Fate

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(I happen to write really long reviews; sorry about that ^^;;)
In the sea of manga, manhwa, comics....there are bound to gems hidden for one reason or another.
Some just didn't get exposure or they fail to catch potential readers because of mangaka/manhwaga's lack of experience at the time they started. This particular title is a real hidden gem, but unfortunately it has lots of strikes against it.
In fact, the manhwaga herself wishes she could edit the beginning. There is no wonder in why she feels it and why I feel it.

The story begins with one of the biggest cliches of the world: arranged ... marriage spiced with the usual comedy antics and unpolished art that speaks clearly that she is new to the business.
However, once it starts showing its true colors, the very thing that was against the series actually helps it.

It is quite a feat for someone to come up with such complex story at an early age, polish it, and eventually create a wonderful work by the end. It shows a lot of talent in this author. It's one of the most well done stories with reincarnation and fate as the central theme without becoming way too over dramatic like some series.


Story:
It starts innocent enough, just another arranged marriage. Oh yay. Then weird things start happening. At first it's just dreams, but as time passes encounters, nostalgic feelings, and other strange sensations makes us readers and the characters, realize that their fates are entangled in something big, something from the distant past that still haunts them to this day.

It's a well crafted, heartbreaking story about the different kinds of love that breaks the boundaries of life and death.

A side story, which also serves as a sort of epilogue as well shedding light to a untold event that is only lightly mentioned in the main story. In someways that side story is better than the main story and it's worth reading the whole thing for that alone. (Admittedly, the character of the Mother happens to my favorite character, but it really is well done.)


Character:
The main characters are well developed. Shin-Young is of course distressed as any other girl in her situation but instead of whining, she demands. She's stoic and stubborn, often displaying courage when other girls would be scared. Although it's not as a great thing as a compliment as it once was, but considering this is quite an old work, I should think it was at the time. Ji-Hoo is an idiot. A popular, handsome playboy but still an idiot. It's funny to read about him than some jerk or sadistic king. In some ways the roles are reversed, and that's one of themes of the work. (Expect a lot of gender bending and such.)
It is not that weird that my favorite character is the Mother. She is one of the most complex characters in the story, who had seemed like a minor character at first. Oh, the limits she would go over for love.

Art:
It's inconsistent and amateurish at times but it improves with time and eventually develops into a style I really like. it's sad people will drop it because of the art, but it's unavoidable.

Enjoyment:
This kind of story was what I was looking for when it comes to fate and rebirth, and it hits them on the right spots for me. It was very interesting to see how things came together, and who's who. The tragic story aims at your heart, making you feel pity rather than hatred toward the characters.

Overall:
I doubt there will be interest in this project long enough for people see what the story really is, (the scanlation group that had picked it up didn't release another chapter for a long time) but if you can read Korean, I do recommend you check this out. For others, well I hope maybe one day someone will license it.