The Plot:
At International Island High a school for Koreas top elite Kang Doha a girl from a simple background finds herself unexpectedly admitted. While she hopes to keep a low profile in this world of privilege she ends up sharing a dorm with Rowoon the schools star student. Despite his many talents Rowoon struggles with understanding love. Could Doha be the one to help him figure it out?
Theme:
The story started out amazing. It brought attention to how society views itself and to certain unaccepatable aspects of it by showing the same in the school structure and cliques in an exaggerated fashion.
How the story resolves this is through love.
Cheesy? Yes.
True? Also yes.
The romance between people from vastly different backgrounds is surely very romantic because only the very best and/or the most lucky couple can pull that off. An average couple couldnt handle such vastly different POVs and the pressures these differences in basic values brings along.
Here Doha has a very clear understanding about human emotions and their motives. That is rare in an adult let alone in a high school student. This could be the result of the healthy relationship she maintains with her family and her natural empathy. She also happened to be in a situation where she could coach Rowoon about relationships and as a natural extention her POVs and values as well.
Rowoon is special in his own way. He has an innocence that is not seen in high school boys most likely due to his sheltered upbringing. But I believe it is also a character trait of his. Rowoon is also highly receptive to Doha. This is rare in people and worked out well for them because Doha is a good person who wouldnt misuse his innocence.
They met in school and managed to grow up together which is really sweet but also extremely lucky. If they hadnt met at a young age Doha would have solidified her belief that people should only get close to others of the same standings. And Rowoon would most likely have been manipulated by someone with not the purest of intentions owing to of his lack of common sense. So luck played a strong role there.
Relationships like theirs are extremely romantic because it is neither easy to achieve nor practical to maintain.
Humans always want the underdog to win they hope for the success of the person or the relationship which has many things stacked against them. That is one of the few adorable aspects about our species that makes me reluctant in wishing for our swift extinction.
Overall:
The initial setting was interesting and somewhat novel. And it kept the interest of the readers through good plotlines throughout.
The characters introduced were all charming in their own unique ways but my personal favorite was ofcourse Doha. Her levelheaded and observant nature combined with her practical thinking made me root for her from the beginning.
The art style and character design suited the story and the characters quite well.
There was a strong theme that makes you think more deeply about the society and question things. The emotional payoff was also good.
Scores:
Originality: 8
Plot: 7.5
Setting: 8
Structure: 7.5
Characters: 8
Visuals: 8
Dialogue: 7.5
Theme: 8.5
Emotional payoff: 8
Genre and Audience: 8
79
/100