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What It Takes to be a Villainess
by HÆON (original novel); Yuns (adaptation) · D&C MEDIA / Tappytoon · 2018
best for Readers who enjoy a socially capable villainess competing for an imperial position, deceptive rivals, palace tests, and a gradually developing royal romance.
Also on: Tapas (English comic edition) · Tappytoon (completed English source novel) · KakaoPage (Korean comic)
Heads-up: torture and murder. All content notes
What it's about
After a painful breakup and an accidental fall into a river, Hwayoung awakens as Satiana, a noblewoman infamous for her vicious behavior. Her hopes for a calmer second life collapse when she becomes a candidate to marry the crown prince. With her new family’s safety tied to the competition, Satiana must navigate public expectations, carefully staged tests, and a rival whose kindness may conceal ambition. Surviving the palace requires deciding when playing the villain is her strongest defense.
My take
The empress-selection competition gives Satiana practical problems to solve and makes the early political maneuvering enjoyable. Her growing confidence provides satisfying reversals against a deceptively respectable rival. The romance has its warm moments, but the prince and increasingly predictable opposition are less distinctive than the initial setup, making this a comfortable older villainess series rather than an especially inventive one.
— coff33latt33
✓ Read it if…
Success depends on how Satiana presents a decision as much as on whether the decision is sensible. That gives social encounters a competitive edge, and lets seemingly small choices about reputation or preparation become visible evidence that she is learning how the court operates.
! Skip it if…
The rival-woman conflict relies heavily on a familiar contrast between public virtue and private scheming. Later romantic developments can feel less involving than the competition, and some harsh punishments receive limited emotional scrutiny despite the heroine’s modern background.
Story profile
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Moonlight Toons is a free, independent guide for discovering and tracking manhwa — Korean webcomics — with a focus on romance, fantasy and villainess stories. Browse by trope and mood, get a one-tap recommendation, and keep a personal shelf of what you're reading, want to read, or have finished.
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Every review, rating and reading guide on Moonlight Toons is written by one person, for readers. This page explains exactly what goes into a review, what the numbers mean, and how titles end up on our lists.
Who writes the reviews
Reviews, ratings and guides are written by coff33latt33, the reading name of Moonlight Toons' founder. They're personal editorial opinions from a reader's point of view, not aggregated scores or publisher copy.
What we cover
Mostly Korean manhwa, with a focus on romance, fantasy and villainess stories. A handful of Japanese manga and Chinese manhua are included too; every title shows an origin badge (Manhwa, Manga or Manhua) so you always know which is which.
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Last updated: October 2026
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