What is this genre all about? Media targeting women roughly 18-40
We present you the list of Josei manga you should read right now.
Try our anime quiz: Anime Characters Guessing Quiz/Game
Top 20 Josei manga you should read right now. [2026 List]
- 20. Helmut (Kim Nan Sae)
- 19. Hwangjewa Hamkke Tarakagetseumnida
- 18. There's Something Wrong About My Man's Morals
- 17. Heunhan Binguimurin Jul Aratda
- 16. Eojjeodaboni Cheonsaengyeonbun
- 15. Sigrid
- 14. Turning the Mad Dog Into a Genteel Lord
- 13. My Mom Got a Contract Marriage
- 12. Makjangdeuramae Gatyeobeoryeotda
- 11. Bugbu Gongjagnim-eul Yuhoghagessseubnida
- 10. Seikei Bijin no Youkihi Tensei
- 9. Ibyangttal Yeoka-rol Jinachige Jalhaebeoryeotda
- 8. Kyouai to Junai
- 7. As the Heart Led
- 6. Positively Yours
- 5. Pokgun Nampyeoni Eojjeonji Josinhaejyeotda
- 4. Heungmang Namjuui Sihanbu Yumoimnida
- 3. My Unexpected Marriage
- 2. How to Make My Tyrant Husband Love Me
- 1. Pipyemurui Haepiendingeul Wihayeo
20. Helmut (Kim Nan Sae)
Helmut was a child who had been abandoned in the Demonic Beast Forest at birth.
Raised by Demonic Beasts, the first human that he met was the Sword Saint Darien.
Little did Helmut know that the chance encounter would soon shake the foundation of his fate…
“Grow stronger If you want to get out of here.”
The boy who’d lived like a beast was thrown into the human world!
He possessed overwhelming swordsmanship, outstanding looks and sharp intelligence, but there was one thing he lacked: humanity.
I am no longer a prey. I am now a predator!
Helmut (Kim Nan Sae) is currently publishing and has Chapters. It is also Known as: Helmut (Honyo), Helmut: The Forsaken Child
19. Hwangjewa Hamkke Tarakagetseumnida
“You, too, will be corrupted. Then I will make it all come true.”
If I had only joined hands with him and agreed to become his mistress then, could I have lived a little longer?
At least I would not have know the pain of my eyes being gouged out. But instead I shouted: “I refuse. I will not betray my country”, not realizing that my country, my family, had betrayed me long ago.
Sacrificed, used, abandoned, and finally executed by my own family... I only realized after returning to 10 years in the past that the reason why you wanted me to stand by your side is because you and I were so much alike.
Let us fall together this time.
I Will Fall With the Emperor is currently publishing and has Chapters. It is also Known as: Впасти разом з імператором, お求め頂いた暴君陛下の悪女です
18. There's Something Wrong About My Man's Morals
After a fateful encounter as children, Evonne and the outcast prince, Theo, can’t deny their deep connection. However, their lives are torn apart when Evonne’s family is wrongly accused of treason, leading to their ruin. Cursed and forced to disguise herself as a man, Evonne struggles to survive until Theo finally finds her and uses all his power as emperor to take her with him. Together, they’ll start a journey facing challenges that’ll test their love as they try to start a life together.
There's Something Wrong About My Man's Morals is currently publishing and has Chapters. It is also Known as: My Lover's Personality Is a Little Strange, Người Đàn Ông Của Tôi Có Tính Cách Hơi Dị Thường, Tính Cách Của Người Yêu Tôi Hơi Kì Lạ, 愛した皇帝が変わってしまった
17. Heunhan Binguimurin Jul Aratda
Not all villains are evil. When Sun-A Choi reincarnates as Edith Rigelhof, the villain from her favorite novel, she is determined to change Edith’s life around and treats everyone with kindness. Although she marries the handsome Killian Rudwick, he is madly in love with the original protagonist of the book and mistrusts Edith because she is from a rival family. Will her marriage survive the whirlwind of family feuds, love triangles, and more? Will Edith find her happy ending?
Note: Includes 15 extra chapters.
Not Your Typical Reincarnation Story has finished publishing and it has 115 Chapters. It is also Known as: I Thought It Was a Common Isekai Story, I Thought It Was a Common Transmigration
16. Eojjeodaboni Cheonsaengyeonbun
‘How long have I been laying down at home…?’ Han Jia, who is turning 32 this year (she’s a freelancer who still doesn’t have a full-time job/jobless), suffers because of the pressure given by people around her that keep telling her to get married. Around the same time, Jin Mincheol, her childhood friend who came to Jia’s hometown for holiday, is having the same problem. Then, the two people got married just like that. Now that they have married….. ‘Huh? We match each other more than i thought?’
Source: MU
Maybe Meant to Be has finished publishing and it has 132 Chapters. It is also Known as: Accidentally Heavenly Match, Match Made in Heaven by Chance
15. Sigrid
She always lived by the rules. She thought her life had been honourable. She was loyal to the emperor, even at the cost of her life. But the only thing she got in return was the blade of the guillotine.
"Why? Why is it like this?" she kept asking before her death.
However, when she opened her eyes, she had returned to five years before she died.
"Was the way I lived wrong?" she kept thinking.
Sigrid decided to change her way of life. What to eat, what to wear, what to buy, everything. The way she changed led her to be the centre of everything. Although, everything eventually started to go back ...
Sigrid is currently publishing and has Chapters. It is also Known as: Шікрід
14. Turning the Mad Dog Into a Genteel Lord
Diarin, a priestess without any noteworthy family background or connections, always gets the toughest assignments. So when her boss tells her to help Ceres, a war hero, reintegrate into society, she decides to stop being a pushover and get as much as she can out of it, including a juicy promotion. But upon reaching Ceres' manor, she’s greeted by a growling hound instead of a human. Tasked with the impossible job of turning the mad dog into a proper gentleman, she dedicates herself to caring for him. But his unexpected obsession with her was never part of her plan.
Turning the Mad Dog Into a Genteel Lord is currently publishing and has Chapters. It is also Known as: Turning a Crazy Dog Into a Young Master, 狂犬な彼を貴公子に変えてみせます!
13. My Mom Got a Contract Marriage
Lilyca is a poor girl who used to spend every day with her alcoholic mother.
However, one day...
"Kyaa, it's hot! No!"
Her mother woke up screaming and nonsensically asked, "Lily, you're alive! Have you gotten younger?"
"What's the date?"
She'd lost her mind!
"This can't be... I've come back!"
She started spouting more puzzling things, even going so far as to say, "We need to go to the Imperial Ball and meet the Emperor!"
Lilyca began to worry that something had gone wrong with her Mother's head...
My Mom Got a Contract Marriage is currently publishing and has Chapters. It is also Known as: My Mother Gets Married Again, My Mother Got Married By Contract
12. Makjangdeuramae Gatyeobeoryeotda
After a life of hardship as an orphan, Jia Han finally achieves the dream of homeownership... only to have her moment of jubilation cruelly cut short. While indulging in her guilty pleasure--a riveting soap opera--she experiences a sudden, piercing chest pain and meets an untimely demise. But when she wakes up, she finds herself not in the afterlife, but within the very drama she was watching and as none other than its villainess! In a realm where a glance sparks a scandal and a step triggers a landmine of emotions, what fate lies ahead for Jia?
Trapped in a Soap Opera is currently publishing and has Chapters. It is also Known as: I'm Stuck in a Crazy Drama, I'm Trapped in a Drama, I'm Trapped in a Terrible Drama, 我被困在了狗血剧里, 狗血劇反派的宿命
11. Bugbu Gongjagnim-eul Yuhoghagessseubnida
Selena, the top star that had the entire world’s attention, was suddenly warped to Northern Duke’s land during an accident while filming. Kalcion, the Northern Duke that saved her from the infernal beasts, offers Selena a chance to go back home in return for collecting information in various social circles by pretending to be his lover. Selena quickly accepts Kalcion’s offer, but… “Why in the world can’t you do this!?” “Don’t you think that the answer to that should be obvious to you, the actress, not to me, the duke?” There was a critical problem. The Northern Duke’s acting skills are horrible! “…Let’s change the plan. I’ll seduce you instead.”
Source: NU
Charming the Duke of the North has finished publishing and it has 91 Chapters. It is also Known as: I Seduced the Northern Duke, I Will Seduce the Northern Duke, I'll Seduce the Northern Duke, Je vais séduire le Duc du Nord, Kế Hoạch Là Quyến Rũ Công Tước Phương Bắc, Seducire al duque del norte, Я соблазню северного герцога, Я спокусила північного герцога, 北部公爵を誘惑します, 诱惑北部公爵
10. Seikei Bijin no Youkihi Tensei
PeopIe have never been kind about Mikiko's looks. ln an effort to change that, she gets plastic surgery and transforms into a woman of unrivaled beauty, but is killed in an accident the same day. She wakes up in the Tang Dynasty of ancient times, taking over the life of legendary concubine, Yang Guifei, who had just been assassinated by Consort Wu Huifei, a villain who intends to make herself and the emperor's son, Shou Wang, successors to the throne. Yang Guifei was later named one Of the Three Beauties of the World and in historical fact, although she was once married to Shou Wang, Yang Guifei becomes Emperor Xuanzong's beloved consort. However, Mikiko, who replaces Yang Guifei, finds herself confronting the power struggles of the inner palace and the hidden romance between her and the "fake emperor" Shou Wang, something buried in the depths of history.
Becoming The Legendary Concubine is currently publishing and has Chapters. It is also Known as: 整形美人の楊貴妃転生, Seikei Bijin no Youkihi Tensei
9. Ibyangttal Yeoka-rol Jinachige Jalhaebeoryeotda
Transmigrating into the main character of your favorite book sounds like a dream come true, but knowing Viola Vellatoux grows to be disappointed in her ending, Arin Han sets out to rewrite the story. However, her adoptive family will not hesitate to assassinate one another in their fight for control. The new Viola needs to use her wits to convince everyone that she has what it takes while remaining true to her goal. Further complicating her schemes, the male lead looks eerily familiar and has a strange effect on her when she gets too close.
The Unintentionally Ideal Adopted Daughter is currently publishing and has Chapters. It is also Known as: I Played the Role of the Adopted Daughter Too Well, 過度稱職的養女, 完美演绎养女角色, 过分扮演了领养女儿的角色, ฉันเล่นบทลูกสาวบุญธรรมได้ดีเกินไปซะแล้ว
8. Kyouai to Junai
Julia, a lowly servant from the marquess' estate, has no idea how she lost the ability to speak. With no memories before the age of twelve, she's simply been told a certain incident traumatized her. While everyone treats her harshly at the estate, Julia has been able to barely survive with the help of Camille, the second son of the marquess. Camille even helps her speak again using his special power, "Arcana." However, that's when the jealous servants plot against Julia and throw her out of the estate. The duke's eldest son, Glen, stumbles upon injured Julia and takes care of her. Now, between Camille's obsessive passion and Glen's genuine affection, which one would Julia choose?
Kyouai to Junai has finished publishing and it has 68 Chapters. It is also Known as: Amour et Obsession, Between Yearning and Obsession
7. As the Heart Led
Yi-jae, who has been reincarnated as Hailey, the daughter of a noble family who threw herself into the river just before the royal marriage, now sees restless spirits that should never be seen behind the king! Days are spent struggling to exorcise the restless spirits that crowd around King Roderick. As Roderick spends time with Yi-jae, he starts to notice strange changes in his mental clarity and physical condition…
As the Heart Led is currently publishing and has Chapters. It is also Known as: As Your Heart Leads You, Follow Your Heart (Tildakim), Where the Heart Leads, Where Your Heart Leads You
6. Positively Yours
To Hee-won’s dismay, the BFF she crushed on and her other BFF are now dating! Seriously bummed, Hee-won decides to go wild just one time, and find solace with a handsome stranger. A very satisfying one night affair has now turned into more — she’s pregnant! Fate brings them together again, and now the regimented Doo-joon is determined to do the right thing and marry her. But they’re basically strangers! Except... their bodies have been very intimately acquainted. What’s this mother-to-be to do?
Positively Yours has finished publishing and it has 82 Chapters. It is also Known as: I have a baby
5. Pokgun Nampyeoni Eojjeonji Josinhaejyeotda
Eurenia, the eldest daughter of Count Vincent. It is well known that she lost her sight and voice when she saved her godfather Euclid from a fire. But the truth behind it is that she self-medicated to harm her body.
Using this as an excuse to marry the godfather’s son, duke Euclid. But in the end, she was used like a puppet in the earl’s hands, then discarded and died as a side effect of the drug.
She thought that was the end, but no. When she opened her eyes, she was back 4 months ago. She thought that now she must divorce the duke, who was forced to marry her. Then go find a cure…
“Is the reason you’ve been avoiding me all this time just because you’re afraid of being discovered?” His purple pupils persistently carved into her body.
“Isn’t it because you hate me?” Suddenly his eyes turned red.
“Can I come near you now?” The ears are also red.
Pokgun Nampyeoni Eojjeonji Josinhaejyeotda is currently publishing and has Chapters. It is also Known as: Somehow, My Tyrant Husband Has Became Cautious, My Tyrant's Husband Somehow Became Cautious
4. Heungmang Namjuui Sihanbu Yumoimnida
I realized the truth when I heard the news that my sister came to me to tell me she was going to run away from her husband to be with his brother, her lover and the true father of her child. My nephew was his father's illegitimate son and would soon become a tyrant, and I had possessed his villainous aunt.
The Archvillain's Dying Nanny is currently publishing and has Chapters. It is also Known as: I Am the Nanny of the Villain, I'm the Villainous Male Lead's Terminally-Ill Aunt, ฉันคือแม่นมใกล้ตายของพระเอกตัวร้าย
3. My Unexpected Marriage
"Dirty wench! You stole my necklace!” “Unless I knew where your necklace was, I wouldn’t have been able to take it.” As an illegitimate child, Laritte’s biggest sin was being born. In the year she became an adult, she was sent to marry the ghost duke who was rumored to be dead. Her miserable life seemed to get worse and worse, however her life changed when the duke came back alive. “Madam, how do you like it?” Kind servants, “You have enough luxury to buy some residences in the capital.” “…no one will be able to look down on you anymore.” And the empire’s devoted and murderous duke. It was already too late for those who tormented Laritte to regret.
My Unexpected Marriage is currently publishing and has Chapters. It is also Known as: When the Count's Illegitimate Daughter Gets Married
2. How to Make My Tyrant Husband Love Me
The notorious Empress Belita, famed for her myriad romantic entanglements!
Just when Belita is on the verge of being killed by her tyrant husband while attempting to elope with a prince from a neighboring kingdom, "I" becomes Belita.
"I"--now Belita--narrowly escapes death and vows to cease her unfaithful behavior to dispel the emperor's suspicions.
Amidst a palace rife with numerous paramours, a distrustful emperor, and the looming specter of war, can Belita survive?
How to Make My Tyrant Husband Love Me is currently publishing and has Chapters. It is also Known as: I'm the Troublesome Empress Marked by the Tyrant, She Is a Nuisance Empress Who Was Branded by a Tyrant, 恋愛初心者ですが不倫皇后に転生しました
1. Pipyemurui Haepiendingeul Wihayeo
When Rosiana Evenheider opens her eyes as the villainess of the tragic novel, “The Miracle of Dawn,” she knows she has to do something if she wants to live. She must find a way to escape her evil adoptive father’s grasp while also helping the male leads one by one so that they don’t take drastic measures to claim the female lead. Will Rosiana be able to find a way to change the narrative so that everyone finds their “happily ever after”?
To a Happy Ending for the Tragic Novel is currently publishing and has Chapters. It is also Known as: For the Happy Ending of the Waste, For the Happy Ending of the Tragic Novel
