Her Tale of Shim Chong

I'm not much of a manhwa reader, so I was a bit skeptical of this little title that I came to know as "Kanojo no Shin Sei" on the Comico app. Upon hearing that this was a yuri title, I started to read it completely blind (as I usually like to do), to the point that, for a moment, I thought this was a manhua. Shim Cheong didn't actually grip me from the start; the setting, language and promise of yuri is what kept me reading. I wasn't expecting even for a second that the story would turn into a mix of mystery, suspense and fantasyon old Korea, and one of the best things I ever read. Shim Cheong blends the innocence and simpleness of Asiatic sequential art with dark, serious themes delivered by a writing of the highest level coming from its writer, Seri. Heavy on details of the era it describes; Shim Cheong plays with music, literature, fairy tales and visual arts to tell its tale, and elevates itself to the same heights of the tales it sings about. Its deep cultural connection with its setting makes it obvious how connected with it its own writer is, making it not only a fun, but also intellectual read. Biwan, on the other side, does her work as a manhwa artist in a capable, if not unimpressive manner for the most of the time. It is, though, on the brief of a few important scenes that her work shines in poetry, colors and stunning details, showing her stellar skill as a conscious artist working under the constrictions of time to make a much polished work. If the writing could do well on its own, Biwan shows with her depictions of the beautiful meeting the ominous that she's a fundamental part of the title, and it wouldn't be the same without her. Despite their bibliography, the due proves to be extremely experienced and versed on the art of manhwa writing. Shim Cheong knows exactly its place and gives every single step with intention, thriving not only as a manhwa, but also as a proper story in every single one of its elements. No matter what you're looking for in it, be it a romance (lesbian or not), a mystery, a suspense, or an old Korea tale with hints of fantasy; this should be your pick.

Her Tale of Shim Chong took me by surprise when I finally got around to reading what I thought would be something I would eventually drop after a few chapters. What I actually found was an immensely thoughtful tale of women - not just the two protagonists - women doing their best to survive in a world that has knives pointing at them, ready to wound at the slightest opening. Though that's already enough of a hook, what really pulled me in was the careful treatment of class dynamics in the world. The difference in station between our sacrificial bride and the titular beggar-girl is likenight and day. Their struggles are completely different. Chong is right to call bullshit on equating the struggles of having to fight for your next meal and in-law political intrigue, but she throws herself into it alongside her new 'friend' nonetheless, in what starts out as a sugar mommy kind of situation and deepens into something so much more. It's very easy for a topic like this to devolve into almost pornographic misery, with nothing but examples on examples of the ways women are subjugated and have their wings clipped not only during life but even after death (ancestral cemetery scene was a real wow), but this book keeps a hopeful undertone in the middle of, or despite, it all. We start out already knowing how this is going to end, right from chapter one, but the journey there has given so much food for thought to me. As this series was only brought to my attention with the announcement of a second season/volume, I write this having finished the first season, and regardless of how things are going to go, I give this a 5 star rating, simply for the way the telling has been going, the thoughtful dialogue, the palpable class violence, the way it even helped me understand more of myself while keeping me rooting for our two protagonists the whole time. Can't recommend it enough. While some parts may seem over-the-top at times (for me the monk is an absolute mood-killer), I believe there's a lot one can gain from reading this.

Two different women, same wish, a wish to die. One is a rich but sheltered girl. Life's necessities are always within her reach, but not the means to escape the household which suffocates and harasses her. She always needs to worry about how she appears to others or else she won't survive. The other one, due to some circumstances, leads a beggar life. Unlike the first woman, however, she doesn't need to worry about how others perceive her but she does need to worry about what food she will eat tomorrow. Due to an incident, their lives become intertwined. How will these two women affecteach other's lives? (this paragraph might contain light spoilers) Her Tale of Shim Chong is a story about two women discovering fun things in life through their interactions. Fun things that they never knew exist. In a world that favors men, they fight and struggle to live another day. With each of their meetings, they formed an irreplaceable bond, a bond that could even be beyond friendship. Don't let the Shoujo Ai tag fool you though, as this story has some pretty sad topics. The unfair treatment of women under a patriarchal world, the sweet temptation of death in a life full of suffering, the frightening lack of difference between a sheltered life and a beggar life for women in a world that favors men are a few which are tackled here. Just to be clear though, this is not that depressing but it still is a pretty sad story. Hopefully that sounded interesting. But really, I was just expecting a cute shoujo ai manhwa before reading this so it's a really pleasant surprise to find a manhwa with a story as great as this. I'm just going to say this just in case but if you're expecting a yuri manhwa with many NGGHHHH yuri moments, I suggest you read something else. While this indeed have some NGGHHHH yuri moments, it's more focused on how these two main characters change each other's lives with each of their meetings. I'm not going to say this manhwa is for everyone. But if you're a bit open to stories that are a bit sad and a bit yuri like this one, then I highly suggest you read it. Even if you're not a yuri fan, I believe giving this one a try is very worth it since I personally believe this is a hidden gem. There aren't too many yuri scenes (though there are definitely a few MHHMMMM yuri scenes), and if you're looking for a great story, then I believe this manhwa is for you. TL;DR Great read. Highly recommended. This isn't filled with yuri scenes so non-yuri fans could still enjoy this, though yuri fans would definitely enjoy this more. The story is also very meaningful and you could pick up one or two lessons from it. Great story and great characters. A somewhat tragic tale, but not too depressing. If you're into all that, give this one a go.