How to Live as a Villain

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A ruthless antihero protagonist makes for an addictively entertaining dark fantasy manhwa.

Story: 8/10
The "villain in an RPG" premise immediately sets it apart from standard fantasy manhwa. The survival game structure lends itself to intriguing schemes and betrayals. The lore and magic system are well-conceived. Pacing and stakes remain solid.

Art: 8/10
The art is polished with vibrant colors. Action flows smoothly and effects look impactful. Character designs are distinct and convey personalities well. Backgrounds are detailed.

Characters: 9/10
The cunning, pragmatic protagonist willing to betray anyone is a standout. His ruthless maneuvering to gain power makes him compellingly unpredictable. The cast covering both innocent and twisted players is strong.
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Enjoyment: 9/10
I found the protagonist's ruthless antics and the tense atmosphere of betrayal highly entertaining. This manhwa sucks you into its darkly engrossing world.

In summary, How to Live as a Villain brings an addictive edge to fantasy manhwa through a cunning antihero protagonist and survival game premise. I'd highly recommend it to fans of intense mind games and scheming characters.

I love this series for the characters 9/10... story 9/10, art 8/10...the art really conveys the cynical nature of the mc. The mc is a great fraud...i believe he is more like if light yagami spawned in isekai and let his intrusive thoughts win and started killing as he liked... the story potrays sunghoon going on this adventure of deceit and evil while gaining compelling enemies and like minded companions. I'd say read it...dont go for the ratings.

While the first few chapters are a bit disorienting, it gets great later. All of his actions have consequences and I'd say that that mc is always true ... to his nature as a fraud even in fights, his life or any love(nothing yet) but his "acquaintances" are a bit trustworthy for him. Anyways great reeeeeead!

5.8/10


From the initial six chapters that I’ve read, I’m very curious and confused on why people aren’t bashing the plot more; it feels like I had missed a chapter in between since nothing is ever explained such as: why did the mc do this, how did he determine that, why is he like this, etc. I’m fine with a classic villain story sporadically, but a story with most of the introduction and reasoning skipped is where I draw the line.

It seems the manwha is going for a setting of learning along with the main character in an unknown death game, accidentally or purposely. I’ve ... read many of these tropes with little to no information at the beginning, but they ultimately develop the setting while garnering interest and mystery. However, this does not do that. Instead, things are quickly brushed over and nothing of the world is explained except for a brief introduction of entities called “gods” mentioned one time.

To note on the main character, I find him as one of the more ridiculous things in this story. None of his motives are ever explained besides for the classic “this is the best option,”… but why? Was it decided on a whim? As a previous reader has stated, the main character is supposed to act as an antihero, but antiheroes are supposed to have ideals/worldviews that they believe in being the morally right/noble option, usually contrasting from the typical heroic hero’s. Which, you might’ve guessed by now, the mc doesn’t really have said morality since he is a psychopath to put it simply. Nor does he have any correct noble worldview/idea he believes in but rather he does whatever will benefit him, which does not classify him as an antihero. Along with being a psychopath, he is portrayed as “smart” but every scenario of his “smartness” is extremely forced.

I can see how this manwha may appeal to some, but from a logical point of view, I just can’t seem to enjoy it due to the sheer quantity of plot holes. I’m sure it gets better, but I would rather read another manwha at that point or a manga that does this exact concept but better.

PS: I can not stress this enough that I think I might’ve missed a chapter since nothing is explained. I mean, for God’s sake, they glossed over the tutorial arc! The f*cking tutorial!

Reading Rankings (Portnoy inspired & A Huang Teizan Original)
10 – God’s penmanship
9 – Must-read. Drop everything else.
8 – Instant bookmark
7 – Entertaining
6 – Good to pass time
5 – Why are you reading this?
4 – Bad.
3 – Typical garbage.
2 – My head hurts.
1 – Retirement is a thought.
0 – “Did they even give you a story?!”

Overall 7/10
Keeping the promise from the title 11/10
Characters 6.5/10
Plot 6.5/10
Worldbuilding 4/10

Pros:
- The main, if not only reason to read - it's a real villain plot of good (even if not great) quality.
It's a nice change to have a proper MC like that. Never acting like a hero (sometimes pretending), evil to the bone.
Doing anything if it benefits him, putting morals aside from the start to the end.
... - The MC is OP, but on par with a few other characters and not brute-forcing through everything.
He indeed heavily depends on hit-and-run tactics, scheming, and (ab)using allies.

Cons:
- The world is pretty typical, without nearly any specific characteristics.
MC development has some interesting turns, yet nothing really catching.
- The end also cuts it in a moment when (vague to avoid spoilers) worldbuilding/some very important characters, with low screentime could start to shine. I was kind of counting on it from the start and got really disappointed in the end.
- Even considering ^ - the ending seems rushed. It's okay, but could have been done with more details, and IMO - at least one more arc and/or a longer, deeper epilogue.
- The characters other than MC are not very deep - a few with quite a nice idea for them, yet not deep enough to be truly satisfying.

How to Live as a Villain stands out as one of the more unique manhwas in the isekai genre. The mix of gods, quests, and a structured survival system gives the world a sense of depth that feels both exciting and dangerous. The story isn’t predictable because the main character doesn’t follow the typical “kind hero always wins” formula. Instead, he’s manipulative, cunning, and ruthless, which makes every decision feel tense and refreshing.

The art style fits the darker tone perfectly. Expressions, action scenes, and the atmosphere all highlight the constant struggle for survival. Characters aren’t flawless or overpowered; they have strengths, weaknesses, and make choices ... that feel realistic in their desperate situation.

This series will likely appeal to readers who are tired of overly perfect protagonists and want something darker, clever, and more strategic.

Brief: This is a unique manhwa which holds true to its name. This is no story of optimism or turn to a hero, mc is selfish, super goal focused, and rational. He would do whatever it takes from betrayal to good deeds.
The story progresses at a right pace and when you think mc is turning softie, he shows his true self in a very realistic way. This has everything from fights, wars, deception, and correct power scaling.


This manhwa truly lives up to its name, offering a unique and refreshing experience. It’s not your typical story of optimism or a hero’s journey. The main character ... (MC) is anything but a traditional protagonist. He is selfish, extremely goal-oriented, and highly rational. His actions are driven by his objectives, and he is willing to do whatever it takes to achieve them, whether it involves betrayal or good deeds. This makes him a complex character, standing out from the usual heroic figures we often see in similar stories.

The pacing of the story is well-done. Just when you think the MC is softening up, the narrative pulls you back into his true nature in a very realistic way. His decisions and actions remain consistent with his character, ensuring the story feels grounded despite its fantastical elements.

In terms of art, the style perfectly complements the tone of the manhwa. The fight scenes are dynamic and visually engaging, while the character designs effectively convey the intense emotions and depth of the plot. The power scaling is also handled well, maintaining a believable progression that fits the overall world-building.

The characters, including the MC, are well-rounded. They have their own strengths and flaws, reacting to the situations they face in ways that feel authentic and natural. The MC, in particular, doesn’t fit into the stereotype of being unrealistically powerful or overly righteous. His strategic mind and willingness to do anything for his goals create a sense of tension that keeps the reader hooked.

Overall, I think many people will enjoy this series for its darker, more complex take on the typical manhwa narrative. While it might not appeal to those who prefer more optimistic or traditional hero stories, its realism, coupled with its themes of deception, war, and conflict, will resonate with those who enjoy morally complex characters and intricate storytelling.

writing a review here after catching up because there's NO WAY people are hating on this. this manhwa's so damn underrated. we spent the first 180-ish chapters with a scheming villain that hides behind a good persona before showing what he's actually like. I LOVE THIS. IF I COULD BINGE IT 10 TIMES PER DAY I WOULD. recommending to you an S-tier manhwa.

- quick start
- no romance
- scheming mc
- betrayal
- different plots
- game-like world

if i say anything else, i'd be spoiling so much for you to figure out on ur own.
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This is a story I would recommend if someone wants a villain story, and or good revenge. The character stays true to who he is from chapter 1. The last 30 or so chapters towards the ending really ties everything that happens since the beginning together.

Perfect

Story: 7/10 - generic but unique in it's own sense
Art Style: 8/10 - nothing fancy, ifykyk ;)
Characters: 7/10 - generic again, pretty generic actually but they all have there own personality
Plot: 8/10 - Nothing stretched out, nor over did.
Ending: 9.6/10 - Ended suddenly, character stayed true to himself

Def one of my top #1 manwha's that doesn't overdo/stray from revenge ... stories by forgiving and forgetting.

Hello. I'm here to help you to not waste your time.
I'll keep it a buck fifty with you, this manhwa is fast food. If you need something to read to pass the time between the stuff you're actually excited to read updating, this is it. There are manhwa out there that are supposedly "better" than this but fail to maintain reader investment and have you going "wait a minute, I genuinely don't care" as you slowly stop reading it. This is that manhwa you either read through all at once or check in every once in a while because the world, characters and plot are ... the equivalent of good background noise.
Almost nobody is going to reread this and definitely nobody is rereading it twice. If you need to kill time between one good series and the next, read this, if you're looking for an excellent top tier story, kindly read something else.