messenger by kain_y and SORAGAE might just be the perfect bleak twist on Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End. The series follows Venlyra, a rogue part of the legendary warrior’s party that defeated the Demon Lord.
However, in his final moments, the Demon Lord gives Venlyra a blessing, or rather a curse, talking away her ability to die. Hundreds of years go by and the rogue’s body withers away until she is little but an undying skeleton. Her bleak unending existence is interrupted by a ay of light when she takes on a student, only for that student to return a little over a decade later at the cusp of death.
Finding that the empire she saved and served has grown corrupt, Venlyra thus takes up her responsibility as the Emperor’s herald once again. Except this time she harkens to reckoning and destruction, if that’s what it will take to set the empire right again.
3
Zodiac Girls
Where to Read: Webtoon
If you love Fruits Basket, Webtoon’s Zodiac Girls might just be your perfect new obsession. Except, instead of a shoujo, it’s a wholesome harem romance that actually focuses on the race between the Zodiac spirits.
The series essentially follows the same premise as Fruits Basket but with a male protagonist named Cosmo Lee, building on the same classic myth of the race between the twelve Chinese Zodiac. In the case of Zodiac Girls, Nina, the cat who originally lost the race, wants a rematch.
Cosmo bumps into Nina and unexpectedly ends up becoming the referee for the rematch. Gradually, the people connected to him find themselves becoming vessels for the original Zodiac Spirits, and Cosmo must get them to enter the race, as their lives as well as his own hang in the balance.
2
Mia
Where to Read: Tapas
Albeit not a new series, now is the perfect time to pick up Mia by Mare, as it just found a new home on Tapas on January 1, 2026, after Pocket Comics shut down back in October 2025. This brilliantly written series tells the story of Mia, a poor girl obsessed with a red, shiny brooch.
After a long day of work, going to the jewelry store to stare at the brooch in the display window is Mia’s biggest source of solace. That is, until her obsession and greed consume her, leading to her pretty much selling her soul to the owner of the jewelry store in hopes of obtaining the brooch.
While it may seem innocent enough, Mia is a highly introspective series about greed, tragedy, and also perseverance. The series’ art can go from charming, romantic and fairytale-like to dreary and uncanny in a swipe, while its psychological themes are very reminiscent of Junji Ito’s work, making it a must-read.
1
Vincent the Great
Where to Read: Webtoon
Constantine meets Hellsing in Webtoon’s new ghost-hunting thriller, Vincent the Great by pilwon and houjae. While the title doesn’t give away much, the series’ first episode alone is enough to completely reel readers in.
Set in the United States, the series revolves around Vincent Burns, an excommunicated priest and exorcist, who sets out to uncover and foil a certain plot by the very demons of hell. Multiple exorcists have already died, and as their numbers dwindle, all faith is put into Vincent, who sets out accompanied by a nun named Beatrice and a sheriff named Chloe.
The plot thickens when the trio come across a mysterious child in a suitcase who bleeds rose petals and kills demons who bite her. All the while, Vincent’s own past unfolds, revealing everything he’s loved and lost along the way, including his own humanity.
