About:
Warning:
There will be spoilers for the manhwa series The Devil's Temptation.
Trigger Warning: There may be references to prostitution, child abuse, questionable consent, and homophobia, as it appears in the manhwa.
Synopsis:
All Hyun of the owl tribe wants out of life is yummy food, comfy furniture, and never having to leave the house. But unfortunately, he has to work to survive. To keep up with his corporate job, he has to attend the holiday party at the end of the year. What makes it worse is his archnemesis from the snake tribe, Ivan, is there and makes it a point to tease Hyun as much as he can. To survive the night, Hyun drinks himself into a tizzy, only to embarrass himself in front of the director of the company and his crush from the snake tribe, Alek. Thankfully, Hyun doesn't have to suffer the party for too long as he passes out.
When he wakes up, not only is he in bed with Ivan, but he has a weird mark on his neck. This is an imprint specific to the snake tribe that binds the marker to the marked so that the marked craves physical intimacy with their marker. It's okay, though, because there is a cure, but it could take months to develop, and in the meantime, Hyun could experience flu-like symptoms… or possibly go blind if he doesn't get enough pheromones from Ivan. The worst part, though, is that the mark also attracts other members of the snake tribe and him to them, so he has to juggle intimacy with his enemy Ivan and try to keep from pouncing on his crush and boss Alek, too.
Can an owl like Hyun survive in the snake pit? And even if Hyun does survive, what does this new level of intimacy mean for his relationship with Ivan and Alek? Do they only like him for the mark, or is there something more?
Review:
Let's go ahead and talk about the art. It is rough, particularly in the first season. However, Ivan is immaculate 99% of the time, and thank goodness, because he is a feast for the eyes. Some of the best art is in the side stories at the very end, which is great because that's where some of the best naughty scenes are, too. Unfortunately, though, that means the rest of the naughty scenes suffer badly from poor art. It did detract from them a good bit. Even with the rough art, though, the comedy achieved through the artwork is unparalleled. I have yet to find a manhwa that made me laugh as much as this one has. When it says it is a comedy, that is unquestionable. Hyun and Alek don't always look that great, but all of that is forgivable with how funny it is and how gosh darn attractive Ivan is as a male lead. If art has to be perfect for you to like the manhwa, then this is probably not for you.
Something else that isn't perfect is the story, again, particularly in the first season. It can feel a bit choppy and hard to follow, mainly when Hen is between Alek and Ivan. You can tell some of the finer details of the story weren't perfectly nailed down at this stage, but everything clears up pretty well in the second season. How the mark works is still a bit of a mystery to me – the whole sequence with Alek becoming one mentally with Hyun felt a little random and weird because of how physical everything else regarding the mark was. I felt like that could do with a little more explanation, but it's not terrible by any means.
I also have to talk about the crazy rollercoaster I went on with Alek's character. I hated him, not going to lie. He plays somewhat of a villain for Hyun and Ivan and functions as the second male lead. I didn't care for his design, which is unusual because I typically am really into long-haired male leads. His personality bounced between stale crackers and burnt biscuits, and his background for hating Ivan felt contrived. Then the side story happens with him and Noah… and oh my goodness, was I into Alek. He becomes so much more sincere. His stoic personality becomes more stable than cold, and this section has some of the best art in the entire series. Plus, Noah is a doll. I fell in love with his character from the jump, and he is a perfect match for Alek since he is so much more of a free spirit but still just as intelligent and calculating as Alek is. Alek from the main story is meh; Alek from the side stories is daddy material. I've never had such a massive turnaround in my feelings for a character until Alek.
I've talked a lot about how hot and attractive the male leads are, but let's talk about our main protagonist, Hyun, aka Hen. He is me. I am him. We are one. I've never felt so connected to a character in my life. He hails from the owl tribe, which is usually disparagingly referred to as the chicken tribe because of how they nest and frequently resemble chickens in their habits and looks. He is lazy, loves to eat, loves his cat more than life, would never leave his house if he didn't have to, always has a blanket or scarf handy to stay cozy, and he's a little ball of anger when he needs to be. He goes around clucking and squawking like a chicken. I love him more than words can express, and he is as cute as they come. Unfortunately, he does suffer from the poor art initially, but when he is chibified or shown in his chicken form, he is a little bean that must be protected at all costs. He's a great main character and really makes the journey fun.
However, as much as I love Hyun, I have to say my favorite character is, without a doubt, Ivan. He's sexy as all get out, and most of the humor comes from him fighting with both Hyun and Alek. I love him in his snake-ified form, his chibified form when he's sexy dancing for Hyun when he's being a complete ass – I love him in any way I can get him, and he is probably the best-drawn character from beginning to end. Not to mention, the way he loves his little Hen is probably some of the cutest, fluffiest, and sweetest stuff you will ever see in your life. We all deserve an Ivan in our lives. So, if you don't read this for any other reason, please read it for Ivan. He makes it all worthwhile. Your eyes will thank you.
Finally, I just have to say how fun all the characters are. There are a bunch of fun side characters, all of which have really interesting and fun characteristics/personalities. One major downside is that we don't get to see much of them through the main story, but you are guaranteed to have a good time when you do. If I could wish for anything from this series, I wish the concept of the animal tribes could have been fleshed out more and that we could've seen more of the side characters and their relationships.
Results:
I think I've read this four times at this point, though I am sure the number has gone up by the time this post goes up. It's hilarious, and any time I need a laugh, I can be sure this will give it to me. You can't go wrong here if you really want a funny, sexy, and cute manhwa. I do wish the art had been more consistent and better throughout, but the characters and the humor are great enough to overcome any complaints I might have about the art. Read it for the characters; they are great, I promise.
Have you read The Devil's Temptation? If so, what do you think? Do you agree with my assessment? Do you not? Let me know, and comment below!