#he has known the whole time she was learning Korean for Gil

[softquietsteadylove]

Hello my dear! The Ice Queen/Tyrant King AU is so good and i think (?) the longest series so far. Correct me if I'm wrong.

But i love how Gil called Thena "his wife" in front of his business partners. Alone the fact that he got a ring tattoo with the pattern of Thenas lace shawl! I thought about the Tyrant King buying an engagement ring for his Ice Queen and Kingo randomly sees him doing so, asking him with a sheepish grin for whom the ring is.

You can decide if he ends up buying a ring or not. But we all know, one day, he'll propose to her.

🖤✨ Hugs and much love to you! ✨🖤

"Hey Big Guy--what'cha lookin' at?"

Kingo barely blinked as Gil startled, pressing a hand to his chest and then giving him the infamous 'Tyrant King' glare. But it did nothing--Kingo worked for the Ice Queen herself, after all.

"What are you doing here?" Gil drawled with a long, tired sounding sigh.

"I'm on break," Kingo shrugged, smiling blithely at Gil, who was trying to ever so subtly shift away from the display window he'd been looking into. "Boss is in a meeting, but I'm sure she'd be glad to see you for lunch after."

"Great, see ya-"

"Lookin' at rings?" Kingo asked loudly. So much so that Gil whirled around back to him and slapped his leather glove over his mouth.

Kingo knew he had no reason to fear the secretly very sweet man, but he could definitely see why enemies of the Tyrant King could piss their pants at the thought of him. Kingo wiggled his mouth free, "that's quite a grip you have, my man."

"Don't you ever shut up?" Gil growled at him, although the ruddiness in his cheeks really detracted from his scare factor.

"Come on, what's wrong with it?" Kingo shrugged, even peeking around Gil into the window for himself.

"Well," Gil rolled his eyes, folding his massive arms around himself with a frustrated huff. "It's silly, isn't?--looking at rings for the literal queen of diamonds?"

"I guess, when you put it like that."

Gil was already turning around again to leave.

"Wait, wait, wait," Kingo reached out, pulling Gilgamesh back to him and even throwing an arm around his neck. "Come on, buddy! I think it's great you're looking at rings!"

Gil glanced sideways into the display case and back at Kingo, "she probably already owns these, doesn't she?"

"Not literally," Kingo shrugged. "But we did get the product and then sell it to the mega corporation that owns this smaller shop."

"So yes," Gil rolled his eyes, his frustration only mounting. "See?!--this is hopeless, and I don't know why I mentioned anything to you! If you say a word of this to Thena-!"

"Relax, Gil."

The Tyrant King eyed the assistant carefully, but Kingo really was a great actor. Whatever he usually had on was dropped in a second, and evidently, this was the real Kingo he was seeing. It made him wonder if he had ever come face to face with the real Kingo before at all.

"I think it'd make Thena really happy if you proposed, ring or not," Kingo shrugged, his smile gentle and surprisingly warm.

Gil blushed, recalling the conversation - as brief as it was - with her about this very subject. "She seems...open to the idea."

Kingo laughed, although it didn't feel like he was being laughed at (this time). "You know how the Ice Queen is; it's so hard to get a straightforward answer out of her for some things. But trust me, her answer will be yes, if that's what you're worried about."

It was and it wasn't; Gil shifted anxiously again. "I mean, I call her my wife already. And she...she's stopped stopping me from it, at least."

"And she got a tattoo to match yours?" Kingo raised an eyebrow at him, once again finding Gilgamesh guilty as charged. "She thinks she was really sly about it, but I'm her second hand--I'm supposed to know where she is at all times! And that includes booking herself an appointment at someone's favourite shop in Koreatown."

Gil couldn't help the big, stupid grin on his face. Every time he thought about it he started smiling like a dope.

"Exactly! You're basically already married," Kingo shrugged, "it's just tying the actual knot, that's left."

Gil sighed, stuffing his hands in his pockets. "It's not just that. Even if I weren't nervous to actually ask her-"

"Which you are."

"Thanks," Gil snarled at him, but Kingo still had absolutely zero fear of him. Gil huffed. "It's...I don't know--is this really something she wants?"

"What do you mean?"

Gil frowned down at his shoes. "I mean we don't exactly live super peaceful lives, Kingo. Is it right for me to try and ask this of her when we go through what we do? In just this past year, she got poisoned and I got shot!"

"Yeah," Kingo shrugged as if it were nothing (and not significant traumas in both their lives). "But she wouldn't have you any other way."

"What?"

"Look Gil," Kingo patted his shoulder again, still in an overly friendly way for Gil's taste. "The Ice Queen knows what she's doing. She comes from a long line of people in the biz, right? So do you! She's always known the empire she would be stepping into when she took over. And that certainly didn't stop you two from goin' at it like rabbits every-"

"Kingo!"

"My point is," he persisted, gesticulating as he spoke. "Thena knows who she is, and who you are, and no one is more prepared to face the consequences of this life than she is. But she still chose to love you, didn't she?"

"After she got out of the poison ward, she was always telling you, right?--how dangerous it was for you two to actually try and 'date' like normal people?"

"Yes," Gil sighed. She had brought it up so consistently that he had really wondered if it was her way of rejecting him. And yet every time, she would still agree to whatever date idea he had, only after warning him that it was dangerous for them to gallivant around like civilians.

"But she couldn't say no, could she?" Kingo gave Gil a wink and elbowed him gently. "Because she wants to be with you, man. And that's saying a lot, because Thena doesn't like being around anyone."

Gil looked at Kingo--arguably one of Thena's closest friends, even past just being business partners. He frowned, "...she'll really say yes?"

"Fuck yes, my guy!"

How they became friends - a quiet, frosty Ice Queen and a loud and effervescent sharpshooter - was beyond Gil.

"Thena loves you, Gil. I mean, she real-deal loves you," Kingo beamed, and his smile was so charming that Gil could almost manage to forget that if Thena were to find out about this conversation, they would both be begging for their lives from her. "Like you say, you've been shot and she's been poisoned this year alone. Life's too short!--ask her to marry you!"

Gil's heart hammered in his chest. Ask Thena to marry him; he wanted to, more than anything.

"If you have to have a wedding in Korea as well, can I still be her best man?"

"What?"

Kingo had on his sly little grin again. "You must know by now that she's been brushing up on her Korean."

"Yeah," Gil blinked, even recalling bringing it up but not receiving any real answer from her. "I assumed it was for business."

Kingo wagged his finger at him (smug little bastard). "It's so she can meet your family."

"What?" Gil repeated again, his heart going absolutely nuts inside his chest.

"Well, just in case," Kingo shrugged. "She didn't wanna tell anyone, but I know it's so she can talk to them for herself if she ever meets them. And she knows that, traditionally speaking, you'll probably have to have two weddings, right?"

That was giving an awful lot of consideration to the family that was still furious with Gil over the Heiress debacle. They said he was making them look bad--when he was the one who had gotten shot over it!

"She did that...for me?"

Kingo turned away from Gil's eagerness, holding up a hand in resolute denial, "you didn't hear it from me. You already knew that she was--you could have guessed why on your own without any help from me."

Yeah, but he didn't.

"Anyway," Kingo gave him another wink and a thumbs up. "As far as I'm concerned, you've got all the green lights you need. I promise I won't say a word, but I recommend asking within the year."

Right, that definitely wasn't bad for his nerves or anything.

"And Gil?" Kingo nudged him before straightening his coat. "Engagements rings don't necessarily have to be diamond, y'know. She has enough of those already, don't you think?"

[yoiotdfics]

Fic Recs for April 2017

Music of the Heart by rk_rl

A chance at fame. Potential love. Realizing he’s your soulmate. It’s a chance Yuuri can’t resist. Life and love. Fickle. Opportunities Only last so long. Loosing cannot, will not stop him. Salvation, as always, comes in the form of Victor Nikiforov.

want by insidetwizzles

Summary:

On nights like this, when he’s cold and alone and wants nothing more than to fuck the heat out of Yuuri, Viktor imagines.

i wanna be (the best you’ve ever known) by notcaycepollard

Summary:

All Viktor actually wants is to spoil Yuuri.

Apparently, he’s not able to spoil Yuuri so much as he seems able to spoil things with Yuuri. It is terribly unfair. Perhaps the universe actually has it out for him.

The Gifts of Friendship by  Whisper132

Summary:

Yuri and Otabek’s relationship blooms as they learn the art of giving, receiving, and documenting everything online to show off.

Puppy Love by  Phyona

Summary:

When Yuuri gets turned into a dog, the last place he expects to end up is Victor Nikiforov’s apartment. He learns quickly that the only thing worse than being his idol’s pet, is watching him pine for someone else.

Warning: Makkachin has recently passed away at the start of this story.

There’s a Difference Between Sleight of Hand and Misdirection by  GordandV

Summary:

Guang Hong doesn’t reply: it certainly doesn’t seem like one of his best programs considering the score.

American Pie (Friends Don’t Let Friends Eat Pancakes) by  youaremarvelous

Summary:

Yurio takes his drunk dads to Waffle House and fun times are had by all

Something Sweet by  AmericanCanada

Summary:

All Yuuri wanted to do was bake some cookies…….

all my friends and all the loose ends by  Anonymous

Summary:

There’s a box on Phichit’s bedside table, marked with the days of the week. Clear blue, the distinct shape of medication hazy and lumpy underneath the covers. He’d tried to hide it, at first, but he forgot to take them if he couldn’t see them, and maybe, just maybe, Yuuri wouldn’t judge.

Private Theatricals by  Watergaw

Summary:

Some unmitigated historical fluff as a gift for my dear Yunitsa on this auspicious occasion. In which I commit acts of petty larceny on the works of Jane Austen and set the whole thing in 1865 for reasons of insufferable pedantry. I hope it makes you smile.

Mr Victor Nikiforov, rich, handsome, accomplished, and quite the most eligible bachelor in four counties, has a problem. His friend Giacometti has a solution.

Exhibition by  stella_polaris

Summary:

Yuri needs a special look for his exhibition piece but he struggles with perfecting it himself. It’s good that he has Mila to help him.

Fandom Bicycle, Case 1: Sara Crispino by ineptshieldmaid

Summary:

Sara folds her arms and examines Chris. ‘You flirt with everyone,’ she says.

‘Most people,’ Chris concedes.

‘How do you manage it?’

—

(Series: tumblr prompt challenge-to-self, an attempt to test just how many characters can be paired with Chris Giacometti)

critical hit by  reptilianraven

Summary:

”Victor is certainly an incredible player, but his opponent might just give him a run for his money.”

”I totally agree. Victor’s opponent, seventeen year old Yuuri Katsuki representing Japan, is one of the most interesting players this championship has ever seen.”

-

Yuuri brings a Pachirisu to the Pokemon Video Game World Championship Finals and rocks Victor’s world.

Maslenitsa by  spare

Summary:

“It’s the week when we get to eat pancakes,” Victor explains. “Lots and lots of pancakes.” … Or the terribly inaccurate, shamelessly self-indulgent, fluff-for-fluff’s-sake fic where Victor and Yuuri celebrate Maslenitsa in St. Petersburg.

Like a Fairytale

lucycamui

Summary:

In which Prince Victor gets swept off his feet at a royal banquet and will go to any length to find his ‘Cinderella’ Yuuri. (And Phichit is the fairy godmother who has no idea what he’s doing).

“The crown prince of the Nikiforov kingdom, infatuated with a mystery pastry chef he’s only just met. This is exactly the kind of scandalous love story my life has been missing… So, what’s he look like? What exactly is Prince Victor’s type?”

“…Sweet.”

“Well, he does make pastries.“

I can be your devil or your angel, baby

hinatella

Summary:

Yuuri Katsuki didn’t ask for any of this, and he’s starting to question all of his life choices that lead up to this cursed moment.

Reason in Madness

Gigi_Sinclair

Summary:

“Yuri is only fifteen, but Lilia can already see the danger that’s gathering around him, the jackals that are licking their chops and beckoning. Men, women, alcohol, drugs. Scandals that lose sponsors, mistakes that ruin lives. There’s a world of tempting trouble out there, and it’s up to them to keep Yuri out of it, just as they did for Victor.”

UTC plus nine

anirondack

Summary:

Yuuri leans against the low wall, then sits on it. He rolls one ankle, and then the other. A light breeze plays along his face. His phone buzzes in his jacket pocket. He digs it out and sees a text from Victor, so he swipes it open and then drops his phone on the ground.

Victor is the master of nudes. Yuuri is easy.

Not Quite in the History Books

Black_Tailed_Gull (ExpatGirl)

Summary:

Viktor recounts his rather…unique…version of a housewarming ritual.

Small Bundles Of Joy Come With Big Bills

iamthefacebehindthemask

Summary:

Victor did what?

Aka, Victor is always extra, even as he is about to become a parent, and Yuuri tries to deal.

Toucan Play At That Game

whalefairyfandom12

Summary:

“Hey Seung-Gil.”

“Yes?”

The Korean skater had always intimidated Phichit a little. Talented and quiet some would call him antisocial, but deep down Phichit was sure they could be good friends. And what better way to break the ice than with a joke?

“What do you call memory loss in a parrot?”

Batter Up!

Shadow_sensei

Summary:

Victor and Yuuri are celebrating their birthdays together and decide to bake their own cakes, competing against each other to see which of their cakes will be the one to win over the party. Neither have baked a cake in years.

Laundry Day

cryingoverspilledvodka

,

lucycamui

Summary:

The Katsuki-Nikiforov household takes a morning off to do laundry. Living together, it’s not just the bed that needs breaking in.

Duckling

missmichellebelle

Summary:

The ballet classes are, inevitably, Victor’s idea.

something for the first time

copperwings

Summary:

Post-canon life in St. Petersburg, aka the ficlet in which Victor reads Cosmo for relationship advice and Yuuri disapproves.

Basically this is just humor and fluff.

Damage Control

aeriamamaduck

Summary:

Victor wakes up after a night of drinking with Yuuri and remembers taking a selfie.

minty coffee and sugary kisses

phylocalist

Summary:

A breath in, a breath out. Sara walks to the table she saw Mila sit on with a coffee in one hand and plate with the muffin in the other. It’s not like they’re short on staff and, in reality, she shouldn’t be doing this, this isn’t her work, but. She wants to.

(God, she’s so weak for pretty girls. Always has been.)

Or: Five times Sara makes a coffee for Mila in a coffee shop as an acquiantance, one time she makes a coffee for Mila in her apartment as her girlfriend.

5 things about the Yuri!! on Ice Cinderella AU

LLitchi

Summary:

The search is a campaign of low grade sexual harassment as all men and women in the country bemusedly allow Viktor to molest everything below their ankles, as respectfully as he can while still being a huge pervert.

Phichit the Brave

icandrawamoth

Summary:

Guang Hong, Leo, and Phichit go camping, and Phichit saves his boyfriends from the terrors of the woods at night

Wax or Shave?

FujoshiFluff

Summary:

A little bit of both.

(Yuuri and Viktor banter, deals are made, and Viktor chokes once or twice)

Homesickness

Clairianne

Summary:

With all his love for America, Guang Hong sometimes feels homesick.

calling all romantics

cyanoscarlet

Summary:

Contrary to popular opinion, Yakov Feltsman was a true romantic at heart.

A Family Portrait

kat_hale

Summary:

The Katsuki-Nikiforov-Plisetsky family naps.

OR

Nikolai Plisetsky is in the hospital and Yuuri and Viktor take care of their son.

Birthday in Bed

FeelsandFandoms

Summary:

Phichit never cared much for celebrating his birthday, but that might change this year with Leo and Guang-Hong spending it with him.

[saotome-michi]

Top 10 Manhwa of 2016-17

I used to rarely read manhwa, maybe just one or two a year, but then I discovered Lezhin and Spottoon - online platforms that host Korean webcomics with English translations available. The first few chapters are usually free but after that you have to pay to read, which actually appeals to me because I like being able to support writers and artists. And even if you find the prices unaffordable, reading the free chapters still helps because you’re increasing the view count and their popularity. The only complaint I have is that the quality of the translations can differ greatly between series, especially on Spottoon. Sometimes it’s pretty good and sometimes it’s really bad. 

Anyway, I’ve read so many manhwa this past year that I thought it’d be nice to make a manhwa rec list! Except for a few exceptions, I tried to only recommend series that have a good number of chapters out or that are already completed. These are my personal top 10. Enjoy!

10. Reversi (양극의 소년) by Eun Song

In the year 2016, a never before seen virus decimates 20% of the world population. Moreover, survivors of this virus either transform into man-eating creatures called “worms” or into super-humans with tremendous physical abilities called “heteros”. Over the years, heteros start the ISO, an agency that protects people from worms. Haru, our protagonist, is a young hetero who wants to join the ISO, but it may not be that easy or straightforward…

Once in a while I find a scifi-action comic that manages to capture my interest, despite me being rather tired of the genre as a whole. This manhwa is on this list more for its potential than anything else- there are only 37 chapters out and the story’s still in its beginning stages, but I think there’s a lot of good material that, in the right hands, can make for a really interesting and entertaining story.

Despite the impression the synopsis may give you, the story starts out in a peaceful privileged high school setting and you don’t get to the nerve-wracking parts until around chapter 25. But the beginning achieves its purpose. It sets the scene with its conflicts: the segregation of those infected with the virus and those uninfected, the mixed treatment of heteros, and the still-existing class privilege. It also sets up the main characters; impulsive but sincere Haru and his best friend, level-headed and determined Leo; the other heteros in their school year; and members of the ISO. We don’t know much about them, but again they’re intriguing and the rest can come later. It’ll probably take another 30 chapters or so before we can see whether this manhwa fulfills its potential or not, but take this as a heads up - this one just might be a winner. At the very least, the beginning’s pretty engaging. And with clean art that’s easy on the eyes, it’s definitely no chore to scroll through.

Warning: Blood, death, murder, violence, body horror 

Available on: Lezhin (first 24 chapters are free). Not on scanlation sites yet. 

9. The House Cat (상상고양이) by Kim Kyoung 

(Also known as: The Imaginary Cat, Cat’s Imagination) 

Cat lovers rejoice! Here’s another comic for you to read for your daily dose of cat shenanigans. “The House Cat” looks at Webcomic Artist Jong Hyun and his cat Bok-Gil (Jill in the english translation) - or as Jill would tell you, Cat Jil and her human who she allows to live with her. Like so, the comic presents their different viewpoints of their life together, with Hyun’s viewpoint on the left in red and Jill’s viewpoint on the right in green. The intersection between their viewpoints is cleverly done and will often leave you smiling one way or another. Cat owners will probably find many of their interactions familiar. On the other hand if you’re like me, you’ll start realizing that you are basically Jill and should’ve been born as a house cat instead of as a human. All in all, “The House Cat” is a pleasure to read and certainly not a bad way to pass the time. 

Warning: Alcohol mention, brief depiction of pet abuse and neglect 

Available on : Spottoon (first 4 chapters free). Was adapted into a kdrama called “The Imaginary Cat” 

8. Peak (피크) by Hong Sung-Soo and Lim Gang-Hyuk 

If “mountain rescue manhwa” stirs any interest in you, this may be the manhwa for you. “Peak” centers around Ryu Yeon-Seong, who’s been stationed on Mt. Bukhan to be a Rescue Ranger for his military service, along with four other men. The story follows his experiences as he learns what being a rescue ranger entails.

I initially didn’t have high expectations for this manhwa, but the realistic and suspenseful storytelling ended up impressing me. I always like it when manhwa go into the specifics of the particular subject they’re covering and “Peak” does that extensively - from what’s covered in training exercises to the challenges of navigating throughout the mountain in subpar weather to how to conduct oneself when administering first aid to fatal injuries. And except for a few brief respites, the pace is remarkably fast from start to finish, emulating the break-neck speed the rangers have to move to save lives. It would not be an exaggeration to say that I’m constantly sitting at the edge of my seat when reading this manhwa. The rescue missions themselves are no joke; from an accident in the middle of the pouring rain to a helicopter crash, this manhwa is constantly upping the stakes. 

Personally, the art isn’t my favorite but it excels in two areas: conveying the physical exertion of being a ranger and the harshness of the mountain landscape. And when the story is all about survival, that’s really all that matters. 

Warnings: Blood, fatal injuries, death, murder 

Available on: Spottoon (First 30 chapters are free). 92 Chapters can be found on mangago. 

7. The Sock Monster (양말도깨비) by Manmulsang

(Also known as: Socks Goblin)  

Is it too much if I said “The Sock Monster” would rock your socks off? Ehehe :P

But actually, this is possibly the cutest manhwa I’ve ever read. From the art, which resembles something you’d find in a children’s storybook with its crayon lines and oil pastel backgrounds, to the story itself, a young girl making her way in a wintery town, “The Sock Monster” radiates a quirky fairytale sort of charm. It’s slow to start but when it finds its rhythm, it strolls off, as our plucky protagonist, Park Sujin, learns the ropes at BigFoot Bank, finds the Sock Monster living in her room, and befriends Mr. Lara, her cat-man neighbor whose dream is to explore the deep ocean. Despite its lighthearted tone, the manhwa ends up covering some surprisingly heavy topics from the tension between Big Foots and Humans to animal experimentation (in a world where animals are more like humans). But it does so in a tender sort of way, never losing heart or the hint of wisdom that comes with classical storytelling. 

What the manhwa excels at especially is taking advantage of its fantasy world to sculpt all sorts of interesting plotlines for the characters. There is no limit to the creativity displayed. If children’s books and fairytales appeal to you, then you’ll probably appreciate the charm of “The Sock Monster”. Who knows, it might just become your favorite bedtime read. And you’ll probably end up cooing over how cute the sock monsters are. 

Warning: Child neglect and abuse, animal cruelty, death 

Available on: Spottoon (first 19 chapters are free) 

6. Myojin Tales (묘진전) by Jelly Bean 

A smallpox goddess steals an eye from a celestial god to help her sightless baby. A young boy wonders why his father doesn’t love him. A girl who’s lived a miserable life curses her capturer with her last breath. The celestial god, the father, the capturer - all of these titles refer to the same being: Myojin, a god who has been sentenced to forever live among humans as punishment for his crimes, forbidden to ever return to his former post as a zodiac deity. This is a compilation of the stories surrounding him and the people whose lives he’s touched. 

This manhwa caught my attention with its art alone. Each panel is meticulously rendered in a style resembling traditional ink paintings, fitting for a story drawn from Korean mythology. Although the style is usually semi-realistic, like the panel above, when it comes to frightening and visceral scenes it leans towards abstraction. There is one particular chapter near the beginning that I could not read with the lights turned off. However, the story itself is also fascinating and from beginning to end, it reads like a folktale told from centuries ago. 

Let’s get this out of the way - Myojin is not a likable person in any aspect really. But he, like everyone else, is both victim and perpetrator of unfair systems, and has the capability for both good and evil. Therein itself lies the core of this manhwa and “Myojin Tales” is ultimately a story of recognition and redemption, where there is no moral absolutes, but only the choices one makes in certain circumstances. If you’re a fan of mangas like Mushishi, this could be your next favorite. 

Warning: child neglect, abuse, body horror, blood, murder, death 

Available on: Spottoon. Normally only the first 10 chapters are free, but this week (March 18, 2017) the first 17 are all free! 

5. Hwaja (화자) by Hong Jac-Ga 

At 9 years old, Ryu explores “the Haunted House” in his neighborhood and meets Hwaja, a girl who looks a few years older than him. Hwaja never leaves the haunted house, except to sit on the rooftop, and spends most of her time drawing. Visitors, she says, have to bring her something, like food. Eventually, Ryu introduces his best friend Jay to Hwaja. She doesn’t seem like a ghost, but there is something is strange about her and the house… 

At 19 years old, Ryu, who moved away and hasn’t been in the neighborhood for years, is struck with the news of Jay’s death. His last text message from him reads, “Don’t ever come back.” But Ryu does come back and sees Hwaja again… 

As you can infer from the synopsis, there’s a 10 year time skip in the manhwa. Personally I didn’t find myself that interested in “Hwaja” until after the time skip (in Ch. 8), where the art style changes and things get a lot more intriguing. The art goes from crisp line-art colored in bright blues and greens to blocks of color in murky purples, browns, and blues, conveying the suspicion and suspense as Jay learns more and more about the truth behind Hwaja’s existence. The story ended up going places that I didn’t expect it to go and the ending was surprisingly heartfelt and touching. If you like ghost stories or just stories about the interaction between the supernatural and humans, give “Hwaja” a go. 

Warning: Violence, child abuse, sexual abuse, rape, murder, kidnapping, death 

Available on: Tapastic (Only the prologue is free). It can be found complete on scanlation sites on mangago. But if you end up liking it, support the author! 

4. Hongdo (홍도) by snowy owl 

In a world of shamans, gods, ghosts and other mystical creatures, the illegitimate son of a prominent general, Hong-do Lee grows up to be a powerful exorcist. When he decides to abandon his job, he becomes the target of bounty hunters and stumbles upon a plot that threatens his life and the fate of the world.

So begins Hongdo, a swashbuckling fantasy adventure that has gorgeous art and gives me Fullmetal Alchemist vibes if only because Hong-do is incredibly similar to Edward Elric, minus the insecurities about his height. That’s not to say that Hong-do is an Edward copy; he’s clearly his own unique character, but the style of humor is similar and the situations he gets into resembles the beginning of FMA, where Ed and Alphonse traveled around Amestris looking for strange happenings possibly caused by a Philosopher’s Stone- only in Hong-do’s case, he’s looking for a mysterious man named Crow. What for? Well, you have to read it to find out. 

But although elements of the story are reminiscent of FMA, the exorcist practices and the setting that make up the backbone of the story is clearly based on Ancient Korean and Chinese mythology and history. Architecture, clothing, the gods and spirits, all are richly and beautifully illustrated. I have at least a dozen screenshots saved in my phone and my current iphone lock screen is a panel from Hongdo. The worldbuilding is fascinating to say the least and the story just gets more and more interesting as you go along. In short, don’t miss this gem of a manhwa. 

Warning: Violence, murder, some body horror-ish stuff 

Available on: Spottoon (first 9 chapters are free). Chapter 1-34 are on mangapark. 

3. Dark Heaven (다크 헤븐) by JUNS 

In the US, same-sex marriage has been legalized but racist and homophobic hate crimes still regularly occur. Connor is Korean-American, and together with his friend and lover Simon, they have a band called “Dark Heaven”. But things can’t stay this good forever. Fast-forward to the future and the band has split up. Simon is pursuing a solo career and Connor’s working as a writer in a news agency. What went wrong and can they be together again? 

This manhwa pushes all of my buttons, so it’s no surprise that it’s on this list even though I’m only 15 chapters in. I mean, come on, a Korean-American protagonist? Check. Angsty Band Premise? Check. True love between two boys who care about each other so much, they find life lonely without having the other by their side? Check. And to top all of that, really good art? Check. Check. Check.

I think what’s so refreshing about this manhwa is that it looks at racism and homophobia and actually does a good job going about it. When Connor finds himself in love with Simon, he not only faces opposition from the outside, but also from the inside. Internalized racism and homophobia can be a bitch and the author does a good job depicting that with Connor’s struggles. And the love that Connor and Simon have for each other is just so touching, you can only fervently hope that they find their way back to each other again.  

Warning: Homophobia, racism, racist and homophobic slurs, hate crimes, prostitution, child abuse, violence 

Available on: Lezhin (first chapter is free). Scanlation sites only have up to chapter 5-6 I think. 

2. Annarasumanara (안나라수마나라) by Ha Il-Kwon

Yoon Ah-ee struggles to keep her and her little sister fed, clothed, and sheltered, but that’s easier said than done, especially with her father’s debts weighing down on her shoulders. Her only hope is to keep her grades up so that she can go to a good college and then get a good job and become a good adult. But when she meets a mysterious magician in the abandoned amusement park, she’s reminded of her childhood dream to learn magic… 

This has been on my “to read” list for years, but I’ve finally read it and I can only hit myself on the head for not reading it sooner. Annarasumanara is a story for those who have had that moment when, verging at the brink of adulthood, you’ve wondered “what is happiness”? Will going on this road that everyone has predetermined for me, “study hard, go to a good college, get a good job,” make me happy? 

What happens if that’s not what I want? 

The art here is unique to say the least. The author goes for a mixed media approach of combining drawings with photographs, which is not uncommon in Korean webcomics. What is uncommon is for it to be done well, creating stark, unforgettable imagery that, at times, blurs the lines between reality and construed reality. Which is exactly what this manhwa needs; after all it’s a story about finding real magic in what seems like a miserable reality. 

Warning: Suicide Attempt, Violence, Sexual Harassment, Blood

Available on: Line Webtoon (All chapters are free!)

 1. Vengeance (벤전스) by Aji

Have you ever really wanted a noir mystery about a female police detective trying to solve the case of her girlfriend’s murder? I did, I just didn’t know that I did until I started reading this and then I thanked the gods above for delivering my unconscious wishes.  

Hyun Seol-ah is an experienced police officer who’s known for her cool head and rational approach in dangerous situations - but all that cool headedness goes flying out the window when she arrives at a murder scene and realizes that the victim is her girlfriend, Hwan Hara. From then on, she is focused on only one thing: finding the monster who killed her and then exacting revenge.

I know what you’re thinking… another sad lesbian story? Yes, it’s sad, but the relationship between Seol-ah and Hara is depicted so profoundly, you can feel how much Seol-ah loved Hara and how much Hara loved her in return. As Seol-ah chases down the murderer, we see flashback after flashback of their relationships, from the fights to the cuddles to the declarations of love. What makes this even more heartbreaking is that their relationship was a secret, and so Seol-ah must solve Hara’s murder while hiding that they were lovers.

But also, the art is fantastic. I could go on and on about it, but I think the panel above speaks for itself. Solid blocks of color used to great dramatic effect that mimics the atmosphere of noir films. Seriously, do not let this pass you by.

Warning: Murder, blood, body horror, homophobia

Available at: Lezhin (first chapter is free). You can also read the whole thing on mangago and then buy some chapters later on Lezhin to support the author.