Manhwa Review | Bongchon Bride by Gaepi

Title: Bongchon Bride



Soongap is enslaved. The child of a concubine, when his mother died, he lost his place in the household, passed on to another master, and was raised by his grandmother. Alongside him, he had a childhood friend, and as they grew up, their friendship evolved into a romantic partnership, which allowed them to plan and hope for the future. They wanted to work and buy their freedom, then move away to have their own farm and home together. Unfortunately, before they ever get the chance, Soongap's lover, who has been chronically ill since childhood, ends up bedridden. No matter how hard Soongap tries to save him, he inevitably passes away.

Depressed and hopeless, Soongap just goes through the motions until he discovers his master's daughter having a secret love affair with another woman. Seeing himself in her, Soongap makes it a point to try and help them be together. Unfortunately, his efforts fail, and he is beaten nearly to death for his actions. Soongap is willing to simply fade away, only to wake up in an unfamiliar house. As it turns out, his master, a miser, sold him to a man who works his fields for fifty sacks of rice. The man is enormous and unkempt, with rumors that he is a murderer or a monster. Yet, he carefully nurses Soongap back to health, resembling a teddy bear more than a monster. His new master is Bongchun, and over time, being doted on and dubbed his ‘darling' to trick Bongchun's ailing mother into thinking Soongap is his bride, Soongap finds himself wanting to live for Bongchun.

Just as his life settles into a comfortable routine, a remnant from his past, back when his mother was still alive, comes to call. It's his younger half-brother, Pilgyeon. Pilgyeon has come to take back Soongap — not as an enslaved person, but as his lover. But Soongap never had any affection for his brother, and that hasn't changed. He has no intention of leaving his new master, and he'll do everything he can to protect his newfound happiness.

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Manga Review | Restart After Growing Hungry by cocomi

Title: Restart After Growing Hungry



Yamato and Mitsuomi have been together for three years, having only known each other for four years. They spend almost every moment they can together, and though they've never labeled their relationship, they don't question what they mean to each other and are just content being in each other's presence. That is until they attend their friend Harada's wedding together. During the reception, it becomes clear that word of their relationship has gotten around, but thanks to Harada and Yamato, the pair avoid being outed among their peers. Still, with so many people aware and such great effort being taken to diminish their role in each other's lives, Mitsuomi can't help but wonder how Yamato sees their relationship.

It gets even more confusing when Mitsuomi's mother brings up the new partnership system their prefecture has accepted. While it doesn't function the same as marriage, it does help legitimize same-sex couples in the local government's eyes. Mitsuomi doesn't see much point in it since it doesn't provide any benefits that traditional marriage does, but he can't help but bring it up to Yamato just to see his reaction. Shockingly, Yamato seems put off by the idea and makes it clear that he is happy with their relationship as it stands. That was no different than Mitsuomi's own reaction, but for some reason, hearing it from Yamato hurts Mitsuomi.

Just what are they to each other, and does Yamato actually love Mitsuomi like Mitsuomi thinks he does?

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Manga Review | Restart After Coming Back Home by cocomi

Title: Restart After Coming Back Home



Mitsuomi, from the time he was a teen, has had one goal: escape his small town and make it in Tokyo. Unfortunately, that's easier said than done, as time and time again, Mitsuomi's anger gets the better of him. Once again, he gets fired and has no other choice but to return home to stay with his parents. While he has always avoided staying in the countryside and taking over his family's business, at the age of twenty-five, with no other direction in his life, that might be his only option, if his dad will even give him the opportunity.

While bemoaning his fate, Mitsuomi meets an unfamiliar face, which is odd for his hometown. The young man is Yamato, adopted by Mitsuomi's long-term neighbor and farmer who never did have children of his own. Yamato is the same age as Mitsuomi, but his life seems completely put together, with Yamato helping his adoptive father out in the fields and making deliveries around town, all with a smile on his face. However, no matter how well-integrated Yamato is in this rural town, everyone still whispers, questioning his reliability as an outsider.

Mitsuomi can't stand the judgment and makes it his mission to befriend Yamato. But no matter how hard Mitsuomi tries, there are walls around Yamato that he just can't seem to tear down. More importantly, this mission of friendship has evolved into something deeper for Mitsuomi. He doesn't just like Yamato as a friend. He's steadily falling in love.

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Manhwa Review | No Love Zone by Danbi

Title: No Love Zone



Eunkyum is a newbie at his company. He's been there a year, but his level of responsibility is still pretty low, much to his dismay. While he pines for better opportunities at work, he also longs for better in his love life. Unfortunately, his relationship history has been fraught with shitty men. His current partner is no different, always asking him for money and ignoring him most of the time. Still, Eunkyum will take what he can get… until he sees his beau out in the streets with a wife and child in tow.

Eunkyum is heartbroken. At least work isn't so bad… until he meets his new manager Jihyuk. Jihyuk is exactly Eunkyum's type, tall, dark, and handsome. Too bad he seems to have it out for Eunkyum, tossing all of the scut work onto his plate and criticizing every little thing he turns in. So his love life is in shambles, and his professional life isn't going so hot either. Can Eunkyum catch a break? And will he figure out why Jihyuk is trying so hard to put him down?

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Manhwa Review | Love Tractor by HmmYongYong

Title: Love Tractor



Sun Yool desperately needs an escape. His relationship with his father has been tenuous at best, and his relationship with his boyfriend hasn't been going much better. While trying to keep the balance in his relationships, he's also struggling through law school. Things are beginning to come to a head with Yool's mental health when his mother talks him into going to his grandfather's farm for a break since his grandfather is in the hospital, unable to keep up his home. Yool accepts the offer and leaves the city to escape to the farm.

Yool expects many peaceful days ahead. However, he doesn't expect to find a big, burly young adult named Yechan, whom he briefly knew as a child. Yechan grows attached to Yool, and soon, the days with Yechan far exceed the days Yool has alone, and while he would never admit it out loud, Yool finds himself growing attached to the boisterous young man. But even in this idyllic scenario with the eye candy that is Yechan, the darkness of the life he left behind is ever-looming and threatening the fragile happiness he's built for himself.

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