Study Group

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Study Group is a webtoon I found by accident while scrolling Naver. The title is interesting, and the second you start reading, you get hooked on the story.

First, the pacing is fast. A lot happens all the time, which fits the type of characters we're talking about: future gangsters, thugs, troublemakers. When you think things are starting to get better/go smoother, the story pulls you into a cliffhanger. For some, it might be annoying, since the plot twists are constant and the story doesn't stop to explain minor details (quick flashbacks are common!).

About the protagonist: he won't stop surprising you. Gamin Yoon is a prodigy ... in his fighting style (learned from his uncle), but he fails to study. Guess what his goal is? ;) Some of the comedy relief surely comes from his hilarious remarks mid-fight, "Do you wanna join my study group?".

The most interesting part, besides the protagonist himself, is how they constructed the story to be like real life: corruption, corruption, corruption. More money = more power. But then, a light at the end of the tunnel, with a group of stubbornly loyal characters challenging the system.

The villains are ok, but some would be more interesting if more explored (like, what's your REAL motive?). Don't expect a lot of lore-full characters, most are just scumbags who know how to fight (and know they will go without punishment).

Overall, Study Group is a light story, that will keep you entertained and feeling like Gamin's fanboy/fangirl lol. The art style is also pretty good, and the facial expressions are just *chef kisses*. Hope everyone will give Gamin and his study group a chance!

Have a nice day if you read till the very end ;)

Similar to most other school fighting manhwas, they always start off interesting, then keeps introducing characters later on that has a forced backstory, cutting off all tension for a moment of flashback or into their thoughts. It happens so often, that it feels like a chore to read, especially later on.

Let's start with the positives. The art, as always with these types, is great. They are incredibly polished and even colored whilst maintaining a weekly schedule, which is a slight concern whether or not the artists are paid well, but haven't done research on that. The art positively shines through especially when our protagonist fights; ... you know shit's about to go down. Heck, even the side characters get their moments.

The story at the beginning is very grounded focusing on bullying and studying, albeit has been done before and has become a trope at this rate; as in school bullying devolving into other schools fighting each other to show dominance.

But then, you realize that the arc is STILL going on. You wonder why they keep talking and talking, sometimes not even about the fight. Then you wonder if they even go to school anymore.
The arcs in this manhwas feel incredibly long, which I think is one of the biggest reasons why this becomes less of a read for fun, and more of a chore.



What does keep this manhwa grounded is that there are actual adults and not just children fighting and for some reason owning parts of a country. The adults actually participate in the story a whole lot, even in the background, becoming a driving force for the younger characters or trying to stop them from fighting.
The biggest issue thus far is that they keep introducing more "Oh so dangerous characters", but it's so constant and repetitive, that you'll start to lose interest and only focus on our main cast - which is the second reason why this manhwa is a chore.
You're force-fed these new enemies, they explain their backstories or why they're bad people, they lose, then it repeats. Then once the big bad is gone, they introduce another big bad school with even more dangerous students.
What I mean by this is that by keeping introducing new characters without going deeper, they all just feel like tropes with a flashback. As the story progresses (personally think they regress), 90% of them are

There are a few exceptions that shine through. Some of the "fodder" enemies come back to the story and don't just disappear because they've lost. But that does not excuse the repetitive nature of this manga. So far I've read more than 170+ chapters, and it feels like I've read the same 20 chapters just with different characters. It does not help with how much it feels like a drag to read, an important arc or not.
It all just feels so incredibly calculated. Sure, there are twists relevant to the overall plot and affect the characters, but oh my God, do it differently. The flashbacks are honestly the worst part, especially since you KNOW when it happens.

This manhwa is very much a turn-your-brain-off, a bland story that goes for far too long, but great fights. Although I'd lie to myself I didn't say the fights don't get boring, either...
It's a bland manga that people might enjoy reading at the beginning. But after a while, it's a sunk-cost fallacy.

This is a series where you can just shut your brain off, and have fun. There are no insanely nuanced or complex characters, this is just another op protagonist but this time it is grounded in the real world. Our main character Gamin is a loveable idiot that just wants to study. This deceptively simple task is far more arduous than it might appear at first glance. Long story short, this series is a lot like One Punch Man in that the MC will more than likely win every fight, but sometimes you want to relax and watch some shitheads get a good beating. The ... art is very good and really helps make this series very satisfying and enjoyable. This is a solid no brain series!