TL;DR: Best manhwa not on WEBTOON: SSS-Class Revival Hunter (Tapas), Painter of the Night and Lost in the Cloud (Lezhin), Under the Oak Tree (Manta). Each platform has its own pricing model and exclusive catalog. WEBTOON is Naver-affiliated; many Kakao series are Tapas-exclusive.
Recent updates:
- October 22, 2026: Corrected Painter of the Night's status and chapter count, updated Lost in the Cloud and Under the Oak Tree, and removed an Ink price we couldn't source.
- October 16, 2026: Fixed the WEBTOON comparison: WEBTOON no longer has a Daily Pass (removed May 2025); most episodes are free and only the newest cost Coins.
Tapas access note: Tapas ends service on March 31, 2027 at 23:59 PT, so unlocked episodes will not be accessible after that date; see the official Tapas update.
Correction (October 22, 2026): Earlier versions of this guide called Painter of the Night completed at 133 chapters; its main story ended at chapter 129 plus a two-chapter epilogue, and a side story is still running. They also said SSS-Class Revival Hunter cost 450 Ink per chapter, which we couldn't confirm, so that line is gone.
Best manhwa not on WEBTOON is a real question -- not because WEBTOON's catalog is bad, but because a meaningful chunk of the best series in the medium simply isn't there. If you've only used WEBTOON, you've missed SSS-Class Revival Hunter, Painter of the Night, Under the Oak Tree, and a cluster of Lezhin titles that the manhwa community consistently recommends.
This guide covers the four main alternative platforms, what exclusive series are worth reading on each, and how each platform's pricing model works.
Best manhwa not on WEBTOON: why these series aren't there
The short answer: WEBTOON is affiliated with Naver, and Tapas is affiliated with Kakao. These are competing Korean web comics platforms. Series that originate on Kakao Page (a major Korean publisher) typically publish in English through Tapas rather than WEBTOON.
This means a whole category of major manhwa -- SSS-Class Revival Hunter, The Beginning After the End, and others from Kakao's roster -- is on Tapas in English. Not because WEBTOON is missing them deliberately, but because they were published elsewhere first.
Lezhin and Manta operate differently: they pick up licensed titles specifically for their content niches (mature/BL for Lezhin, romance-heavy fantasy for Manta). Series on these platforms tend to be ones WEBTOON wouldn't publish for content rating reasons, or ones where the publisher chose a better-fit platform.
For a full breakdown of where to read manhwa legally, see where to read manhwa legally 2026.
Tapas: SSS-Class Revival Hunter and Kakao series
Tapas is owned by Kakao Entertainment and is the English home for series originating on Kakao Page in Korea. The pricing model is wait-for-free with a premium fast-pass using Ink, Tapas' currency. Most series have free episodes with a wait timer; paying Ink unlocks chapters immediately. Ink packages run from a few dollars to bulk discounts.
SSS-Class Revival Hunter (154 episodes, Season 4 concluded, Season 5 upcoming) is the Tapas series most manhwa readers mention first. The premise: Confucius Kim is the weakest hunter in a Tower -- until he gets killed by the top-ranked hunter and gains the ability to copy any skill at the cost of his death. Then he discovers he can travel back in time upon dying. What follows is a power-reversal story where the protagonist's apparent weakness is actually a specific kind of weapon. Buy the volumes at Better World Books (affiliate link)
The series ran four seasons on Tapas with consistent weekly updates (Sundays) and has passed 7 million views there. As of October 2026, it's still on hiatus between Season 4 and Season 5, with no confirmed return date announced. If you want to start fresh, the first episode is free. The tone is action-fantasy with an unusual protagonist ability that stays interesting longer than most power-system manhwa.
In print: Ize Press, a Yen Press imprint, prints SSS-Class Revival Hunter in paperback volumes, and Yen Press prints The Beginning After the End, so both stay readable in English after Tapas closes.
Another Kakao series worth flagging: God of Blackfield is a Tapas exclusive military-action manhwa that consistently shows up in Tapas recommendations alongside SSS-Class -- see our full breakdown for why it lands. Legendary Moonlight Sculptor is another Kakao-originated title on Tapas, a classic virtual-reality manhwa that predates most of the genre and is worth checking if you want something with more of a RPG-progression feel. Kill the Hero is a completed 153-chapter revenge manhwa with a genuinely anti-heroic protagonist, and Murim Login runs a dual murim/hunter world in parallel, still ongoing.
For more action-fantasy manhwa with unusual power systems:
SSS-Class Revival Hunter Review
SSS-Class Revival Hunter by Neida, Sinnoa, and Bill K -- online in English only on Tapas.
Lezhin: Painter of the Night and mature manhwa
Lezhin is a premium platform for mature-rated and BL manhwa -- the English home for series that wouldn't clear WEBTOON's content guidelines. The model is coin per chapter with no free rotation. Coins come in bundles; periodic discount events help. It's more expensive than WEBTOON per chapter, but these series aren't on any other English webcomic platform.
Painter of the Night by Byeonduck is the most frequently cited Lezhin title. Its main story ended at chapter 129, followed by a two-chapter epilogue, and a role-reversal side story is still running. The series is a BL historical manhwa set in Joseon-era Korea, following a nobleman's coercive obsession with a painter. The art quality is what most readers mention first -- Byeonduck's line work and period setting are the real draw -- there's nothing else in the English manhwa catalog that looks quite like this. The series is heavy on non-consensual dynamics, which readers should know going in; those who like dark historical drama with strong art find it worth it. Seven Seas also prints it in English.
Lost in the Cloud by Paskim is the other major Lezhin recommendation. BL contemporary, completed at 131 chapters when Season 3 ended in January 2025. The series takes a slower approach to its relationship dynamics than most BL manhwa and has a larger following among readers who want more layered character development in the genre.
Lezhin's catalog outside the BL genre skews toward mature contemporary drama and thriller titles, a different flavor than Painter of the Night's historical setting.
Painter of the Night by Byeonduck -- main story finished at chapter 129. Online in English on Lezhin Comics.
Manta Comics: Under the Oak Tree
Manta runs on a monthly subscription -- pay once, read everything in the catalog. Free trial available. If you're going to binge heavily, the subscription is better value than WEBTOON coins or Lezhin per-chapter purchases. For casual readers who only want one series, check whether Under the Oak Tree's chapter backlog justifies the cost before subscribing.
Under the Oak Tree (168 chapters, Season 5 running) is Manta's flagship. It's a romance fantasy manhwa adapting a web novel: the story of Maximilian, a noblewoman married to a knight who disappears on the day of their wedding and returns three years later. The setup sounds like a misunderstanding drama, but the series is more interested in the internal psychology of its protagonist -- anxiety, self-worth, the way trauma shapes a person's interpretation of kindness -- than in the external romance plot.
The manhwa is still in the middle of adapting the novel, so there's plenty left to come. If you like romance manhwa with more attention to internal character state than most, this is the Manta title to start with.
For romance manhwa with comparable emotional depth:
Best Romance Manhwa
Under the Oak Tree -- Season 5 running, on Manta Comics subscription.
Best manhwa not on WEBTOON: how the platforms compare
| Platform | Model | Best for | Notable exclusives |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tapas | Wait-for-free / Ink | Kakao action/fantasy manhwa | SSS-Class Revival Hunter |
| Lezhin | Coin per chapter | Mature and BL content | Painter of the Night, Lost in the Cloud |
| Manta | Monthly subscription | Romance fantasy, heavy binge | Under the Oak Tree |
| Tappytoon | Coin per chapter | Licensed Korean manhwa | Various BL and romance titles |
For readers who want to read across platforms: Tapas is closest to WEBTOON's free-heavy model. Lezhin has no equivalent on WEBTOON by design -- the content rating wouldn't clear. Manta makes the most sense if you plan to read consistently.
Quick picks by what you're optimizing for:
- Cheapest to binge casually: Tapas (wait-for-free)
- Best for mature or BL content: Lezhin
- Best if you read constantly: Manta (flat monthly rate)
- Best for licensed Korean-only titles: Tappytoon
Related Reading
- Legendary Moonlight Sculptor Reading Guide -- arc breakdown and reading order for the full run
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best manhwa not available on WEBTOON?
SSS-Class Revival Hunter (Tapas, 154 episodes), Painter of the Night (Lezhin, main story finished at 129 chapters), Under the Oak Tree (Manta, 168 chapters), and Lost in the Cloud (Lezhin, 131 chapters, completed). Each one's official English webcomic is on that one platform.
Is SSS-Class Revival Hunter on WEBTOON?
No. Online, it's only on Tapas in English. Search tapas.io for SSS-Class Revival Hunter, or pick up the Ize Press paperback volumes.
What is Lezhin Comics?
A premium manhwa platform with a coin-purchase model, specializing in mature and BL titles that exceed WEBTOON's content guidelines. Painter of the Night and Lost in the Cloud are two of its most-read series.
How does Manta Comics work?
Monthly subscription with full catalog access. Under the Oak Tree is its flagship romance fantasy title. A free trial is available.
Why are some manhwa on Tapas instead of WEBTOON?
Tapas is affiliated with Kakao; WEBTOON with Naver. These are competing Korean publishers. Series originating on Kakao Page publish through Tapas in English.
Is Lost in the Cloud completed?
Yes. It was completed at 131 chapters when Season 3 ended in January 2025. The series is by Paskim and available on Lezhin Comics.
Which platform is cheapest for casual readers?
Tapas has the most generous free model -- many series offer wait-for-free access. WEBTOON is similar. Lezhin is most expensive for casual reading since there's no free rotation. Manta's subscription is good value if you read frequently.
References
- SSS-Class Revival Hunter on Tapas -- 154 episodes, Season 4 concluded, Season 5 upcoming; more than 7 million views
- Painter of the Night on Lezhin Comics -- main story finished at chapter 129, side story running; by Byeonduck
