About:
Warning:
There will be spoilers for the manhwa series Love Tractor.
Trigger Warning: There may be references to homophobia, blood, devastating car accidents, child abandonment, PTSD, toxic parent-child relationships, and depression, as it appears in the manhwa.
Synopsis:
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.
Review:
The moment I saw this art, I recognized it immediately. This is the same artist that made one of my favorite BL manhwa of all time Oh! My Assistant, and much like that manhwa, gives me all of the same warm fuzzies. If you like Oh! My Assistant, I have no doubt you will like this. It's absolutely beautiful, and I might even say it is prettier than Oh! My Assistant, and much like Oh! My Assistant, we've got a big, loveable hunk and a beautiful man. The character designs are really top-notch and might be some of my favorite character designs of all time. Yechan and Yool are opposing designs and personalities and, by all standards, would probably not typically end up together, but in that way, they fit perfectly. This is a love story you really shouldn't miss if you can help it.
It's worth noting that, though I did not mark this as mature, there is sexual content. Sex is depicted and heavily implied, which is why I have tagged this with sexual content, but nothing is shown, similar to titles like Rain Again and A Thousand Cranes, where the sex acts are shown, but there are no displays of nudity. In the case of Love Tractor, there are facial expressions and sensual depictions but nothing else. It's still incredibly sexy, though, and it personally still scratched that itch for me. However, if you are hoping for some pornhwa-level BL, this isn't it. I still highly recommend it, though, because this is super sensual and romantic on a much deeper and more intimate level than I think sex could ever depict.
One of the best parts of this series is the lack of drama. Most of the tension is not due to love triangles or anything like that. Instead, it's all based on Yool's traumatic romantic past, unwillingness to be vulnerable again, the pressures of his family, and his discomfort at being in an unknown, rural area. The romance relies heavily on Yool healing and becoming secure in himself again, which is much more satisfying than something like a love triangle. Plus, it's bolstered by Yechan's coming of age as a young adult and finding his first love. It's a ton of fluffy and sometimes heartrending personal growth for both characters that becomes a strong foundation for a sweet romance.
While Yool is technically the star of the show, Yechan is the real hero here. He is absolutely precious, and he creates one of my favorite BL dynamics with Yool: a big, strong, lovable bottom with a smaller, pretty top. His accent, his unyielding positivity, and his undying devotion to his “ham” (“hyung” in his accent) and his dreams are magnetic. He makes you want to fall in love with him, and he makes for a perfect counterpart to Yool. I love Yechan so, so much, and if you don't read this for any other reason, read it for Yechan. You won't regret it, I promise.
Results:
This is a syrupy, sweet romance that is a must-read. It's BL with an emphasis on love, and I can't recommend it enough. If you're hoping for intense drama or pornhwa, you will probably be disappointed. However, I think you'd be doing yourself a disservice if you don't read this simply because it doesn't have either of those. Instead, it's a pleasant, slow-paced journey between two individuals who try to better themselves so they can be better for each other. It doesn't get much better than that.
Have you read Love Tractor? If so, what do you think? Do you agree with my assessment? Do you not? Let me know, and comment below!