45 replies to this topic

[Comadrin]

With the number of people who seem to be reading this, I figured it ought to have one of these topics, so readers could discuss the plot and latest developments without worrying about posting spoilers on the title page, especially as we're now up to chapter 56.

I thought that "The Story that is Not OK" arc was pretty interesting. I definitely did not find it at all complimentary to Kim Heewan, even though he "changed." How far the change went, I can't really say, as he is still a devious and manipulative liar when he is in High School. Also, the things he says to the girl that he betrayed back in middle school are still quite cruel, almost as though he is trying to get her to badly injure him. It seems as though several people have pegged him for the lying manipulator that he is, so his career of manipulating others may come to a sad (for him) end. He definitely seems to have some feelings for Chae Seungeun, but those feelings (to me) seem rather twisted by his still psychopathic personality. I'll probably have to go back and reread the earlier chapters, and get things in better perspective in order to come to better conclusions about what is actually going on, and how much he has actually changed, and how much of it is self delusion.

I am definitely looking forward to the continuation of this webtoon. I definitely agree with PLG that webtoons are some of the best and most interesting graphic work coming out of Korea.

Edited by Comadrin, 18 September 2012 - 10:43 AM.

[svines85]

Yeah, Kim Heewan may have found some small amount of regret for what happened between him and Seungeun.....and Happy too for that matter.......but personally I really don't think he's changed at all. He's still just as manipulative, callous, irresponsible, and unable to maintain enduring relationships as he was when he was a small child. He's an almost textbook example of a person afflicted with Antisocial Personality Disorder.......a sociopath.

I do wonder what's going to happen with Seungeun though, she does indeed seem to still have an unfounded grudge towards the club.....though most of the problems she's having are directly related to Heewan. Hopefully she'll eventually beat him to death with another desk. Frankly it couldn't happen to a more deserved guy.

[Comadrin]

Yeah, I rather agree. At the same time, no one tried to get him any help, which may be, as has been mentioned in Dr Frost, a Korean thing (never admit any mental problem in your family). I have run into a few psychopath/sociopath types in my life, and they are totally scary. I remember a couple of young US Marines, who nearly beat a fellow Marine to death, just because he had his pay in his pocket. The victim spent a month in the hospital, and they spent a year in the brig (military prison). As an officer, I had to make brig visits of everyone in our command who was incarcerated. One of the two scared the hell out of me. He was so likable, plausible, and full of charisma, that I nearly found myself wondering how anyone could convict him of something so bad since he was obviously such a nice guy (I was about 30 at the time). The reason it scared me so bad, was that I was so easily manipulated into thinking that this was a great guy. I am older and (I hope) wiser now, and take things like this slower and more reflectively, but he was really very good at what he did.

Like we were posting about in "Hoshi no Furu Machi," one has to mistrust "charisma" as it is not indicative of a person's character. Charisma is the paint job you mentioned, that has nothing to do with what is under the hood. I hope that Kim Heewan gets some help, but I don't know what psychiatry can do for someone unable to feel empathy in any way, shape or form. I don't blame his mother in the least for being afraid of him. As a male in my younger days, I would have probably used fear (something that can be applied successfully), to keep him in line (it works very often, when reason and sympathy do not). I realize now, that this is not the best way to deal with these kind of problems, but knowledgeable heads are rarely found on young shoulders.

Kim Heewan definitely needs professional help. I agree with PLG that psychologists often prescribe drugs indiscriminately for psychiatric problems, but he needs more than just familial love to get him on track. Otherwise, he could easily end up in prison for murder or worse, kind of like the moron in "The Stranger." I'm not an existentialist, and have this neanderthal belief that you gotta pay your dues for your deeds.

Edited by Comadrin, 20 October 2012 - 05:01 AM.

[svines85]

@Comadrin

True, Heewan certainly never got the attention he warranted at a very, very early age. Though all credit to his mother, she sniffed out the "wrong" on her own child and at least made an effort to do something about it. Dad should have listened and held him down in the bathtub until the bubbles stopped.

[Comadrin]

I can't help liking Ryun, and if her mother cannot even remember what grade she is in, it's no wonder she's pretty ditzy when it comes to school. What gets me is that her teacher and mother conspire with her best friend to trick her, and the teacher finally uses physical threats (through said "best friend") to get her to go to supplemental lessons. Wouldn't normal adults sit her down and explain it to her. Her mother can still ensure that way, that she is left without the option of not doing it. What they have done is seriously erode her ability to trust the three people for whom her trust should be of paramount importance. Their actions are the perfect way to try and ensure that she will make every effort possible to thwart what they want, options to include: dropping out of school, leaving home, and wishing to have nothing more to do with the three people who pulled that sneaky crap on (read "betrayed") her. The mother and teacher are mental morons and moral cretins for pulling this shit on her, and Min is a worse moron for going along with it. If he hadn't played butt-boy for their plot, to include delivering a note threatening physical violence, he could have done a lot better as her confidant to try and talk her around to seeing the benefit of taking the lessons. As it is, in real life, she would never trust any of the three again and see as little of any of them as she could manage. Min would have completely lost her as a friend, as well. Besides: he out and out lied to her.

On another note: I wasn't a delinquent or martial arts stud when I was in high school, but if a teacher had threatened to use a baseball bat on me, for ANY reason, he would have been the one found in an alley. If any teacher had threatened to use one on my sister, his lifeless, decomposing body would have been found in the alley.

I know this is fiction and a comedy, without the seriousness of The Friendly Winter, but betrayal by friends and family members definitely throws out a red flag to me. Even done in a humorous fashion, it changes my perception of what I am seeing or reading.

[svines85]

@Comadrin

Not that I disagree with anything in your post, but yeah, it's probably meant to be presented in a comical way, that Cha Ryun either isn't a deep enough thinker to see it as a betrayal or just wouldn't because she's the type that's been being pestered by everybody to apply herself for a long time now already.

But as far as the teacher being characterized as willing to exert force to get her to cooperate.........that's a reality from everything I've seen in manhwa and read from actual accounts of school life in Korea. Physical stuff from teacher to students is apparently the norm and accepted. There isn't a school life manhwa/webtoon I've personally read that doesn't show or imply it.

[Comadrin]

Oh forgot to mention this about your earlier post per Heewan. A quote from PLG, "Don't beat around the bush - tell us how you really feel!" I got this sent my way when I was proposing what should happen to the idiot pervert father from Koi Neko.

[svines85]

oh yeah, the part about how his father should have drowned him as an infant in the bath tub?
I stand by it........

[svines85]

Wow, that was great, a massive 8 chapter release, very cool. Seungeun makes her move to vent her frustrations on the Mystery Club.....

[Comadrin]

No kidding. Now I really have to see where this goes.

[svines85]

Yeah, I was a little surprised, but thought it was quite telling to see the scene with Seungeun's aunt..........just like Heewan she was also under a lot of strain from being somewhat ostracized even within her own family from a very early age.

[svines85]

good to see a new chapter, looks like Seungeun couldn't keep her true feelings hidden for very long at all........

[svines85]

Finally!! I've been waiting for someone "normal" to finally get tired of that kid's crap and haul off and hit him. Yayyyy!!! \o/\o/

[AddNine]

I believe the 3 kids from Chapter 75 should have their own spin-off! haha

[svines85]

I believe the 3 kids from Chapter 75 should have their own spin-off! haha

Hah!! Yeah, you're right, they were pretty hilarious, they fit right in with a good portion of the rest of the cast

[svines85]

Wow, "the miserable boy began his story."........what a great lead-in to the next chapter

[svines85]

.......................................wow. it's chapters like that one that make me wonder if I really know where this story is going after all. O_o

[Comadrin]

Finally!! I've been waiting for someone "normal" to finally get tired of that kid's crap and haul off and hit him. Yayyyy!!! \o/\o/

 

Yeah, that was a total "ass whuppin" that I've been looking for ever since sociopath boy was introduced into the series.  He didn't wait for the bubbles to stop, but it was in no sense a "gentle reminder" either.

[svines85]

Yeah, that was a total "ass whuppin" that I've been looking for ever since sociopath boy was introduced into the series.  He didn't wait for the bubbles to stop, but it was in no sense a "gentle reminder" either.

haha! yup, i hope it helps the kid, it sure can't hurt XD

[svines85]

Ahhhh, so she had a plan all along............shoulda known