I have dropped this webtoon and picked it up so many times.. The art is blah, except the animals, I LOVE the tiger and other animals and the "backgrounds" at certain points, but the people and general art, not for me. But because the art of those animals was so up my ally, I felt this odd compulsion to complete it.
I feel like it started out well, and I liked the ending (honestly, it fit the story just fine). But damn, the middle.. No joke, from around chapter 20 to basically chapter 102 suck. Side characters are given backstories for no real reason (aka it doesn't advance the main plot, nor does it help the sub plots), and plots are never really completed which gives you this constant want for closure that is never allowed. Stories arcs has a natural arc (duh!) and I don't feel any of those arcs in this webtoon. It's like you are constantly on the rise and never get to go down (aka closure) which leaves this bitter feeling. It's hard to explain, but the webtoon just never feels fun or good to read. I've read some extremely depressing manga, but even those are interesting to read (which makes them "fun"), but this one... It's lacking in so many areas.
The unbelievable amount of social injustice and oppression is extreme. It's forced and it's constant and it's shoved down your throat as you read. And it's not believable. I've read other mangas where there is oppression and social injustice and the want for revenge and it's handed beautifully and believably, but in this one... Nope! It's not natural and it reads really poorly. It's so extreme and there is no grey zone, there is only black or white. And the only character that sees grey is the main one, and even then it doesn't feel real or natural.
Even when others views "change" they aren't given any story arc that would have changed them... They don't have an arc, they sort of just are. None of the characters feel true, either to the story or themselves. You never actually feel connected to any character or understand their wants and desires.. It's just really poorly told, which sucks, because it had a lot of promise.
Now I have a HUGE issue with some of the plots (sub plots?) in this webtoon:
the suicide of the principal, the death/murder of the original black turtle (like seriously, WTF!?!), Yulbi and the other corpses, the current black turtle's motive, the green haired bad-guy's motive or backstory in general (did he even get one?), Ryun's death/suicide, the Phoenix's "wish", the underground casino, the principal (as a whole, his whole F'ing story), Irang's god (the way he is shown... especially towards the end.. leaves you with a feeling like he was the main bad guy, even though he really shouldn't be), Irang's future self (what a dick), the "romance", and obviously basically every backstory that doesn't move the plot anywhere.
I will not be recommending this webtoon to anyone. I'm sorry, it just didn't do anything for me. There is too much wrong in this webtoon to override the good.
(-25)
