Crazy Girl Shin Bia
Well, that was quite a long journey. I enjoyed the world HMR created for this, but I would've loved to see more of Bia's world incorporated to the story. It was enjoyable, but I was annoyed a lot of times with Bia's actions and behavior. She's very indecisive and troublesome to the point where, even though she's supposed to be a strong female lead, she just ends up being a damsel in distress. I was so irked, when in the last few chapters, she's gotten herself kidnapped by MuYeong AGAIN because she decided to ditch the guards to "talk" to GaYeon when clearly, the war has not ended completely. She's too naive until the end, and I think she's very self-centered, too. In the earlier chapters, I disliked how rude and willful she was. Sure, she's from another world and she's uncomfortable, but the least she could do was to at least quietly observe. It's not like she was really being abused. In fact, the times she's gotten hurt were truly because of her foolish actions and behavior. I would've liked her better if she were more firm with her decisions as well. Like, I was annoyed when she kept on betraying Yoo Baek for Mu Yeong. I mean, sure, he's basically clean in her slate since it was the previous Bia that was his target, but the way she acted towards Yoo Baek, who was actually nice and gentle to her, was too much. I just wanted to pull her hair when she admitted to herself that she liked Yoo Baek. Duh, she was always mean to him and even betrayed him for Mu Yeong. Sure, she's being kind to Mu Yeong because she believed that only he could help her go back to her world. But she's too foolish to trust an enemy that easily. It's not like she's the only one affected by her actions. She actually caused a lot of trouble to others because she kept on thinking only of herself. I mean, she's all alone in a different world and I understand that she wants to save herself, but if she just thought more clearly, she wouldn't have caused so much trouble. Anyway, I was still pissed a her towards the end, with the monster taking over Mu Yeong's form and luring her to come and leave Yoo Baek. She's very much tempted already! If she didn't see the reflection, she would've betrayed Yoo Baek AGAIN. Like, girl, make up your mind for once! I know Yoo Baek promised that when the war's over, they'll never have to part anymore, but Bia's just too self-centered that she can't even try to compromise. She acted spoiled until the end. Duh, Yoo Baek's an emperor and she's an empress. She's lucky enough that her workload's not being given so strictly and that Yoo Baek has no eyes for other women, and she's still like that. Ugh. I think the only times I liked her was when she was in her world and a few times when she's eating. LOL.
My Lovable Fatty
I get that it's intended to be funny but I was pissed off by Dongsun a lot.
My Boyfriend Is A Vampire Manhwa
Hmm.. not very satisfied, but it was interesting.. Strangely, I was quite fine when Da In kissed a lot of males, especially vampires. Perhaps because thinking that this is supernatural, I shouldn't expect the normal attachments? Anyway, the most memorable parts would be when Kang Hoo's memory was altered. Seriously, I just get hurt every time I remember and think about it. Like, what if it happens to me in real life? Let's say my lover loses his memory and another girl who likes him take advantage of it and make it so that he'll be her lover while saying bad things about me that'll make him hate me... Like, there's no telling if it'd be like in fiction where somewhere within him, he truly feels our connection. There's no telling if he'd remember me. Usually, in fiction, it's made as if as long as the person truly loves the other, they'll remember him/her no matter what... But I can't even cling on that hope because this is reality and we have no real control over things like that. So anyway, just thinking about seeing my lover with another person, him choosing her over me and even hurts me on her command, I can't help but feel my heart in pain. Like, will he ever remember me? Will he ever come back to me? Until when should I wait for him? Should I continue to lurk around him until he remembers me, even when he chases me out? What if, after I decide to move on and let him live in the present, he regains his memories and want me back? What if by that time, I have already found someone else to treasure? Will I really risk my present to continue the past I couldn't? Or will I live in the present but keep wondering in the future, what could've been if I chose the other? Life is short. There's no telling until when we'll live. If I'd only have a few days to live, with whom shall I spend it with? (Okay, I totally got carried away from the story, but this really just stuck with me.)
A Love In 100 Days Manhwa
English: ch 5 // skimmed until vol 13. sad but very memorable and promising. If only he didn't cling onto that girl who looked like Ria (his gf NaBi)... but well, who am I to judge? I want to own this though. I want more. [translations on indefinite hiatus]
Kanata Kara
Wow. I've seen this manga cover before, and started to read the synopsis because I read somewhere that this won an award. However, simply by seeing the word "terrorist," I was put off and decided to look at others instead. And then one night, as I finished re-reading Hana Kimi (one of my favorite manga), I read a reply from a comment recommending this manga. So, I searched for it and saw that there were only 14 "chapters." I was kind of wishing this was a longer series, so I was reluctant to start, but once I clicked the first chapter and saw the number of pages and its format, I realized that the "chapters" here were actually volumes and I got more motivated to read. So yeah, that's just the history of how I stumbled upon this gem. Now, let's head on to what I thought about it. Just with first few pages, I got myself into it because they talked about an alternate world and I was excited to see how things would go. Being transported to another world and meeting Izark, Noriko's case was by far the most realistic I've seen so far. With the constant language barrier, it was nice to see her making efforts to learn their language, rather than unrealistically being able to understand (You know how in most cases, they just magically understand each other). It was cute how she blabbed on and Izark kept mumbling "I don't understand what you're saying." Oh, Izark! I have a huge crush on him, but he's exclusively for Noriko, and I approve. He's very gentle and kind. He wanted to act cold but his pure heart just can't leave Noriko alone (though he finally did, at one point, because he was concerned for her safety). I loved the romance, especially because it grew overtime and there were no annoying rivals who plotted evil deeds to keep them away from each other with misunderstandings. I loved how their love was so strong, and how Izark's feelings were made clear to us, readers as well. He's very cute and innocent with Noriko. Though his love was both his strength and his weakness, being that his fate was dependent on what happens to Noriko, I liked this aspect because it balanced out Noriko's constant need of him protecting her. In this case, they protected and depended on each other. It's not just one way. It was a give and take relationship. In just truly loved them as a couple and as individuals as well. The minor characters were also adorable and memorable. They really acted out their parts well, and the adventures were exciting and relevant. I loved how they didn't seem like just fillers. Everything had its purpose and since we're talking about huge territories, it made sense as to how many important people they had to meet and save from the clutches of evil. Btw, I also liked how their companions didn't abandon them after realizing their true identities. Sure, they parted because the couple were afraid of this, but it felt nice to see them relieved on their reunion. The friendships they made along the way helped them to become stronger. Back to the story, it was touching seeing Izark struggle to fight against this intense power within him because he wanted to protect Noriko. He fought well, and he was not evil despite being a beast. He's helped even his enemies. He's just too awesome. I liked how the main antagonists were actually from the smallest country yet they were basically the ones who controlled the evil acts. They weren't made to be too annoying, and you somehow feel with them. Anyway, overall, I'd say, this is a very underrated manga in my opinion. The female MC may seem very weak as she's actually powerless and she cries a lot, but contrary to the typical damsel in distress who just st*pidly acts on her own thinking "she only wants to help," Noriko actually fought knowing her limits and she thought before jumping into situations where she could be a nuisance. Her sense of awareness made her stronger than the others. I'd definitely re-read this in the future. I want more Izark! ps. The part where he teared up when Noriko asked him not to look at her after her hair was horribly cut, and he felt so angry with Rachef making Noriko feel that way, was very touching. It clearly showed how much he valued everything about her. Then, after her hair was cut and he saw him with her hair back to the way it was when they first met, he felt nostalgic and it was just very sweet how it made him realize how much his love for her has grown overtime. Ah really, I'm glad it wasn't limited to Noriko's POV/narration. It was very sweet reading Izark's thoughts and feelings, too.
One Winter Manhwa
Re-read. I still find it odd how 15-year old kids are pictured here. Eden and the others looked more like, 12. Anyway, this was a bittersweet prequel to Pinocchio. I liked how despite Eden's rudeness, he truly wanted to treasure Gaon. This prequel was short, and only focused on the events in the hospital, but it still teaches its readers a lesson -- how communication is the key to resolve misunderstandings. Anyway, the way the story was presented here makes more sense as we uncover the details in Pinocchio. One thing I noticed though, about that "ghost" in the hospital was its eye color. When it was finally revealed in Pinocchio, it changed. Here, we'd suspect another "ghost" because of its eye color, but it turns out to be another. Anyway, details. lol. ps. Eden looked so hot in Pinocchio when he grew up. That 18-year old kid, really. He's even (slightly) hotter than Hanbit. That's saying something, eh? :p
Pinocchio Manhwa
Aww. I first read this on... I don't remember when. Probably 2014? And now, I re-read it in August 8, 2016. The story still got me. It's truly memorable and close to my heart. I still wanted more than how it ended, but I guess that's left to our imagination. I loved this story because I was feeling for the characters. I felt bad for Haram when her love for Hanbit was not reciprocated (or at least, he didn't realize it then) but I was glad when she finally accepted her feelings for Gaon. Gaon. This guy made me tear up a lot. I was so sad for him but admired him at the same time. He's bright and he tried his best to make up for what he's lost. He created happy memories after being with Haram, and even when he knew it was pointless, he still continued to love Haram. When his memories came rushing back to him and he teared up? I was so hurt for him. He's a coward, but he's also brave. Anyway, I was glad that when he finally made his decision, he ended up being happy. Hanbit. Oh, this hot guy. He's the guy you'd admire from afar. The mysterious, cold but gentleman type. I loved and hated him at the same time. Really. Especially his strange quirk? Ugh. Okay. Nobody's perfect, so even a guy like him's supposed to have a weakness. But really? His weakness was so annoying. He couldn't stand it when girls cry in front of him, so he makes it up to them. That's why when girls confessed to him, when he rejected them and they started to cry, he just went along with them. Then, of course. A weakness like that was meant to be spoiled by a desperate girl. And that's how Sujin took advantage of him. I hated his high school self for giving in to her tears despite feeling strange about it. He knew she was his friend's girlfriend but he believed that they really broke up. Really? Even if that were the case, he shouldn't have accepted her that instant. And of course, Bakha was also to blame. He didn't listen to him until the end so he obliviously asked him to take care of her instead. So Hanbit may have felt more guilty for that so he forced himself to respond to Sujin's advances more. Hah... But I also hated how even when he finally became a college student, he has not changed. He even had that horrible experience in high school, and what? He still let his weakness get to him, subconsciously leading Yeojin (the singer) on when he saw her cry... And of course, when Haram confessed and cried (despite being warned by Yeojin) because she somehow wanted to take advantage of it, he actually said he'd do anything she wanted if she just stopped crying. I think anyone sane would feel unsatisfied. There are times when we want someone desperately that we'd think we'd do whatever it takes, as long as they become ours... even when they don't love us in return... But when it actually happens, we feel unsatisfied and become greedier. Anyway, this Hanbit was so frustrating as how he could calmly deal with Sujin like that. He already knew she wasn't normal, so why'd he expect that she'd back off after being told off so nicely? He didn't learn from his past mistake at all, being drugged and dragged to her home again. This is why I think guys who are nice to everyone, or too gentleman tend to become bothersome. Because they can't say "no" firmly or reject someone who clings desperately, they "sacrifice" themselves. They say they don't want to hurt that "someone" who asks desperately so it's better if they hurt themselves instead to satisfy the other. But what does that really do? It only hurts more people. I just wish guys like him would reject others firmly when they're really not interested. They may look bad or rude, but it's because of situations like this that I tend to think it's good enough if the guy treats me well, even if he treats other people indifferently or they think he's bad. Of course, that's selfish of me, but we can't please everybody anyway. No matter how good we try to become, there will always be someone who thinks otherwise. So instead of wasting time trying to reach out to a lot of people, I think it's wiser to just spend time creating more memories with people who actually appreciate you. Okay, I got carried away, but I think Hanbit's story was just so memorable that I can't help but want more of him. Like, how would his life go on? How will he meet "The One" and deal with his weakness? The main story was of course, around Gaon. And I really liked his story, too. He even made me tear up. I liked his personality, especially because even if he's nice to everyone, he knew how to draw the line. Like, when Yeojin asked him to stay with her instead, since it wouldn't really matter who he's with as long as he gets a companion, but he firmly refused and said he wanted to stay with Haram. This is what I want. Like, even when at that time, he still wasn't aware of his feelings for her, he remained faithful to her. This is really what I'm looking for in a guy. Of course, he's not perfect as well. He's a bit childish and it may seem like he only treated Haram well because she's the person who picked her up, but he's very thoughtful as well. Of course, it hurt when he suddenly ran off with his necklace, but I think everyone needs to deal with some things by themselves. That doesn't mean that they don't need us though. It's just part of discovering more about themselves. Anyway, this situation with Yeojin really made me like him more because you see, I actually felt a pang in my heart when he started to go out of his way to see and hear her sing in the park. Even when it was actually because he wanted to make Haram listen to her, I felt jealous that he's paying attention to another woman. He even agreed when she demanded to stay with her for a day. So I was so glad and relieved when he answered that way. Okay, about Haram. Well, she's violent towards Gaon, but it was intended for comedic purposes since Gaon was childish, so I didn't mind so much. And even when she's emotionally hurting him with that thing with Hanbit, I can't exactly blame her because it was easier for her to accept that she has feelings for Hanbit. And it's probably because she's aware that Gaon's a ghost so she didn't think of the possibility of falling for him since the beginning. Well, she's selfish too, but like Jiwon (Purple hyung) said, selfishness is part of human nature, so it can't be helped. I'm glad that she somehow controlled her selfishness though, and it's relatable how she demanded him not to even crush on someone while she hasn't moved on. I think every girl would wish that of their unrequited love, but she actually voice it out. Anyway, I just really love this webtoon. I wanted to learn more about Gaon's life before he became a ghost and after he and Haram finally got together. I wanted to see more of Hanbit and how he becomes more sensitive to other people's feelings. I wanted to see more of Eden who's had a brother complex for Gaon meet his match as well. I wanted to know more about Garam and Hansol's blooming relationship, Bakha and Yeojin's on-and-off relationship, and I wanted some shounen ai for Mokyong (?) and Ran. XD I also wanted to see more of Purple hyung... I even wanted to see how Sujin was after the whole mess. Most importantly, I wanted to know more about how the supernatural phenomenon happened. Like, was it always like that? Or was it only the two of them who experienced their memories being sealed in one of their belongings? Anyway, I wanted to know more of this phenomenon and I wished to see more "ghosts" meet the ones who can see them and read about their stories too. Ahh, too much wishful thinking, eh? I wish I could at least make a fanfiction or something. This is very inspiring.
Oh, My Romantic Kumiho