I'm too old and jaded for this manhwa now. My world has taken on a grayish tone and a trifle more subtlety. My teenage self wants to give this a nine and keep reading, but my adult self is giving this a seven and stopping after the sixth volume.

I was entertained at first because I've lived through the philosophical argument Let Dai is putting forth, but the manhwa shows no signs of identifying the shaky support for the argument, applying some good critical thinking, and moving forward with a new thesis. If the author did that, this book could be very, very interesting. Instead, it just sort of stops and rolls in the angst. Now to be honest, I spent a good four years rolling in this same angst pit myself, and I had a lot of fun while doing it.

At the right point in your life, this book could be quite relevant, interesting, and moving. Dai and Jaehee also make a sexy couple, which will be reason enough for some readers. (It was enough for me for two or three volumes, at least!) Despite the lowish rating I feel the need to give, I'd say pick it up and give it a try. The feel of the book is pretty consistent throughout, so you'll know if it's right for you within a couple of chapters. More than any other manga/manhwa I've read, I feel like the quality of Let Dai really depends on where you are in your emotional and mental life. I found it at the wrong point, but I can imagine it being a great find from a different yet sympathetic perspective.

*And now, five years after writing the above, and with yet more life experience, I've been paging back through manga. I've gotta knock this down from 7 to 5. This kind of stuff just gets subtly grosser as you get older. Read it before you're 15 or better, don't.

... Last updated on November 24th, 2014, 1:33pm

I disagree with a review below that says you have to be at a certain age to appreciate it. It all depends on your taste. For one, I am a sucker for that dark, angsty, violent love AS LONG as it fits the personalities of the characters -- and this one does. It also helps if you've been in a relationship like this...okay, not like to the extent of the characters, but having intense feelings for the other person in the relationship to the point at which it could be classified as obsessive.

Let Dai tugged at my heart strings...I admit, the 1st volume didn't pull me in but I kept reading and I do not regret it.

Pros:
1. Character development -- and no, not just of the couple.
2. AMAZING, CONSISTENT & UNIQUE supporting characters -- i LOVED Naru Hagi to death! Each character had a distinct personality and different issues that helped moved the story along so it wasn't some random filler type extra.
3. Great art -- I also appreciate how the characters were not all "beautiful" looking.
4. Themes -- consistent and executed nicely. linked all the characters together.
5. Not your "feel good" story -- there ARE sad parts in the story which help the characters grow. In this sense, it's realistic. There are too many BLs these days that take serious issues WAY too lightly (rape, love, neglect, abuse, etc). This one does not...you can see how major events influence them to their cores...but a good balance of tragedy, comedy, etc. Tragedy happens when you least expect it......which is what makes it such (sorry, but Zetsuai/Bronze was just overdone...)

Cons:
1. Too much pretty words-- Okay, not words but sections of "deep thought" as other reviewers have mentioned. The kid is a teenager...who thinks like a poet ALL the time but doesn't speak like one.
2. The last volume felt a bit rushed.

Overall:
The strength of Let Dai is its consistency in literally EVERYTHING. Yes, the ending is open-ended and annoyed me at first, but after reading it over I am able to draw my own conclusion of the series; which is what the author wanted us to do. I'm still giving it a 10/10 despite the cons. Anyway, I highly recommend this.You will laugh, cry....but it's all good :')

... Last updated on December 2nd, 2012, 8:29pm

This manhwa contained a lot of 'deep thoughts' which I think was perfect for the subject matters it was dealing with (youth, loss of innocence, violence, growing up, love, etc...). Sometimes these got a little too heavy and I skipped some of the text, but when (most of the time) I did read them I found the ideas the words contained very beautiful and thought-provoking (which also worked with the amazing art).

I think maybe because this manhwa is about growing up, especially with the deep ideas, it will appeal to teenagers/young adults more than 'grown-up's' but I think its well worth a read for someone looking for a good read with a memorable relationship.

On another note there is a lot of violence, which originally appealed for me because I liked the slightly sado-masochistic relationship that was prevalent between Jaehee and Dai for the first half of the series. However for those who dislike that sort of thing, there was very little/none of that in the second half, and once you get past the first couple of chapters the deep love between the two is very clear. Their complex, deep relationship was what kept me hooked on this.

In regards to the rest of the violence throught the volumes there was a lot. Although the violence was never romanticised, sometimes it was taken relatively lightly (the end however disputes this somewhat).

Despite preferring yaoi to shounen-ai, I absolutely loved it and found it very beautiful. What was most notable for me was that although Dai was clearly the stronger there was never (and I mean it) any sense that this couple was not equal. I loved their relationship, their closeness, their complexity, and though there was no sex I had no complaints (this is coming from a hardcore yaoi fan!)

The art, which I originally found mediocre, grew on me. I particularly loved the way the mangaka drew Dai, as well as some of the deeper scenes.

The ending I disliked. Maybe because the site I was reading it at mixed the pages up, but it seemed too rushed and slightly inconclusive. But maybe disliked is too strong a word, because despite that, I think it reflected faithfully and stayed true to the flavour of the series.

Loved, loved, loved.

... Last updated on July 1st, 2013, 6:15am

First of all I'm not a fan. This is a typical Korean melodrama in which the most trivial matter of life can lead to such an elaborate phase of anguish, loss and rage, etc., you name it.

But the author is certainly good with words. It is amazing that the story could last 15 books with barely any plot in it, and I'm not being sacastic. There is just this burst of emotion, this strange desparation for freedom that reminds you so much of your adolescence. Before dwelling into details let's remember that this is a big thing in the Asean context because back in those days, your high school years were probbaly the most desparate period of your life, when you started to care about love and life while your parents and teachers would still treat you as a kid and thought your only job is to get high marks in exams (which by the way, were very, very tough). The parents and teachers in this story are a manifestion of that viewpoint, though quite exaggerated. This is also the story's weakness, you don't need to villainize anyone in order to feel desperate. But well, we are reading a Korean drama.

Let's look at the characters then. Actually both of them seem quite fresh and real, which is, ironically enough, why they are so hated. Dai is never a good man, he is a deliquent from the start till the end. You would like to think that Jaehee's love could change him, but love can just conquer that much, in the end Dai is still a social outcast like he is supposed to be. But maybe Jaehee is drawn to him exactly because of that. Haven't you ever fallen for a 'bad boy'' who smokes, skips class but is extremely good looking? Perhaps because he is so different from your world that he is so cool. One extra thing that keeps this relationship believable is that Jaehee has a very soft personality, to the point he seems to have no personality at all. He is so tolerant and forgiving, or perhaps so struck by his first love. Anyway, the story eventually, is Jaehee's coming of age tale. He will grow up to be a fine man I believe, but this is the story of his fragile years before he found his way to it.

Finally, I would like to mention the author's afterwords. It is the best thing about this manhwa, even though it does not relate to the story at all. It captures the story's nostagia so well that I feel that the author might have started from this poem and expanded on it. And that's what Let Dai is about, a song of regret about the years that are useless in your life, but you would trade anything to come back.

... Last updated on August 31st, 2016, 1:57pm

I first read Let Dai when I was a teenager and was really impressed at that time. I gave it a 10 back then. It's a angsty and a little poetic yet still quite typical manhwa series with unique characters, character growth and what I most liked: females who actually matter from the plot's point of view. And the bittersweet relationship between Dai and Jaejoong was something that really drew me in.

Yet now, 5 years later (and older) it didn't leave the same impresson. Now it was too angsty and Jaejoong's sudden interest for Dai had no ground. I still loved the bittersweetness of their love and still think it's a great story, worth your time. But I realized I'm just not mentally/emotionally "at the same level" with this manhwa right now. So a little drop to 8 as it's clearly not a series you can pick up and enjoy anytime you want, but still try it and make your own opinions

... Last updated on November 9th, 2012, 11:39am

I'd had this manhwa on my wishlist for quite some time and finally got around to checking it out. Based on the rave reviews it has gotten, I was honestly hoping for something better. I read only around half of the first volume before dropping it, and I would have dropped it sooner if not for my sincere desire to actually want to enjoy this series. After all, it's not often that you get a thoughtful, well-written shounen-ai manga. However, I found I just couldn't get through this one. The art is fairly dated (1998), but I was willing to bear it for the sake of the story. The story, though, hardly captured my interest beyond the first brutal meeting the protagonist has with the eponymous Dai. Only a few pages after that breathless opening scene, however, the manhwa fell into a montage of classic slice of life genre sequences which reintroduced the male and female leads in much less dynamic settings where characters I honestly couldn't care less about at the moment (the protagonists' respective friends) cropped up like weeds.These "cool down" scenes served only to dull the feelings of suspense and intrigue I had begun to cultivate, for I felt like I wasn't given enough time with the two protagonists to care about their mundane daily lives and abstract musings just yet.

Of course, this wasn't the only factor that killed my interest. What felt really clunky to me were the boxes and boxes of narration and reflection done on part of the two main POV characters. It was a chore to read them along with all of the meaningless dialogue made on the part of the side characters. The prose was hackneyed, insipid, and I felt that the author was using it as a vehicle to tell rather than show the characters' reactions. I do not hold the belief that comic artists must be excellent crafters of prose; good writers, yes, but not in the sense of a traditional prose writer. Therefore, I have to wonder why this author fell on a clear weak point of hers to try and tell the story. Perhaps it was meant to sound profound or meditative, but it came across as the opposite - shallow, a lazy cop-out.

Finally, I did not understand the main character's motivation for staying with Dai when he could have left with the girl. Was his irrational and unfounded decision supposed to mirror some crazy Stockholm dynamic or an internal masochistic fantasy of his? We learn so little about his character that it's impossible to say. I felt as if the author couldn't come up with a legitimate reason for him to stay with the guy who had tortured and humiliated him on more than one occasion and so tried to play it off as some weird, superficial fascination he had developed for Dai after only a few abusive encounters. Honestly, the whole thing seemed incredibly forced to me, and I had to stop reading after that because I realized that I just didn't care about the characters enough to keep on.

I understand that this manhwa is quite popular, and I can believe that it's a lot better than most of the BL out there, so I won't rate it after having read only half a volume. However, from what I read, I found myself bored and apathetic, and so I won't be continuing this one.

One of the most beautiful and amazing stories I have ever come across. Shounen ai really isn't my thing but this was about so much more than 2 boys in love. The characters were fantastically unique and the trials heart-wrenchingly real. I found the art to be a great reflection of the manhwa and the story is so deep and emotional. The sheer amount of tragedy in this can seem to paraody a cliche soap but the way the lives of the characters intertwine so that the tragedy of one is the tragedy of many if not all the others keeps a definite sense of realism. The potrayal of beautiful violence and over-powering love is extremely well done, the love scenes being more touching than corny and the violence shocking but relatable. An emotional rollercoaster and compelling read. There is a lot of text but that only serves to drawn you deeper into the story in my opinion. I felt the ending was slightly rushed but nevertheless it was a fantastic way to end it.

In short one of my favourite ever reads and one I shall definitely read again and again. A must read no matter what you preference. Absolute perfection.

I just finished reading this, and I immediately plunged myself into the comments section for this story, desperately seeking some sense of closure, which is rarely a good thing.

However, If I'm honest, I can think of very, very few negative things to say about this series. The author managed to keep track of a handful of well-developed characters, masterfully entwining their lives and experiences in ways that kept me turning pages all the way to the end. Her musings on the human mind, though sometimes phrased in flowery language, were often very interesting and insightful, and through her beautiful art and storytelling, I came to understand her characters' despair. I felt like I could know these characters. Not only that, I felt that they were real teenagers mad and illogical and crazy in love, where in a lot of manga and manhwa, the characters are all empty, unrealistic caricatures. I respect that, and treasure it when I find it. Some of the minor characters seemed slightly hollow or ridiculous, but that wasn't too bad.

The story was excellently crafted and the main characters especially were very well developed. The art was beautiful and expressive. I can't give the story a higher rating because of a couple of small faults (namely, some melodramatic dialogue, internal monologue, and contrived events) but I really, truly enjoyed the story and respect the author a lot. She is a masterful storyteller. If you can get past a few small bumps in the story, the character interactions are a joy to watch.

Or maybe I could also say that I just really, really enjoyed all the character analysis and the absolutely gorgeous angst and aesthetic suffering, of which I am terribly fond.

How should I put this? Feelings aren't always rational and neither are people. The work is poetic and it's wording and air gives off a feeling of a novel. If one isn't looking for angst they shouldn't read this. Though there are some funny instances through each volume. To some it might seem like mood whipflash. This isn't for someone wishing to break away from reality because this work can really hit close to home with some issues it addresses.

There is actual character development with a healthy male to female ratio. Meaning females actually get a real role in the work and aren't JUST romantic buffers. No one is really forgotten.

I read this for the fighting and what was to be an incredibly abusive relationship. Despite Dai's first treatment of Jaehee he mellows out. Though he's called the devil, he proves that he does have some morals. Although they tend to be bended by his love for Jaehee to questionable levels. He borders on a possessive sociopath but that's because of his upbringing and skepticism toward humanity. Dai is by no means an idiot which can be a good thing or a nightmare. Again, character development.

Jaehee is a sensitive model student who is breaking out of his shell. At first he serves as Dai's foil which brings about later drifts in their relationship. The kid can really take a punch. He earns DAI's respect and even mine. Most of the time he's outnumbered, someone pulls a dirty trick, or he's holding back for personal reasons. It's just not his nature to go all nut-so like Dai.

Other characters are realistic. No one is knocked off their throne for something as simple as their looks. One character in particular isn't incredibly likeable since the character wants to drag down their love by constant guilt trips and really invokes a lot of double standards. Also the only main (?) character that didn't really change.

In other words it's a rare jem.

I read the manhwa Let Dai again today. I first read it the during the height of my shonen-ai obsession back in 2008. I even downloaded the full volumes which I decided to delete later on because some of the zip files turned out corrupted. I've been meaning to read it again a long time ago but I kept putting it off because it is quite a long series (around 15 volumes at least). I still am in love with it. And I still am amazed with the manhwa author Moon Soo-Yeon who's surprisingly also the manhwa-ka of "Full House" which I've never read but the korean live action series if which I have watched (and adored). The narrative, the art style, the fashion, the perspective, all the issues... Moon-sama is a genius I bow down to. Why she didn't write another shonen-ai story I can pore over is what I would ask her if I'm ever given a chance to do so. I remembered I cried at one part of the manga the first time I read it though I don't remember anymore which part it was. Today I cried at volume 10. I just love how Moon-sama is able to tug at my heart strings with just a few lyrical words. I would forever give this manhwa the highest rating possible. Love just is. Hope someday I'll also find my immortal lover. >.<