Highlights

• The powers of darkness in manhwa are unique, intertwined with the very essence of darkness, offering gripping narratives and powerful characters.
• Characters like Sung Jing-Woo and Jin Runcandel demonstrate the allure and consequences of wielding powers attributed to darkness in their quests.
• From necromancers to defenders like Atlas, Manhwa delves into the supernatural with characters who balance unbridled power and personal growth.

The medium manhwa witnessed many characters with different abilities and powers. Yet, of these characters, one specific power attribute stands out from the rest: characters with dark powers, or powers attributed to darkness. Unlike any other, these characters derive their powers from the very essence of darkness.

From necromancers capable of playing with life and death to wielders of dark magic capable of bending reality to their whims, these characters epitomize the supernatural and all it entails. Through these characters, readers witness how these characters strike a delicate balance between the allure of unbridled power and the consequences of wielding such powers. Regarding these characters in context, here are some of the best that come to mind.

10 Han Sungyoon (Unlimited Necromancer)

Anime-Planet Ratings: 3.9/5

• Creator(s): Seonun, 2 Sarang
• Gender: Action, Fantasy
• Years of release: In progress

All of life, including Han Sungyoon's, was suddenly thrown into chaos after the first dungeon break. Having lost both his parents, Sungyoon vows revenge by doing whatever it takes to gain enough power in this new world. However, not everything goes according to plan, as Sungyoon is unable to even increase any of his stats after years of tirelessly trying to pass the Hunter Exams.

About to give up on his goals, Sungyoon is suddenly summoned to the Tower of Trials, an alternate dimension where he can awaken and unlock unique abilities, granting him the power of necromancy. With his newly acquired abilities, Sungyoon finds himself on a faster path to achieving his goals.

9 Seongwu (Solo Necromancy)

Anime-Planet Ratings: 3.9/5

• Creator(s): Jijeomjang, Kim Dong-Jun
• Gender: Action, Fantasy
• Years of release: In progress

From the manhwa's title, Seongwu's abilities stem from necromancy. After time stopped and all humans had to decide which class and subclass to choose, Seongwu was the only one logical enough to consider the necromancy class.

Through it, Seongwu gains the power to summon dead creatures and even make them his subordinates. Drawing on his experience as a former special forces soldier, Seongwu can combine his necromantic skills with hand-to-hand combat abilities, making him a fearsome opponent for his enemies in the story.

8 Atlas (Demonic Defense Agency)

Anime-Planet Ratings: N/A

• Creator(s): Laurelpursuit
• Gender: Action, Romance, Supernatural, Thriller
• Years of release: In progress

Earth's greatest Defender, Atlas, is the Demon Defense Agency The manhwa protagonist and the best DDA agent of all time. Atlas is a man whose sole mission is to eliminate demons from society. With the highest number of confirmed demon kills of all DDA agents, Atlas's power comes from his Imperium, which is made from the strongest demon core ever extracted.

The story begins with Atlas being declared a traitor to the Demon Defense Agency and on the run. What follows throughout the story is the gradual justification of Atlas's betrayal of the agency and the risk it poses to the world.

7 Jin Runcandel (youngest son of the swordmaster)

Anime-Planet Ratings: 4.3/5

• Creator(s): Hwangje Penguin, Lee Jewon
• Gender: Action, Adventure, Fantasy
• Years of release: In progress

Born the youngest of the Runcandel family, Jin Runcandel is the protagonist of the story and one of the twelve heirs of the Runcandel family. Immensely talented in magic and swordsmanship, Jin is the family's first magical swordsman since the founder, Temar Runcandel.

However, the shining light in his arsenal of abilities is his contract with the Shadow God, Solderet. Able to wield all forms and types of shadow magic and essentially become one with all shadows, Jin finds himself on the path to surpassing even the founder of the Runcandel Family.

6 Cassian Lee (villain to kill)

Anime-Planet Ratings: 4.1/5

• Creator(s): Fupin, Eunji
• Gender: Action
• Years of release: In progress

Cassian is the central figure in a world with only good and evil sides. Good and evil in this context are represented by Psykers and villains; Cassian, before his murder, was one of the highest-rated Psykers in the world.

Betrayed by his fellow psykers and murdered, Cassian awakens in the body of student Gangu Gwon and, in his rage, awakens as a villain with dark-attributed abilities and the potential of the Catastrophe class. With his previous life experience as a psyker, Cassian grows rapidly, becoming the head of the vilzone Gadam while simultaneously developing his abilities.

5 Kim Gi-Gyu (The player who can't level up)

Anime-Planet Ratings: 4.0/5

• Creator(s): GaVinGe, Park Jeongjae
• Gender: Action, Adventure, Fantasy
• Years of release: In progress

The main character of The player who can't level up manhwa, Kim Gigyu, had a troubled childhood and things didn't look any better in his early twenties, as he was the only player in the Tower who couldn't level up, earning him the nickname "Starter."

All his misfortunes take a happy turn when he gains access to Egos, sentient beings that can grant powers to their users, one of which is the King of Hell, Lucifer, also known as Lou, who grants him the power of death. Through these Egos, Kim Gigyu finally begins his life as a Tower player.

4 Kim Sehan (Return to Player)

Anime-Planet Ratings: 4.0/5

• Creator(s): Index, Sehon
• Gender: Action, Fantasy
• Years of release: In progress

The central character of return to player Series regular Sehan Kim is the sole survivor of the first playthrough. Yet, he didn't survive by being the strongest, the fastest, or even the most skilled; he simply possessed a tenacious will to survive, no matter the odds.

Given the chance for another turn, Sehan is more than determined to turn the tables and prevent a future only he has experienced. By slaying the Karas constellation, Sehan gains the Raven's Eye ability, making him the constellation of dark origins: a power with which he will beat the gods at their own game.

3 Frankenstein (nobility)

Anime-Planet Ratings: 4.3/5

• Creator(s): Son Jae-Ho, Lee Gwang-Su
• Gender: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Supernatural
• Years of release: 2007-2019

Frankenstein is the main deuteragonist of Nobility series and the right-hand man of the story's protagonist, Raizel. Extremely loyal and dedicated to his master, Frankenstein served Raizel for eight hundred and twenty years before and after his awakening. Frankenstein shares his master's views on protecting humans and, because of this, is very cautious and spiteful toward noble vampires.

His empathy for humans is so great that all he does to obtain his powers is experiment on himself. These experiments led to the creation of his Soul Weapon, the Dark Spear, a significant component of his abilities. Despite being so powerful, Frankenstein has only one desire and goal: to protect his master and humans from the powers of the noble vampires, the werewolves, and the Union.

2 Jin Mu-Won (Legend of the Northern Blade)

Anime-Planet Ratings: 4.4/5

• Creator(s): Woogack, Hae Min
• Gender: Action, Adventure, Fantasy
• Years of release: In progress

The fifth-generation sect leader of the Northern Heavenly Sect, Jin Mu-Won, also known in the series as Northern Blade. Having witnessed his father's death as a result of a devious conspiracy that ultimately marked the desecration of the Northern Heavenly Sect, Mu-Won is forced to live and learn martial arts at home.

He is also the sole practitioner of the dark secret martial art 'Gathering Ten Thousand Shadows,' and, in conjunction with his martial arts, he wields Snow Flower, a sword created from a meteorite Mu-Won found that also possesses a dark, vengeful spirit. After honing his skills fully, Mu-Won sets out on a path of revenge against all those responsible for the fall of the Northern Heavenly Sect.

1 Sung Jing-Woo (solo leveling)

Anime-Planet Ratings: 4.7/5

• Creator(s): Chugong, Jang Sung-Rak, Disciples
• Gender: Action, Adventure, Fantasy
• Years of release: 2018-2023

A world-renowned E-rank hunter, Sung Jing-Woo spent most of his adult life as a weak hunter barely scraping by. His life takes a dramatic turn after a dungeon raid goes wrong, leaving him the sole survivor of the expedition.

He is chosen as a System player, a reward that leads him to inherit the Shadow Monarch's powers and memories. Through his new abilities, Sung Jing-Woo finds himself on the path to becoming Earth's greatest hunter.