8/10 — SO CUTE. everything i want in a BL dynamic—an easily flustered MC and a stoic but kinda pathetic ML. a refreshingly healthy relationship that lets me genuinely believe they’d be able to grow old together. peak comedy.
6/10 — has its pros and cons. the art & setup is quite good and there’s a very solid cast of characters. the main point of contention is the main couple; this is not going to be an enjoyable read if you value a strong relationship dynamic in a BL. it has its satisfying moments, but there’s too much nonsensical push-and-pull between these two.
10/10 — this is EVERYTHING i want in a manhwa and more. compact story, riveting motives, incredible comedy, truly believable character interactions & relationships, consistently beautiful art…i’m generally not a fan of the “forgotten childhood friends reunite” trope but the ending redeemed it for me. my heart feels so full after reading this.
7/10 — surprisingly cute—this is my favorite kind of seme; sharp and intimidating, but socially awkward. perspective change & recap was redundant, but you can skim now that it’s completed.
i’ll be honest, this one holds a special place in my heart because i read it while still recovering from orv (omniscient reader) and they reminded me of joongdok TT
9/10 — cute and angst-free, the perfect kind of story to sit down and binge on a whim. there’s nothing more endearing than 30~ year old salarymen hopelessly in love. it’s no wonder why this manga has 3 adaptations (japanese drama, thai drama, anime series). definitely a story you can reread fondly over the years.
7/10 — a romance built on mutual distrust; their relationship is full of red flags, though the narrative is aware of the fact and refuses to skirt around it. i appreciate how open the story is with the unstable nature of their relationship, with little guarantee for the future. good (if not blunt) commentary on the inherent connection between love & risk.
10/10 — i’m blown away by every aspect of this manhwa. the presentation and imagery was absolutely stunning in a very subtle, minimalistic way. a wonderfully non-traditional BL dynamic, where both sides are proactive in their love. i can't begin to explain how phenomenally human each character was, and how each emotion was treated with such nuance. marvelously realistic in its commentary on love, consent and choice.
9/10 — cute with a nice dose of drama!! i love how flustered they both get, very equal power dynamic that makes their relationship actually engaging.
7/10 — a match made in hell. i went into this hesitantly, knowing they were going to end up together and wondering how it could possibly be justified, and i was thoroughly surprised by just how much i sympathized with the characters. this is a story of two victims of unhealthy love finding closure in fucked up ways, and it is shockingly compelling. docked points for the jarring shift with the fluffy ending; i think it should’ve stayed tonally true to the story it began as.
5/10 — the power dynamic had a bit too large of a gap for my liking, and consent issues were rampant. however, it did seem to even out as the story went on. the general plot & ending was a little more convoluted than it needed to be, but loose ends were still tied up well enough.
It's Not Like That (Gangto)