Have you been feeling bored lately because you've been busy studying? One way to find new joy is by using your phone in daily life. With a variety of applications on your phone, you can enjoy web novels and webtoons in diverse genres. This kind of visual entertainment can be read whenever and wherever you want. Even if the characters don't exist in real life, their charms keep us entertained. Let's take a look at some of the titles that have captured the hearts of Sookmyungians and hear what makes them so appealing.
1. <Status Abnormality: Debut or Die>
(Park Hye-lynn, Department of Library & Information Science '23)
When I was tired of the incidents and accidents of my favorite idol group, 2D Idol appeared. Park Moon-dae, the main character of the web novel "Debut or Die," has a disease that will kill him if he doesn't debut as an idol, so he struggles to achieve his goal which directly affects his survival. However, readers can catch a glimpse of Moon-dae's kindness from his actions in the novel, which cannot be explained only by the success of his missions. He buys homemade macaroons for his fans and throws himself into dangerous situations to save them in the midst of disaster. Also, he feels disappointed because a fan likes a different idol. I couldn't help but like this unicorn-like idol because he sees fans not as a group of "fandoms" but as individuals.
The appeal of this novel lies in its various characters. There's the puppy-like protagonist, who's rational on the outside but soft-heartedon the inside, the timid but righteous eldest brother, the sharp-looking but polite youngest, and the mysterious senior idol. As such, Various other characters with unique combinations appeal to the readers. I would recommend this story to anyone who is not interested in real-life idols and is looking for new stimulation.
2. <Be Fascinated by the Story of Youth>
(Lee Da-eun, Department of Public Administration '22)
My favorite webtoon is Garbage Time. It tells the story of a basketball team from Jisang high school whose members lack the skills and passion to enter college with basketball. At first, the team is not very cohesive because they are tired of the college entrance examination and training, but a new coach comes in and turns them into a competitive team. The funny thing is that this dramatic story is not fiction. The story is based on the reality of the 2012 Busan Jungang High School basketball team that finished second in the tournament with only six players.
I love this webtoon for three reasons. First of all, readers can feel catharsis through it. I found it thrilling to watch the characters do their best to win the game and to see them grow professionally and personally. Next, the story is centered on the college entrance examination, so students who have experienced that stress will be able to relate to the story and feel more engaged. At first, I thought it would be difficult to get to know each character because each game introduces about five or six new characters from the opposing school. However, as I got to know the different narratives of why they play basketball and their relationships with each other, I grew to love almost all of them. For these reasons, I would recommend this webtoon to anyone who enjoys shōnen manga or the sports genre.
