I actually have no particular words for this manhwa. I'm rendered speechless.
The fact of incest isn't even a problem, but the fact that MC is so thoroughly abused that he is better of dead. With a stature like that, he might as well have endured more and depraved torment the moment he was separated from his mother. The implied "creep" of a brother in his adoptive family was enough of a subtle hint of Yesong's past. People call him a cute fox and want his tail, how are we sure no one has hunted him before? Either way, all this speculation is moot considering it's all based from implications throughout the story.
Nonetheless, it doesn't change how unsettling his manhwa is. The art style and plain yet bright colors is contrasting to the theme. It leaves a bitter taste of thinking if it is simply an artistic preference, limitation, or a deliberate direction to downplay trauma that is so painfully obvious and heavy. I hate this manhwa in a way that I felt incredibly awful for Yesong.
I don't believe his love for Yesung was unconditional and as is. Yesong knew there was no hope between them, that it was doomed right from the start. Yesong only knows how to keep things fair, even if it means selling himself short. His declaration of courage is a result of a successful conditioning. Physically, emotionally, and psychologically, Yesong was conditioned to be in Yesung's control and affections. This is all thanks to the very core of Yesung's character, which is his love for his family. Yesung's filial piety was present throughout the series, and this filial piety of hid morphed into an inevitable change when his environment can no longer be satisfied with mere filial promises. Yesong had no choice but to reciprocate what Yesung gave him.
The genuine gasp I let out when the father was a carbon copy of Yesung was unexpected. I expected him to look old with a bit of difference in hair, but from mannerisms, tone, down to his appearance from head to toe was an exact copy. The father is the very definition of evil in this story. How he had driven his wife into the depths of her instincts, how she made her succumb to her violent nature and in turn left her to deal with the burden of a lifetime's worth of guilt was cruel. I found Suri and Yesong to have the most chemistry in terms of character dynamics in this story. They were foils of each other. One who has a nature of hurting others, and the other whose nature is keeping all the pain, yet both have always had a vision of protecting others. One protect by lashing out and pointing blades, and the other protect by bleeding his heart out.
Honestly, I really wish there would be a timeskip after story with Yesong and Suri meeting again. I feel like Suri could have been a warm woman had the situation been different, had the situation allowed space where Suri and Yesong could be there for each other. Suri had the ambiance of that indifferent yet cool and loving aunt that she could've been to Yesong. Suri beats herself up by seeing how she could never be Yesong's mother, that Suri could never be warm, obedient, loving and all that, but she never saw that she was strong, protective, and just as family-oriented.
This manhwa was a good premise, it simply is lackluster due to the lack of better writing. The arcs are well defined but not well constructed, there are plot holes and there are some loose ends. Character dynamics are established but not well fleshed out aside from a few. There are plenty things left unanswered, but overall, it was a good read. It was not the best, but I have enjoyed a good bit of this story. Seeing its potential just shows that there will be more stories like this that may even grow to be better.
Should anyone see my comment and have recommendations of a story with a similar premise, please do share them.
I actually have no particular words for this manhwa. I'm rendered speechless.
The fact of incest isn't even a problem, but the fact that MC is so thoroughly abused that he is better of dead. With a stature like that, he might as well have endured more and depraved torment the moment he was separated from his mother. The implied "creep" of a brother in his adoptive family was enough of a subtle hint of Yesong's past. People call him a cute fox and want his tail, how are we sure no one has hunted him before? Either way, all this speculation is moot considering it's all based from implications throughout the story.
Nonetheless, it doesn't change how unsettling his manhwa is. The art style and plain yet bright colors is contrasting to the theme. It leaves a bitter taste of thinking if it is simply an artistic preference, limitation, or a deliberate direction to downplay trauma that is so painfully obvious and heavy. I hate this manhwa in a way that I felt incredibly awful for Yesong.
I don't believe his love for Yesung was unconditional and as is. Yesong knew there was no hope between them, that it was doomed right from the start. Yesong only knows how to keep things fair, even if it means selling himself short. His declaration of courage is a result of a successful conditioning. Physically, emotionally, and psychologically, Yesong was conditioned to be in Yesung's control and affections. This is all thanks to the very core of Yesung's character, which is his love for his family. Yesung's filial piety was present throughout the series, and this filial piety of hid morphed into an inevitable change when his environment can no longer be satisfied with mere filial promises. Yesong had no choice but to reciprocate what Yesung gave him.
The genuine gasp I let out when the father was a carbon copy of Yesung was unexpected. I expected him to look old with a bit of difference in hair, but from mannerisms, tone, down to his appearance from head to toe was an exact copy. The father is the very definition of evil in this story. How he had driven his wife into the depths of her instincts, how she made her succumb to her violent nature and in turn left her to deal with the burden of a lifetime's worth of guilt was cruel. I found Suri and Yesong to have the most chemistry in terms of character dynamics in this story. They were foils of each other. One who has a nature of hurting others, and the other whose nature is keeping all the pain, yet both have always had a vision of protecting others. One protect by lashing out and pointing blades, and the other protect by bleeding his heart out.
Honestly, I really wish there would be a timeskip after story with Yesong and Suri meeting again. I feel like Suri could have been a warm woman had the situation been different, had the situation allowed space where Suri and Yesong could be there for each other. Suri had the ambiance of that indifferent yet cool and loving aunt that she could've been to Yesong. Suri beats herself up by seeing how she could never be Yesong's mother, that Suri could never be warm, obedient, loving and all that, but she never saw that she was strong, protective, and just as family-oriented.
This manhwa was a good premise, it simply is lackluster due to the lack of better writing. The arcs are well defined but not well constructed, there are plot holes and there are some loose ends. Character dynamics are established but not well fleshed out aside from a few. There are plenty things left unanswered, but overall, it was a good read. It was not the best, but I have enjoyed a good bit of this story. Seeing its potential just shows that there will be more stories like this that may even grow to be better.
Should anyone see my comment and have recommendations of a story with a similar premise, please do share them.