Highlights

• Manhwa protagonists are usually teenagers or young adults to engage the main demographic of webcomic readers.
• Stories with child protagonists offer unique perspectives and diverse storytelling opportunities.
• Reincarnation themes in manhwa create complex plots while maintaining positive atmospheres.

In most manhwa, the protagonists are teenagers or young adults because that is the largest demographic most likely to read webcomics and manhwa online. By using a protagonist of the same age, the author can help the audience immerse themselves in the story and keep them engaged.

Of course, this isn’t always the case. Manhwa is great because there are so many stories written from different perspectives. For example, children see the world very differently because they haven’t experienced enough compared to a teenager. Whether they’re reincarnated, sent back in time, or just five years old, children can be the center of amazing stories.

Updated May 17, 2024 by Garrett Huon: With the large amount of manhwa available, it can be difficult to keep track of all the titles and stories available, so it can be difficult to include all applicable titles. In this update, five more manhwa will be added to the list. Some of them are lesser-known stories that have left a big impression.

1 It's the first time I've been loved

MyAnimeList Score: 7.08

• Published: 2023 to present
• Genre/Themes: Fantasy, Reincarnation
• Author: Miraenavi
• Illustrator: Huahuachi

After living 99 lives, the heroine is reborn as the youngest daughter of the Endeblanc ducal family. Throughout each life, she was treated as a martyr and asked to sacrifice herself for the world, without asking for anything in return or receiving love like a normal person. Now living as Anastasia, she is noticing something strange. Her family does not shun her or hurt her. In fact, they seem to adore her.

This manhwa is incredibly cute and wholesome. It is filled with great family moments that demonstrate familial love and affection. Like most reincarnated protagonists, Anastasia has an adult mind and memories of her past lives, which allows the plot to be more complex while still maintaining the overall positive atmosphere.

2 Mother's marriage contract

MyAnimeList Score: 7.87

• Published: 2022 to present
• Genre/Themes: Fantasy, Time Travel
• Author: He
• Illustrator: Hae-Yun Choo

This manhwa follows Lyrica as she adjusts to her new life as a royal princess. One day, her mother wakes up as a completely different person, and so she moves into the palace and is served by maids and butlers. Although she begins to live a fairytale life, Lyrica knows that this situation is the result of an agreement between the emperor and her mother.

Mother's marriage contract is a great example of a well-written child character, as it shows Lyrica's healthy innocence but doesn't look down on or underestimate her, showing how great her intelligence and instincts are. The story is greatly complemented by the whimsical art style.

3 Talented Baby Squirrel

MyAnimeList Score: 7.30

• Published: 2022 to present
• Genre/Themes: Fantasy, Romance, Time Travel
• Author: From Guncheong Jun
• Illustrator: Soyoung Han

After living a lonely and solitary life in the attic, Beatrice is betrayed by her only friend, Crown Prince Ritter, and is killed to fulfill her ambitions. Despite dying, however, she awakens in the past as a child once again. Given a second chance at life, Beatty flees to the North, where her family lives, in search of help until she comes of age and can fend for herself.

Talented Baby Squirrel is a classic time travel story where the protagonist is able to use her knowledge of the past to her advantage, but with a much younger protagonist. It's odd that she's being treated like a genius using information she read in the newspaper, but it's still a fun story.

4 The Archduke's Adopted Saint

MyAnimeList Score: 7.41

• Published: 2023 to present
• Genre/Themes: Fantasy, Romance, Time Travel
• Author: Different Song
• Illustrator: Bino Hwang

Dinah was born with incredible divine power, but as an orphan, she had no way to defend herself or protect herself as the nobles tried to usurp her. She spent her life being drained of energy by her former best friend, Lavienne. She has lived this life fourteen times. Now in her fifteenth life, she meets the Archduchess Tersia, who changes her destiny by adopting her.

Now called Esther, the protagonist tries to live a full life away from the church and Lavienne. The focus of this story is healing from trauma and the effect that a good family life has on that process. There is a plot about the upcoming saint, but the highlight of this story is the wholesome family moments.

5 A world without you

MyAnimeList Score: 6.97

• Published: December 19, 2022 to ?
• Genre/Themes: Drama, Fantasy, Romance, Time Travel
• Author: Yoohye Na
• Illustrator: Bam-manyeo

In her first life, Sienna was lucky enough to be chosen by the Nacht family to develop her magical powers. Unfortunately, she is tricked into giving her magic to Loreina, the other wing of the Nacht family, which turns her life into misery. Eventually, she is killed. Now alive again, she is taken to the Nacht house, but Loreina is nowhere to be found.

This time travel story is different because the protagonist must live with those she attributes her trauma to. Most of the main characters find a way to escape or move on from their previous situation, but Sienna has no real choice at such a young age. This leads to more complex relationship growth and character development in the story.

6 Lottery Princess

MyAnimeList Score: N/A

• Published: 2022 to present
• Genre/Themes: Fantasy, Isekai, Reincarnation, Time Travel
• Author: Moon Sihyun
• Illustrator: Dohin and Borimyeol

One of the ways children become protagonists is when someone reincarnates with their memories. Usually, the time spent as a child is quite short, but in Lottery Princess The main character remains a baby. Her name is Shushu, and by the power of a heavenly lottery, she is now living her third life.

In order to not die too quickly, God gives her a special power: the power of broadcasting. Shushu can see people’s opinions about her – like a Twitch chat log, and as her “audience” grows, she gains more special powers and tools. It’s a fun manhwa with great characters and illustrations.

7 The Male Protagonist's Lion Cub

MyAnimeList Score: 7.91

• Published: 2021 to present
• Genre/Themes: Drama, Fantasy, Isekai, Reincarnation
• Author: Latin
• Illustrator: Ttona

When reincarnated, the protagonist is not always in a great position. Leonia was trapped in an abusive orphanage that dealt with human trafficking before the story begins. It was only by luck that she remembered the novel she was in and convinced the duke to adopt her.

While this is a cute story, the characterization is better than most. One problem with child protagonists is that they tend to stagnate, continuing the story without any real change. Leonia is actively growing up in the story, learning her new role and grappling with identity issues stemming from her reincarnation.

8 ReLife Player

MyAnimeList Score: 6.78

• Published: 2022 to present
• Genre/Theme: Action, Fantasy, Time Travel
• Author: Si Yun
• Illustrator: Maru Studio

Action manhwa rarely keep their child as the protagonist, probably because it wouldn't make sense for a child to perform outrageous stunts and face evil. There is almost always a time skip after the first two arcs. ReLife Player just keeps moving forward, following Noh Eunha as a child as he tries to avoid the tragedies of his last life.

Despite having a child protagonist, this manhwa doesn’t shy away from combat or violence. Set in a world of hunters where dungeons open and monsters exist, the story is quite graphic in places. It establishes an interesting contrast between a happy family life and the difficult life of a hunter.

9 Baby lady

MyAnimeList Score: 6.64

• Published: 2018 to present
• Genres/Themes: Fantasy, Mystery, Time Travel
• Author: Haeon Ju
• Illustrator: Pink Mint (Art)

For characters who reincarnate or regress, being a full-grown adult in a baby's body can be worrisome. They can't move on their own or communicate clearly and must act their age. In Baby lady, Calliope goes back in time, but she doesn't care that she's a baby. She starts speaking in full sentences as quickly as possible.

This manhwa focuses on family dynamics and Calliope’s crush. It’s a cute story full of heartwarming moments and funny characters. She eventually grows up in the story, but for the most part, she’s still a child.

10 The hammer

MyAnimeList Score: 6.74

• Published: 2022 to present
• Genres/Theme: Action, Fantasy, Time Travel
• Author: analgesic
• Illustrator: Per month

In time travel stories, no one talks about actual time travel. In this manhwa, Tiny is one of the strongest knights in existence, but he is sent back in time with the task of finding the Sword Emperor and telling him about future crises. If he fails, the demons will destroy the world.

Using the Sword Emperor's influence and power, Tiny is able to get proper training and learn how to use magic, things he sorely missed in his last life. This manhwa is great because Tiny gets most of it. He ends up with a bigger body, but he's still technically a kid.

11 Kill the dragon

MyAnimeList Score: 6.82

• Published: 2022 to present
• Genres/Theme: Action, Fantasy, Military
• Author: Baeksu Gwijok
• Illustrator: Miss Jisu

Post-apocalyptic and dystopian scenarios have always been popular, even more so when films like The Hunger Games and Divergent were released. In this manhwa, humanity faces the power of dragons, which ends the world, and the only ones capable of defending the planet are the psykers.

The Psykers are a new generation born during the conflict, and many of them are children. These children undergo training and surgery to adjust their bodies and enhance their abilities, making them appear as adults. Despite being twelve years old, they are tasked with fighting on the front lines.

12 The flower that bloomed from a cloud

MyAnimeList Score: 7.05

• Published: 2019 to 2021
• Chapters: 126
• Genre/Themes: Romance, Historical, Love Polygon
• Author: Biohu
• Illustrator: Bionhu

This manhwa is a true Bildungsroman, a coming-of-age story, about the last princess of an East Asian empire called Hong Lyon, who is neglected and rejected due to her late mother's poor status. Her life changes when she meets Dowun. He offers to teach her how to be a princess in exchange for power. As a result, the two get married.

The story begins when Hong Lyon is just a little girl. However, as she continues to learn, she discovers herself through growing pains, the things she wants and desires to do. This occurs between political struggle, the seizure of power and the problems in her love life. It's a bit of a slow start, but it's worth it.

13 The Adventures of a Demon Lord's Daughter

MyAnimeList Score: 6.48

• Published: 2019 – 2022
• Chapters: 155
• Genre/Themes: Adventure, Fantasy, Romance, Isekai, Reincarnation
• Author: Yeowool
• Illustrator: Eun Min

Getting an isekai is all some characters want. Their lives were bad enough that they wished for a different world. Joara was running away from her problems when she died, but she was reincarnated as Irene, the baby born between an angel and a demon king. In this life, she is adored and loved.

Most of the mischief comes from the supporting characters, giving the manhwa a sense of life. The romance aspect in the second half is a bit drawn out, but it’s not too bad because the potential love interests are fun. However, the best part is when she’s still a baby.