Wasn't I the Female Lead of a Regret Novel? (저 후회물 여주가 아니었나요?) has launched on Kakao Page with 20 episodes available from day one. The manhwa is illustrated by Yanggae with a scenario by the writer of So I Married the Abandoned Prince.
The series adapts a Korean webnovel by Choam (초암), the author of The Rewards of Marriage. It follows Vendia Rose as she enters the world of a "regret novel," only to find that the divorce plotline proceeds exactly as planned — and then subverts the expectations readers typically associate with the romance fantasy genre.
Quick Summary
- Korean title: 저 후회물 여주가 아니었나요?
- Romanized title: Jeo Huhoemul Yeojuga Anieotnayo?
- Official English title: Wasn't I the Female Lead of a Regret Novel?
- Alternative title: Wasn't I the Heroine of a Regret Novel?
- Official Japanese title: not yet announced
- Format: manhwa (webtoon)
- Manhwa platform: Kakao Page
- Initial episodes: 20 episodes
- Release date: August 2, 2026
- Original novel platform: Joara
- E-book novel platform: Ridi Books
- Original novel author: Choam (초암)
- Author's other work: The Rewards of Marriage
- Manhwa scenario writer: writer of So I Married the Abandoned Prince
- Illustrator: Yanggae (양개)
- Genres: Drama, Fantasy, Romance, Harem, Isekai
- Novel volumes: 4 volumes
- Ridi Books rating: 4.2 / 5
- Protagonist: Vendia Rose
- Story focus: protagonist enters a regret novel and reverses the divorce trope
- Original format: Korean webnovel
- Manhwa status: ongoing
- Free episode 1: available on Kakao Page
- Official English edition: not yet announced
- Official Indonesian edition: not yet announced
- Anime adaptation: not yet announced
Manhwa Cover, Novel Covers, and Selected Manhwa Scenes
The Webnovel Becomes a Kakao Page Manhwa
The story began as a Korean webnovel published on Joara and later released as a 4-volume e-book series on Ridi Books. Choam, previously known for The Rewards of Marriage, wrote the story as a romance fantasy isekai centered on a female protagonist.
For the manhwa adaptation, Kakao Page assigned the scenario writer from So I Married the Abandoned Prince to handle the visual storytelling structure. Yanggae handles all illustrations and character designs.
The publisher has not explained how much of the novel's content is covered in the initial 20 episodes. Information regarding the weekly update schedule, per-episode pricing, and whether a print version will be produced remains unannounced.
A Regret Trope That Goes Off-Script
Vendia Rose realizes she has entered the world of a novel. In the original story, she is destined to be the female lead of a "regret novel" — a trope where the husband divorces his wife, only to deeply regret it and try to win her back.
When the divorce papers are presented, Vendia accepts them without hesitation. The divorce actually happens. Instead of getting trapped in regret drama, Vendia chooses to live her own life peacefully.
This situation triggers an unexpected reaction from her ex-husband. The regret that was supposed to belong to the female lead shifts to the husband's side, flipping the story's dynamic entirely.
20 Episodes Available Immediately
Kakao Page unlocked 20 episodes simultaneously at launch rather than releasing one or two per week. This strategy allows new readers to immediately grasp the character dynamics and core conflicts without waiting for weekly updates in the early stages.
The first episode is also available to read for free through the Kakao Page viewer. Readers who wish to continue to subsequent episodes can access them through the official platform.
The release schedule for future episodes and the total planned episode count have not been officially announced.
Cover and Visuals Feature Vendia Rose
The manhwa cover illustration places Vendia Rose at the center of the visual composition. Yanggae's character designs display the signature romance fantasy style typical of Kakao Page titles, with detailed costumes and expressive character work.
The identities of other characters in the story, including the ex-husband and supporting cast, have not been fully introduced in the initial promotional materials. The complete character lineup and their relationships therefore remain unconfirmed by the publisher.
Conflict and Relationships Beyond the Ordinary
Wasn't I the Female Lead of a Regret Novel? does not limit its conflict to a simple romance between two characters. The isekai premise adds an extra layer where Vendia possesses knowledge of the original story's plot, allowing her to make decisions that deviate from what the novel intended.
The relationship between Vendia and her ex-husband develops into a dynamic where one party has already moved on while the other is just beginning to realize what was lost. Drama, fantasy, and romance elements complement each other without relying on drawn-out conflicts.
The harem element listed among the genres suggests the possible introduction of other characters who become interested in Vendia after the divorce. However, details regarding those characters have not been officially explained.
Why This Matters
1) A creative team with a proven romance fantasy track record
Choam has already established credibility through The Rewards of Marriage. The scenario writer from So I Married the Abandoned Prince also brings experience in romance fantasy manhwa adaptations.
2) 20 episodes available from day one
Readers do not need to wait for weekly updates in the early phase. Kakao Page unlocked 20 episodes immediately, enabling a reading marathon from the start.
3) The premise subverts regret trope expectations
Instead of a suffering female lead waiting for her husband to regret his decision, Vendia accepts the divorce and moves on with her life. The "regret" element shifts to the ex-husband's side.
4) A solid original novel rating
The 4.2 out of 5 rating on Ridi Books indicates that the story was already well-received by novel readers before the manhwa adaptation launched.
Manhwa Information
The important details currently known are:
- Wasn't I the Female Lead of a Regret Novel? is a manhwa adaptation of the Korean webnovel 저 후회물 여주가 아니었나요?
- the original novel is written by Choam (초암), author of The Rewards of Marriage
- the manhwa scenario is handled by the writer of So I Married the Abandoned Prince
- illustrations and character designs are by Yanggae (양개)
- the manhwa launched on Kakao Page on August 2, 2026 with 20 initial episodes
- the first episode is available for free on Kakao Page
- the original novel is available through Joara and Ridi Books
- the novel version has 4 volumes on Ridi Books
- the novel's rating on Ridi Books is 4.2 out of 5
- genres include Drama, Fantasy, Romance, Harem, and Isekai
- the protagonist is named Vendia Rose
- the story focuses on a protagonist who enters a regret novel and reverses the divorce trope
- the manhwa status is ongoing
- the future episode update schedule has not been announced
- official English and Indonesian editions have not been announced
- an anime adaptation has not been announced
- the webnovel is available through the official Joara page
- e-book novel information is available through the official Ridi Books page
- manhwa information is available through the official Kakao Page listing
- the novel database is available through NovelUpdates
- the manhwa database is available through MangaUpdates
Closing
Wasn't I the Female Lead of a Regret Novel? brings Choam's webnovel to the manhwa format on Kakao Page with the support of an experienced creative team. The premise that subverts the regret trope and the availability of 20 episodes at launch form the core appeal of this release.
Details regarding the future episode update schedule, total episode count, and publication outside Korea remain unannounced.
- Kakao Page — Main Manhwa Page, Synopsis, and Series Information
- Kakao Page — Episode 1 and Free Viewer
- Ridi Books — Official Novel, Rating, and Reader Reviews
- Joara — Original Novel and Serialization Platform
- NovelUpdates — Novel Database, Genres, Tags, and Status
- MangaUpdates — Manhwa Database, Authors, Illustrator, and Adaptation Information
