Manga Match 38 Secret Crush

There's a thought that's been going through my head for a while now...and that thought is the Snickers commercial: you're not you when you're hungry. Sometimes my brain just thinks about weird things.

{Spoilers, but it's slice of life so you already know what's going down}

I was thinking about a new way that I could spin these because honestly the whole school life romantic drama category is all I really read due to my lack of romantic relations irl (yes I do realize how sad that sounds). So what I really came up with was a short summary and a short commentary on why this manga was different from your cookie cutter "boy meets girl" story which consists of stereotypical arcs ie the summer vacation beach arc, the arc with the meddlesome guy/girl who's jealous of the power couple, the first date arc, the misunderstanding due to lack of proper communication arc, and school festival arc to name a few. It's a pretty clear-cut recipe, so I should probably stop teasing my mom for only reading trash romance novels that have a formulaic story line as well. Sorry mom :')

So this was a story revolving around a guy and a girl, both who are seen as handsome and pretty respectively in their high school and both with something secret in common: they both have a secret crush on the other. Lucky for them, their love turns out to be mutual and after some awkwardness due to wonky communication and the meddlesome side characters in love with our MCs, they come together and live happily ever after. Pretty standard stuff right here.

However, something that kind of sets this manhwa/webtoon apart from the rest is the characteristics of the MCs. While usually there's a dichotomy between the guy and the girl, usually with one being smart and the other dumb, or one being social and the other antisocial, or some other form of contrasting characteristics, in this story the two of them seem to be the same person just of a different gender. They're both good looking, they're both shy around the other, and they both are dumb. Even at the end of the manhwa they're seen going into the exam that everyone is sure that they'll fail for another time which is kind of funny. I think it's a subtle reminder of how it's not always the famed "opposites attract" that rings true every time, but sometimes it's someone very similar to you that could end up being your fated person, or something heh.

Overall I'd say it's a pretty good read. It's got some really funny moments like the poop necklace, ohoho got your attention didn't I?, and some very relatable moments, especially during the exam season arc (T^T). But I definitely wouldn't say it's a must-read. I was mainly drawn into this one because it was completed if I'm being honest. I can't keep picking up manga and waiting ages for them to finish unfortunately, I need something to occupy my time that I can binge in the meantime.

(Sorry, no screenshots heh, nothing really spoke to me as something I needed to screenshot.)

Manga Match 36 Love Barometer

Well, I've been busier than ever these days. I don't know how people work and go to school full time. If I had to do this for a sustained amount of time I might actually die. It kind of sucks working three days a week and going to school for the other 4. Seriously draining. On a happier note though, the weather today was really nice. It was clear blue July skies and the planes flying through look suspended in time and space. It kind of how I imagine being a fish and looking up to see a whale above swimming along serenely. I might just have a weird affinity for whales if I'm being honest. Once I wrote a story, god knows it's been a long time since I've written anything, about whales and noise pollution. Well, actually it was for a scholarship contest, but I misread the deadline and never ended up being able to submit it which is a shame. It was pretty good for my writing at the time...not that it's gotten any better because I haven't been writing anything at all recently.

{Spoilers}

I think it's becoming more apparent to me that in a lot of these romance manga/manhwa I've been reading these days there contains this message about judgment and terrible people in this world. A lot of the time the protagonist will be dogged by these judgments and people, and I've just been thinking that this kind of story line is so common and how reading so many of these where the protagonist goes through this similar thing of rumors going around about them and about misunderstandings among other things is really a reminder of how we shouldn't judge people because we don't know their full story. Funny enough though, this kind of mindset makes me overly empathetic and I sometimes fail to cut out toxic people fast enough because I give them too much of the benefit of the doubt. This was so off topic and probably no one understood that train of thought, not even me lol.

Okay, right off the bat I've got to be honest and say the art style didn't really appeal to me at the beginning of the manhwa. I wasn't immediately sucked into this world, and I didn't really know if I wanted to be. I almost didn't even read the entire first chapter before doubting if I would really stick it out until the end. However, I decided to pursue it, just to see how far I could get before something either caught my eye or turned me away from the series altogether. And the thing that caught my eye was Sado's strawberry point. Like his shirt was strawberry themed, his socks, his food, his phone charm. It was a weird thing to hold me to the series, but that's really what made me keep reading. Then, after the strawberry thing wore, off I became attached to this pure romance that was blooming between Chaewoon and Sado. The way that Sado showed his steadfast affection for Chaewoon and the way that they both cared for each other really just did something for my heart. Maybe it was because the creator wrote both of them as such righteous characters that were so admirable that it just seemed so right to see them end up together. Every single scene where they were goofy and in love just left all of these warm fuzzies into my heart that I didn't invite, but ones that just nestled their way in.

And it wasn't just a two dimensional story, no. It held within it commentary on other characters that are prevalent archetypes in romance manhwa like the jealous popular girl and the sleazy guy that everyone falls for. In the case of the guy, it was more of a lesson on how perspective is everything. At the time, when Chaewoon was a freshman she thought that that guy was amazing and all-powerful, but then two years later she was able to step back and with Sado's help, come to realize that in actuality he was just a weak and shallow guy that had no power over her. Sounds kind of cheesy when I recap, but I think if you've ever been through a relationship with a guy kind of like that you'd be reassured. Mhm. And then in the case of the jealous popular girl, Hanna, it goes more into her inferiority complex. Her story probably resonated a little bit too much with me. The whole comparison thing really hit home. Comparison really is the thief of happiness, but for some reason it seems to always come back and haunt me. I'm not trying to say that Hanna wasn't to blame or anything, but she had her reasons for what she did and how she reacted.

And then can we just talk about Sado and his relationship with his family? First of all his relationship with his sisters right away was just the most adorable thing. But then once it goes further into why exactly he's so nice to them and how for the first little while he didn't even know they existed was really shocking and intense. Nevertheless, I'm glad that although Sado's mom and dad were questionable folks, at least he and his sisters had their grandparents and were able to grow up into outstanding members of society with hearts of gold.

So, there's that. I'd like to say that after reading all of these romance manhwa that I've suddenly become some sort of love expert, however that's sadly not the case lol. Oh well heh :') I can't really justify reading all of these, but it's a great way to spend time in my three hour long stats class. *yikes*

Oh, and this has a really great bonus arc at the end. Besides the part where it shows what would've happened if Sado and Chaewoon would've met in high school instead of college, the historical drama bonus arc was amazing. Like A1 quality right there. 10/10 would read the whole series just for that. I mean, it's not even that long, only 60 episodes.

Yep, so if you're looking for a love story so sweet you'll get a toothache (idk what that feels like tbh it's just an expression) this is the love story you're looking for. It's got nice development, a great supporting cast, and many doki-doki times.

TBH I choked when he said the Oxford dictionary was in the pillow. Like honestly I've also thought about sleeping with my textbook underneath my pillow in hopes of information osmosis occurring lol

asdfghjkl; poor Mingyu this pure boi is a very cute cupid and I hope he finds happiness in the future

:') this was just really funny with Sado shining like the sun

Can you tell I only screenshotted really amusing stuff this time? Heh. Also, lowkey I thing Jangyu liked Chaewoon as well :((((( which makes me kind of sad because he's a great guy, but he's even greater for letting Chaewoon x Sado happen

Manga Match 31 Cherry Boy, That Girl

It's another Friday, the Friday before dead week that is, so I decided that it's alright to take a kind of lazy day for once. Tomorrow the grind will begin and won't end for approximately a week and a half. Also, if you have time you should watch Candy Jar. It's a movie on Netflix. LOL maybe I liked it because it triggered me back to the year in high school where I did debate and was absolute trash at it. It's kind of a cliche movie with a pretty typical sort of premise and I can't say the acting is the best or anything, I watch a lot more anime than traditional movies if you couldn't tell, and I can't say that it's the best movie, but it was pretty relatable, especially if the whole college decisions thing is still fresh in your mind. Eto~ but you came here for manga, so manga I will give to you.

You know, there's a few manga I haven't gotten around to reviewing, mostly because they're Webtoons that I read along with as they updated weekly or sporadically, so I didn't really feel compelled to take screenshots, nor am I wise enough to take bullet point notes while I read because...bottom line I'm just lazy. Haha, so you might end up seeing kind of vague reviews, or none at all on those. I haven't really decided yet.

{Spoilers, but it's a cliche kdrama in manhwa form so}

Think about any kdrama you've ever watch, or anything about the general kdrama that you've ever heard about from anyone around you, specifically the kind with the rich heir and the poor girl...and then kind of turn it into a comedy with some psychologically messed up characters that are both good in some respects, but also trash human beings in terms of others. And then you've got this manhwa. Basically it's about this girl named Strawberry, don't ask me why all of them are like fruits and such I literally have no idea, but I think it's kind of funny and quirky, and her romantic life at Sausage Fest High School. You think I'm joking, but I'm not. Basically, Sausage Fest High was an all-boys school, but some rich lady took over the school and made it into a co-ed school. However, not a lot of girls want to go to an industrial high school probably, so not a lot of girls go there and so most of the girls that end up attending Sausage Fest High are treated like goddesses. Strawberry is one of these girls, so she's treated really special by all the guys at school, except ironically, not by her boyfriend Mandarin. So she cheats on him with Pear, an upperclassman who seems exceptionally rich. Mandarin gets jealous like a petulant child, which he kind of is due to his sick upbringing by his mom who left their family for a wealthy man and tried to abandon Mandarin in an orphanage several times. Not to mention the fact that he was adopted by some random rich girl, Cherry, to be her pet of sorts. And that's why he turned into this lowkey creepy dude that uses emotional manipulation and his pretty face to get his way. I enjoy characters that have justification as to why they're so messed up in the head, but at the same time he still disturbs me. I dunno, I just have a lot of personal anger towards emotionally manipulative people in general.

Anyways, back to the plot. So Mandarin gets jealous and cross-dresses as Cherry in order to make Pear fall in love with him so that Mandarin can steal back Strawberry. However, in the process, Strawberry grows closer to the boy-phobic Walnut Kang, the true heir to a huge corporation and overall rich golden boy. And you can probably see where this is going, with Strawberry and Walnut falling in love. And then Walnut's sent to America because apparently that's where rich kids go to become more cultured, which in America's current state I think is pretty questionable, but that's a whole other topic in and of itself. And then Mandarin tries to win back Strawberry because he thinks that he needs Strawberry in his life to, not exactly maintain balance and maintain the status quo, but more like he needs that stability and kind of mindless idolatry. He was in love with this idea of the old Strawberry who liked him and went along with him, but that wasn't really Strawberry's true nature now or even in the past.

It was pretty much the same story of there being a lot of misunderstandings. Probably the most interesting character was Mandarin, just due to how he reacted to things built on his life of suffering, neglect, and honestly mental abuse. And all of this culminates in a sort of bitter feeling towards Cherry who saved him from a life in an orphanage, but also compounded on his mental instability. So I don't really know how to feel about Cherry because while it seems as though she shows remorse for what she did to Mandarin, at least a little bit when she tells Walnut she can't help him because she can't choose sides between Mandarin who seems to unhealthily need Strawberry in order to be happy and Walnut and Strawberry's romance, it also seems as though she hasn't really fully accepted responsibility for how Mandarin turned out. Like throughout the story she didn't really become a better person, although she did support Strawberry and help the relationship between her and Walnut in some ways.

Overall, this manhwa had a lot left to be desired. At first I thought it was a novel concept with the guy cross-dressing to get his girlfriend back, but it quickly spiraled into something I wasn't really into and didn't really expect or desire in a story. A few times I wanted to quit reading, just because it became too predictable and too ridiculous, however I finished it...because I'm not a quitter. LOL it just really bothers me to start something and never finish it. That's why I have a lot of things that are finished, but are so poorly executed. I should probably work on that. Anyways, I wouldn't really recommend this unless you want a kdrama plot inside a manhwa. I don't really think it's worth your time. It didn't really give me the doki-dokis and I lowkey hate all the characters. Sorry.

LOL she's broken. I was also lowkey shook at his confession.

Me when someone tells me about all my flaws as if I don't already know lel

Their relationship wasn't that great because of their lack of trust and communication, but it sure does make for a great drama

LOL Strawberry describing tests is actually me

When Cherry's like this it makes me respect her character a bit more, but honestly I just get triggered thinking about her and Mandarin.

This was the one time I actually thought Strawberry was a mature and decent human being. Otherwise she was just so naive and blockheaded that it wasn't possible to be anything other than frustrated and annoyed by her.

Manga Match 30 Doridosim

It's the long three day weekend, I'm all alone because everyone left me to go travel or go home, yesterday I helped out with senior banquet for my club which in total took 7 hours plus the hour I spent doing a sort of pre-hangout my upperclassman kind of roped me into, and I'm exhausted. I don't want to do work right now, so I'm coming at you with another manga. LOL honestly there's just so  much manga because it's easier to read in between classes than anime. Like I always forget my earphones and I don't like watching things without sound, so manga is kind of the only option. Also I realized since I have lecture in one of the biggest lecture halls on campus, I think people are actually looking at my phone lol. Also I can't wait for school to end in two weeks. My roommate is like a hyena when she laughs, but magnified so you can hear her 5 doors down, and her snoring is atrocious.

Something that kind of sucks about being an introvert is the fact that I get so tired after excessive social interaction. Like I had an adequate amount of sleep, but I just want to go back to sleep right now. Also I might have tonsillitis, but I can't tell because the on-campus clinic is closed until Tuesday. RIP, hope I last that long.

{Spoilers, but you already know the main guy and girl are gonna end up together so}

So the story mainly revolves around this nice guy named Kang Dol and his love life. There's nothing really special about him, he's pretty awkward and he's kind of overshadowed by his popular friend Hoo so he seems more like a traditional background character more than anything. But, the most popular girl, Dosim, in the theater department sees his kindness and falls in love with his sweet nature. Plot twist though, the two originally get together when Dol gets drunk and mistakenly confesses to Dosim instead of his actual crush, Dosim's friend Yang Yang. Yikes. Dosim is over the moon with happiness, but Dol doubts the genuineness of her feelings, as he had a past relationship where he was just used and thrown away by his high school crush who was very much the most popular girl in school, similar to Dosim's social status. However, Dol finally realizes how sweet Dosim really is, but things get kind of messy as Dosim realizes that Dol didn't mean to confess to her in the first place and Dol's friend Hoon becomes this competitive love interest.

It's your very typical sort of school life, romance, sort of set up. I think one thing that's nice about this is that Dol isn't perfect. He still gets jealous of Dosim hanging out with other people, but also doesn't want to come off as overbearing. He has a sense of how much is too much, but he also really loves Dosim in this awkward sort of way which is endearing. Dol is the classic nice guy, a prime example of nice guys not finishing last.

If you're looking for another manhwa to read, this is a pretty good one. It's got a pretty standard romance plot line in a university setting. There's nothing super standout, except some of the characters and their eccentric backstories I suppose.

LOL maybe I need to branch out into other genres, this romance-school life combination is starting to become too familiar.

Ah yeah, this girl was also a minor source of conflict in the story, she's kind of Dol's counterpart in a way? She made me kind of sad because she was so nice and noticed Dol for being a really spectacular human being, but because in Dol's heart there was only room for Dosim she was kind of sidelined.

LOL something that's so relatable is how Dol sees himself as being super ugly in a "how could anyone like someone like me" kind of way

ASDF it ended pretty cute with the two of them getting couple rings

I think something that's also pretty cute is the name of this manhwa. It's Dosim's name and her pet name for Dol put together.