tartarme's Topics (10)

I binged through this like it was nothing but I was getting chills throughout my body. Every twist just blew my mind into bits and I had no choice but to pick up each pieces because I still had to power through the following chapters. Honestly tho the story felt like it’s dragging too much yet still lacks elaboration on some part but it was still great nonetheless. Reading this honestly scared me like how I was scared watching the first Sinister movie not because of the horror elements but rather because of the plot and the eeriness. Did not expect that ending but I was overall satisfied that is why I don’t get the other comments that says that the ending felt rushed.

My board exam is coming up yet here I am fucking squealing, tweaking, curling my toes, rolling around the bed, and beaming from ear to ear because of this fucking manhwa wkwkwkkwkwwkwkkwkw they’re just too cuteee ohhh goddddd ε=ε=(ノ≧∇≦)ノ

“After all, there’s not a single strand of hair on your head that is innocent.” -hair follicle test

i was like oop (⊙…⊙ )

I’m at chapter 40 and I couldn’t help but leave a comment now. I’ve been shedding tears and I’m not even at the height of the story yet! The art and plot isn’t something special but the dialogues… oh god they are heart wrenching. Tangina tagos sa puso!!

This manhwa is so plot-heavy that I did not get to fully comprehend its intentions the first time I read this. Fortunately, I was able to gaze upon this again and give it a read more thoroughly.

The revenge narrative seemed shallow at the beginning but it took the story in unexpected twists and turns. It started as a conquest for avenging Yoohan’s brother’s death which is not so surprising given that most stories use a plot device such as a family to make the story going. What better way to evoke emotions and keep the audience engaged in the story than to put such plot device that is relatable. That kind of familiarity in these kinds of stories is usually predictable. But, I was completely off the mark. This wasn’t about revenge entirely, it was self-discovery.

You see, the main character is so detached from the world yet he was so driven for this revenge. Yoohan witnessed his brother’s death, his mother died, he was completely overwhelmed by his debt, and he was betrayed. All this happened and yet he had no strong inclinations with his relationships among the people involved so it was a surprise that this story did not even revolve entirely on the death of Yoohan’s family. It was not those deaths that evoked a change, it was Yoohan’s pursuit of self-satisfaction that ultimately lead to his moral awakening and self-realization (feelings, passion, and whatnot).

If this wasn’t BL, the story would still have progressed the same because Yoon Jay would be as functional in the story even as a side character. This was so well written that the romance may even be considered unnecessary. I am not complaining tho. The bits of spice in between chapters is so good. The smut was adequate and there was an actual plot unfolding unlike most BLs. In addition, I can see why the story where Yoohan finally achieved what he deserved was shown in the sides rather than the main story. It’s because the story is already complete. The latter part of the story was just for reader’s satisfaction. Also, Payback —> Payoff. Even the titles are so well done.

Imagine having feelings you never felt growing up, it would mess with your mind, too. He has only come to acknowledge his feelings toward the prince then all of a sudden, he “learns” that he hates the prince in more ways than one. He hates the Sable Tiger God, he was disappointed in the junior inspector he met, and he hates that the royal family massacred his family and hometown. All of these happened for the wrong reasons. Yet, he still likes the prince all the same. I’d be confused as well if I were in his shoes.

I knew this was gonna be peak once I read the dialogues. The author/translator is using modern pseudo-old english. This type of language is scratching something in my brain. Definitely something worth reading!

There are so many things to unpack with this story. First, the art. I have seen a lot of manhwas (in BL category) with art styles and coloring more spectacular than this one, yet this one captured details that you’d seldomly see in a manhwa. Some close-up panels of the faces were drawn so well in a way that each stroke felt like they were in the right place. So many emotions were shown so differently with just a few tweak of lightness or darkness, thinness or thickness of lines, or just a highlight. The Jang family even resembles each other yet still unique from each other (same face syndrome is not an issue for the artist).

The cut scenes were done so cohesively that even when scenes go from flashbacks to present, they are not confusing. It was obvious that every panel was decisively placed in each chapter. You see a scene from the past and you see the rest of the scene on another chapter but they do not feel repetitive or irrelevant. It was a pleasant reading experience. You get to piece the story together. It felt like watching a movie.

There were nuances that I only noticed when I reread this. Like how Hakyung is short and petite while his brother, Kunwoo, is taller and sturdier. Some may say that these are just how genetics work (realistically speaking) but I argue that it was done so on purpose to show contrast on their relationship as brothers. Hakyung being the older of the two and as the breadwinner, I believe, played a part in this. Being raised poor, Hakyung suffered the brunt of being impoverished as the eldest. I mean, he had to work whilst his brother studies. Among the two it is obvious who was being taken care of and who has to work to make ends meet. This kind of detail just feels like intentional or maybe I’m just reading too much into it.

It’s also refreshing to see the family dynamics in this story. At the beginning, you can clearly tell that the antagonists are the members of the Jang family but they showed character development in the end in a not-so-dramatic-way like a typical family. The way the conflict at the end was resolved was unexpected, too (when I first read this). You’d think that the grand scheme the grandfather did as a resolution would be something explosive, but it was not, and yet it was still impactful (I shed a tear or two). Overall, this was such a masterpiece. I wish I could read more of the artist/author’s work.

I was not expecting anything out of this story but it still took me off guard. I was just laughing my ass off every chapter. I didn’t even care that there is no plot or any development HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

I thought in the beginning that there were so much blank spaces and faceless extras but the moment I realized how detailed the characters' emotions are, I had to hold my breath.

It's very rare for me to see a BL where there are series of panels that did not have dialogues or words indicating actions but were still able to deliver cohesive scenes. Some of which were even meaningful despite the lack of words. It's also refreshing to see characters with so much depth with their emotions as they are drawn. All in all, the artist made a spectacle of art with each character's face.

The scenes were also very beautifully put together. Like the flashbacks weren't confusing as they happen. Scenes in the past unfold as the present were undertaking. Every cut scene just match so well. Very well done.

Also, ML was just so perfectly drawn like he actually felt real.