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About:
Warning:
There will be spoilers for the manhwa series Park Hanhoo's Manager.
Content Warning: There may be references to orphans, power imbalance, social gap, prejudice, bullying, gang activity, violence, mass murder, memory loss, death, homelessness, blood, gun violence, counterfeiting, invasion of privacy, mental illness, gossiping, nonconsenting recording, mentions of drug trafficking, blackmail, extortion, manipulation, corruption, kidnapping, survivor’s guilt, poisoning, assault, adoption, murder-for-hire, child abuse, mentions of alcoholism, mentions of gambling, vandalism, theft, mentions of divorce, strained familial relationships, politics, self-deprecation, stalking, bombs, homomisia, mentions of arranged marriage, terminal illness, suicidal ideation, imprisonment, mentions of suicide, terrorism, and mentions of torture, as they do appear in the manhwa.
Synopsis:
Baek Chansol has finally moved back to his home country. The only reason he left was because, as a teenager, the infamous serial killer August murdered everyone at his orphanage, leaving him as the sole survivor. Fearing August might return to finish the job, Chansol was carted out of the country. But Chansol didn’t spend that time hiding. He’s spent all of his time looking for information about August because he plans to get revenge for the family he destroyed, and now that he’s back in the country, his first step is to get a job at weapon manufacturer UM.
Why? Because there is an employee there that supposedly has been hunting for information on August, too, and Chansol wants to steal as much of that information as possible. But that isn’t the only mission Chansol has. Before Chansol had to escape the country, he had a friend named Park Hanhoo. Chansol promised Hanhoo he would be by his side forever, but he obviously had broken that promise. So, Chansol wants to find his one and only friend to finally make amends for this broken promise. While Chansol is determined to achieve both goals, his new boss at UM might make it rather difficult.
Han Yooem is violent and unrestrained. He happily confines people, is willing to stab someone on a whim, and even tests out UM weapons on random citizens. Plus, most of UM’s top clients are either the government or mafia members, so every day is a risk for Chansol. But maybe the strangest of all is Yooem’s weird obsession with Chansol. Everything seems to be a game to Yooem, and even when he’s aware of all of Chansol’s plans to steal and invade his privacy, Yooem only encourages him. Just what is Yooem up to? And will Chansol ever be able to find August and his friend?
Review:
The art in this is pretty unique. It’s very inconsistent, especially with side profiles. There is something about the side profiles that I really despise. I believe it’s because of how short the face is from the neck. Everyone looks like they’ve run face-first into a wall, which isn’t the greatest. It’s funny, but not that nice looking. With that said, Hanhoo is the hottest character in this series. He has the prettiest design and panels by far, so that’s a nice reprieve. The chibis are also very simple but very cute and funny.
Story-wise, this was a weird one. Per the opening notes, this takes place in a made-up country in our world. So, it’s modern-day, which is cool. But this country might be the most terrifying country I’ve ever heard of. It seems like a pseudo-United States based on some references, but the corruption is publicly acknowledged and accepted. Mafia members openly buy weapons, non-mafia members openly kill each other and test weapons on the public, and both the government and the mafia have public contracts with weapon manufacturers. Perhaps I’m just ignorant of this actually happening here in the US, but it was still super shocking.
But this has the effect of making every shocking and violent thing that happens through the series reasonable because of the world our characters live in. Hanhoo taking a knife and stabbing an actor because he’s jealous? Sure, why not? Getting medical treatment from an actor instead of a hospital? Makes sense. Hanhoo dropping out of high school to work at a weapon manufacturer? Of course. Who needs credentials? Why couldn’t a high schooler work in developing and testing weaponry? It’s all very unbelievable and requires a pretty high suspension of disbelief, but it keeps you guessing, and I think that’s what makes this successful.
But what I love about this series isn’t the wild violence, the open corruption, or Hanhoo’s face… okay, that’s a lie. I do love Hanhoo’s face, but Hanhoo’s character is what really intrigues me. He is cold and apathetic, not even having a reason to look forward to the next day or even care about it. Then, he meets Chansol. Reading how his annoyance grew into possessiveness only to finally evolve into love is surprisingly beautiful. There is a particular line he says in reference to looking forward to tomorrow, which is one of the most romantic lines I’ve ever read in a manhwa. I would tell you all what it is, but I think this moment is worth experiencing for yourself. I think this series is worth reading for this section of the story alone.
But more than anything, the reveal of August’s identity is something to see. I truly didn’t expect it. I’m all about spoilers in these reviews, but there are some fun things to experience in this manhwa that I think everyone should have the opportunity to experience for themselves. So, yes, I’m refraining from revealing this info. As a small, random side note, this is a very comedic story. For being so dark, there are a bunch of really fun giggles. So, if you’re afraid this might be all dark with no reprieve, you’ll be happy to know that’s not the case.
Results:
This was a treat. It isn’t perfect by any means, and I wouldn’t call it a favorite, but it’s certainly interesting. I don’t read much shounen-ai, so it’s always refreshing to read something more focused on the romance and the story rather than sex. I wanted some smut by the end, but I enjoyed it all the same. Hanhoo certainly makes this for me, and the humor is really nice, too. I’d recommend this one.
Have you read Park Hanhoo's Manager? If so, what do you think? Do you agree with my assessment? Do you not? Let me know, and comment below!