This is a series in which I read the first volume of an ongoing series and give my first impressions. This isn’t going to be as long as a standard review (I hope); it is meant to provide a quick snapshot of how a story starts and how I feel about it at the very beginning.
Disclosure: I did get this for free from Ize Press. I will still be frank and forthright with my feelings, but just note that I was given this title.
About:
Warning:
There will be spoilers for the first volume of Semantic Error.
Content Warning: There may be references to gossiping, peer pressure, violence, victim-blaming, and harassment, as these things do appear in the first volume.
First Impression:
I have to be honest. I have actually read this manhwa before, though the original versions were available on Kindle forever ago (I believe they were published exclusively by Manta, but I’m not positive). But then Ize Press obtained the rights and sent me a copy of their edition, and I had to give it a read. It’s been a year or more since I explored this world, so it really feels like the first time again. And to start with, these prints are beautiful. Ize Press has been killing it with the quality of their physical releases, and this is no exception.
And that leads me into the art. The art isn’t perfect. I feel like it switches from super clean to super sketchy, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it is inconsistent. However, what I enjoy about the art is how each main character is designed. This is very much an “opposites attract” and “enemies-to-lovers” story, and it couldn’t be made any more evident than by their physical representations. Sangwoo has a very neutral and plain palette, with all-black clothes and average features. Jaeyoung, of course, is completely opposite. He wears bright clothing (often to the chagrin of Sangwoo), and his features are very bright and expressive in turn. I love that. It seems like a very obvious method of introducing characters and showing their differences, but it’s very satisfying to see.
Now, I do like both of our main characters, but there is one who speaks to me. Sangwoo is the man. I have probably never aligned with someone so much in my life. I work among developers and do minimal development for my day job, and I create the most visually unappealing things in the world. I try really hard to make it decent, but once the code gets in the hands of a front-end designer, it becomes beautiful. But beyond reflecting on my own abilities, it really highlights Sangwoo’s personality. He’s very pragmatic and realistic, which is where the romance begins. For whatever reason, Jaeyoung is drawn to Sangwoo despite their rocky start, and the goal is to somehow tear down Sangwoo’s aloof exterior. I love this kind of thing. It is worth noting that this first volume mainly focuses on annoying Sangwoo into changing, but by the end, we see Jaeyoung starting to switch tactics and use his extrovert powers to bring out the Sangwoo hidden beneath his routine.
Before I close out, I want to mention that this is a very comedic title. I wouldn’t say it’s laugh-out-loud funny like my favorite, The Devil’s Temptation, but it’s got that lighthearted enemies-to-lovers and petty vengeance humor that keeps things fun. Sangwoo, once again, is the best on this front. His inability to recognize people, inadvertently offending Jaeyoung in the process, is one of my favorite things. This has so much potential, and though I have read this manhwa before, I’ve never finished it. This is a great start to what is looking to be a new favorite of mine. I guess we’ll see.
Results:
This was such a treat. While I remembered the general vibe from the first time I read this, rereading it in print really brought back all of the fun stuff. I recall how bummed I was when the original Kindle run ended after two volumes, which is where I stopped. This has re-lit my excitement, and I am so pumped to see how it all finally plays out. Fingers crossed, we get the mature version of later portions.
Have you read Semantic Error – volume 1? If so, what do you think? Do you agree with my assessment? Do you not? Let me know, and comment below!