If you are following the weekly English translation schedule, This Emperor Is Running a Marriage Scam Chapter 21 is scheduled to release on English platforms by this upcoming Sunday, May 3, 2026.
This Emperor Is Running a Marriage Scam (이 황제는 결혼 사기를 칩니다, also known as The Emperor’s Marriage Scam) is a highly popular new fantasy/isekai romance manhwa that recently began serialization in early 2026. The comedic and chaotic story follows Hailey, who transmigrated into a novel and has been trying to survive using her “insane survival skills,” only to have an extraordinary little boy crash into her life.
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This Emperor Is Running a Marriage Scam Chapter 20 Recap
Currently, the series is actively being translated, with Chapter 20 recently dropping. In the recent chapters, Hailey’s life has become increasingly complicated since she agreed to become the Emperor’s “fake” wife to help care for his nephew. The story heavily leans into comedy, as Hailey frequently breaks the fourth wall with her internal monologues about surviving the tropes of a romance novel.
Chapter 20 focused on the escalating, bizarre situations Hailey finds herself in while living in the Imperial Palace. Despite her constant attempts to treat her marriage to Emperor Baron as a strict business arrangement, he continually throws her off guard. The chapter showcased the growing, chaotic dynamic between the two, highlighting how Hailey’s pragmatic, survivalist mindset completely clashes with Baron’s unpredictable (and somewhat unhinged) imperial behavior.
This Emperor Is Running a Marriage Scam Chapter 21 Spoilers
Because This Emperor Is Running a Marriage Scam is based on a completed Korean web novel, the overarching plot and immediate chapter events are known. Based on the novel’s progression and Korean community discussions for This Emperor Is Running a Marriage Scam Chapter 21:
- The giant octopus — Continuing the series’ trend of unhinged comedy, This Emperor Is Running a Marriage Scam Chapter 21 will feature a deeply bizarre and hilarious encounter involving seafood. Hailey will be completely shocked when Emperor Baron casually and instantly slaughters a massive octopus right in front of her.
- A shift in perspective — While the octopus scene plays for comedy, it serves a secondary purpose. It highlights to Hailey exactly how ruthlessly capable and dangerous the Emperor actually is beneath his handsome exterior, reminding her that her “contract husband” is still the most powerful man in the empire.
- The annoying rival — The chapter will also feature the return of an antagonistic noblewoman/rival who has been trying to interfere with their marriage. According to novel readers, this character will become significantly more annoying in Chapter 21 as she attempts to cause a rift between Hailey and Baron.
This Emperor Is Running a Marriage Scam Chapter 21 Global Release Times
Expected English Translation release — This Emperor Is Running a Marriage Scam Chapter 21 drops Sunday, May 3, 2026.
| Region | Time Zone | Release Time |
|---|---|---|
| 🇰🇷 Korea (Source) | KST (UTC+9) | Sun May 3, 12:00 AM |
| 🇯🇵 Japan | JST (UTC+9) | Sun May 3, 12:00 AM |
| 🇨🇳 China | CST (UTC+8) | Sat May 2, 11:00 PM |
| 🇵🇭 Philippines | PHT (UTC+8) | Sat May 2, 11:00 PM |
| 🇲🇾 Malaysia | MYT (UTC+8) | Sat May 2, 11:00 PM |
| 🇸🇬 Singapore | SGT (UTC+8) | Sat May 2, 11:00 PM |
| 🇮🇩 Indonesia | WIB (UTC+7) | Sat May 2, 10:00 PM |
| 🇹🇭 Thailand | ICT (UTC+7) | Sat May 2, 10:00 PM |
| 🇻🇳 Vietnam | ICT (UTC+7) | Sat May 2, 10:00 PM |
| 🇧🇩 Bangladesh | BST (UTC+6) | Sat May 2, 9:00 PM |
| 🇮🇳 India | IST (UTC+5:30) | Sat May 2, 8:30 PM |
| 🇵🇰 Pakistan | PKT (UTC+5) | Sat May 2, 8:00 PM |
| 🇦🇪 UAE / Gulf | GST (UTC+4) | Sat May 2, 7:00 PM |
| 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia | AST (UTC+3) | Sat May 2, 6:00 PM |
| 🇹🇷 Turkey | TRT (UTC+3) | Sat May 2, 6:00 PM |
| 🇷🇺 Russia (Moscow) | MSK (UTC+3) | Sat May 2, 6:00 PM |
| 🇪🇬 Egypt | EET (UTC+2) | Sat May 2, 5:00 PM |
| 🇩🇪 Germany | CEST (UTC+2) | Sat May 2, 5:00 PM |
| 🇫🇷 France | CEST (UTC+2) | Sat May 2, 5:00 PM |
| 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | BST (UTC+1) | Sat May 2, 4:00 PM |
| 🇧🇷 Brazil | BRT (UTC-3) | Sat May 2, 12:00 PM |
| 🇺🇸 East Coast | ET (UTC-4) | Sat May 2, 11:00 AM |
| 🇨🇦 Canada (Toronto) | ET (UTC-4) | Sat May 2, 11:00 AM |
| 🇨🇴 Colombia | COT (UTC-5) | Sat May 2, 10:00 AM |
| 🇲🇽 Mexico | CST (UTC-5) | Sat May 2, 10:00 AM |
| 🇺🇸 Central USA | CT (UTC-5) | Sat May 2, 10:00 AM |
| 🇺🇸 Mountain USA | MT (UTC-6) | Sat May 2, 9:00 AM |
| 🇺🇸 West Coast | PT (UTC-7) | Sat May 2, 8:00 AM |
Where to Read This Emperor Is Running a Marriage Scam Chapter 21
- Korean Raw Chapters — Officially published on KakaoPage.
FAQ
What is This Emperor Is Running a Marriage Scam about?
Hailey has fully adapted to her new life inside a fantasy novel using her extreme, pragmatic survival skills. However, her relatively peaceful life is derailed when she accidentally takes in a chaotic little boy. She soon discovers the child is actually the nephew of the Emperor, Baron. Rather than simply rewarding her, Baron essentially traps her in a highly lucrative but incredibly stressful “scam” contract marriage so she can continue dealing with the child.
How often does it release?
The series generally drops new chapters weekly, with English translation groups uploading translated chapters over the weekend (Saturday/Sunday).
Is there a novel?
Yes, the manhwa is based on a completed Korean web novel, which readers can use to find the ending and future spoilers.
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