— works that stuck with me

I will carry the lessons in this manga with me everyday. It taught me to speak NOW, apologize NOW, and love NOW. It showed me that while every person is unique and walks a different path, deep down, we are all just human. And most importantly, it helped me realize that true happiness is being able to share your heart with others (it's about having the freedom and the chance to tell people you care about them, show them kindness, and to feel that same love coming back to you).

This manhwa will always mean something to me. Even after three rereads, its impact never fades because it prioritizes the weight of its lessons over simple romance. The author portrayed serious issues with raw honesty by treating the characters like real people (each navigating their own grief, dreams, and ways of loving). While I see myself in so many of them, Gaeul and Hamin’s journeys have left a permanent mark on my soul, simply because it hits way too close to home.

Beautiful. What made this manhwa so special to me was how human every character felt. None of them were perfect, and none of them were written to be purely good or purely bad. They were complicated, flawed, emotional, selfish, kind, cruel, vulnerable, all at once. Yet despite their complexity, they never felt difficult to understand. In fact, they felt painfully real.

I can't even form a proper sentence to describe just how much of a great read this was. I love how the story didn't shy away from exploring multiple relationship dynamics, it certainly made it more inclusive. The way the story made the women who were described as “too” talented and “too” beautiful as the “witches” also stood out to me (it’s a reflection of how women have often been judged or diminished simply for being exceptional).

Prostitution is something that steals women’s light— a practice that strips away their very sense of self. This manga exposes that brutal reality by showcasing the physical and psychological scars it leaves on women. I hope for a world where no one has to be as "strong" as Ayu was, and where every woman trapped in that cycle find the freedom to look up at the sky everyday and know they are finally home :)

Motherhood is a heavy journey on its own, but carrying that weight as a teenager? And as a survivor of assault? It’s a situation that no one should ever bear :( Reina’s story perfectly captures the tragic issue victims like her tend to face: the struggle to choose between being a mother to her child vs. the freedom to be her own person. To anyone out there living through a similar situation, I hope with all my heart that the world treats you with the kindness Reina was never shown.

It isn’t as heavy as the others but it still hits way too close to home. I feel like I’m just all of them combined, because with each chapter— I end up relating to them in a way. I didn’t really care much about the romance, I just liked reading their stories (what will happen next and how it’ll turn out).

This manhwa is a heartwarming masterpiece that perfectly blends comedy, romance, and tragedy. I like how the characters grew in their own way while navigating serious life topics without unnecessary drama. However, what pulled my heartstrings the most was how this manhwa executed the “found family” trope. The transition from strangers to a home full of genuine concern felt deeply earned.