'Never Understand (Out of Control) 이해불능' Review

This webcomic is probably the main one that got me into reading webcomics (most specifically "manhwa's"). If you're only familiar with Japanese BL comics and shows, I'd recommend widening your horizons with webcomics from both Korea and China. Korean webcomics are called "manhwa's" and Chinese comics are called "manhua's" (strikingly creative, I know), and are both written to be read online, unlike manga, and so have very "scroll-able" chapters. They're intended to be read that way, rather than reading separate pages, like a book. Due to this, I personally suggest reading these comics online in formats that support their scroll-ability. Out of Control is written specifically to be posted on Lezhin, a manhwa/manhua site, and there are references to it within, so I recommend you give credit to the authors and read the story there. However, if that really isn't doable for you, the second best place to read this comic is probably Mangakakalot. I personally use this site as a student, and if you end up reading the whole comic on there, I recommend reading the comments at the end of every chapter because they can be quite entertaining. The art styles for these comics are often very manga inspired; however, I think they totally diverge into their own category as the composition is quite original, alongside the art styles and stories, even if there is overlap between the two styles.

The basic crux of this story isn't the most compellingly unique concept. A self-acclaimed, ugly high school student, Kim Jaerim, makes an attempt to join the school council, of which the main feature and president is the best-looking and most popular guy in school. This guy, Yuri, has a unique hatred for ugly people, and so discourages Jaerim for joining on the premise that his only redeeming quality as an ugly person is his persistence. Regardless, another member of the committee, the easy-going and characterful Joohee, allows Jaerim to join as the group is in need of some support, and Jaerim is around to help. In a bid to punish Jaerim for his ugliness, Yuri overworks him, pointing out his mistakes and making him crave praise. Eventually, Jaerim breaks down, Yuri sees his shortcoming, and Jaerim's "ugliness" is no longer such an issue. The pair slowly get to know each other and become romantically involved, with some hardships along the way.

Overall, the story makes a lot of sense. Not necessarily as it's realistic; however, it seems plausible as it's well-thought through and very thorough. Considering all elements of the story, it seems as if it was very well-planned out by the writer, even in terms of the ending. This, however, doesn't make the story in any way rigid and unimaginative. It still flows well in its entirety, with the sense that the author enjoyed the writing process and genuinely took pride in the story and characters. The character depth is incredibly natural and very endearing, allowing the reader to understand everyone's motives and feel every inch of the plot. As a result of this, I found myself feeling every goddamn thing that happened on a spiritual level, happy or sad.

In terms of art style, I personally love the way it was drawn. The author is clearly very talented, and the entire thing is drawn digitally (as manhwa's usually are). There's a very real improvement between the pilot chapter and the later chapters; however, the quality of the art is very consistently good from quite early on. Certain darker scenes are incredibly well drawn, with very unique usage of light, something I find especially fascinating. Although initially the style seems skilled, I think even then it will grow on you, and the overall mood is very expressive. The contrast between an "ugly" character and a "beautiful" character was likely something the author found interesting, and I believe that's visible. Yuri is drawn to be stunning, and in some scenes I genuinely see him as such. Jaerim's character design is even more intriguing to me, as initially his expressions are, without a doubt, ugly (and purposefully so); however, as time passes, it's easier to view Jaerim through Yuri's perspective, but in a far more downplayed manner. There are an abundance of moments where Jaerim seems ridiculously cute, and I believe this is a really subtle but unique way to gain some extra insight into Yuri's character development.

In terms of characters, I believe the ensemble in the story are very strong. Jaerim and Yuri are very likable and come as a team where you can't have one without the other, something much needed in a good romance. This is a really important character link that emanates a kind of natural love, or somewhat of an OTP, if you will. Jaerim and Yuri are not the only couple in the mix, however. In total, five couples grace the comic, with four BL pairings and one straight couple. Unlike in manga, where comics with multiple couples tend to switch between stories frequently, Jaerim and Yuri's story really takes centre stage. Although the other couples aren't entirely tossed aside, I found it satisfying that Jaerim and Yuri received so much screen time. The other couples seemed to have problems from the start that had to be overcome, however without much centre around the other elements of the relationship. With so many chapters, it seems easy to have multiple couples featured; however, I didn't feel like I was drawn away from Yuri and Jaerim, nor did I feel as if I needed more detail concerning the others. Personally, I found the overall balance between pairings satisfying, but I believe that depends entirely on what couple you favour the most (personally, Yuri x Jaerim is my dream team).

In all, there were a lot of scenes in this that were incredibly heartwarming; however, there were just as many that were hard-hitting. As the story unravels, it's easy to get hooked, and I remember the first time I read this story, it kept me awake all night and I didn't put it down until it was done. Even rereading it, I still found myself relating to the characters and enjoying the story. A benefit of giving it another go for me (other than checking new comments after every chapter) was seeing the story more coherently since I knew the eventual outcome. Initially, it can seem quite confusing, as there's always a lot going on with some interesting and very figurative concepts appearing. If I had to give this comic some form of criticism, I think this would be it. Certain concepts were a little farfetched at times (especially the scene with Kang referring to his situation with Dunno as a set of doors). I can see the intention; however, it wasn't as gripping as the rest of the story, and occasionally came across as cheesy. Also, there were a lot of passionate scenes featured in this comic, and although I personally felt satisfied with that element, I can see why readers may want something a little racier. Similarly, I've seen some comments stating that people didn't feel entirely satisfied with the situations in which other pairings were left and believed they required more explanation. I, however, felt comfortable with the idea of these stories having ambiguity as I believe the nature of the relationships were simple enough to have an obvious outcome, or ambiguous to the point where any outcome would be complicated and overly emotional, something the specific couple wasn't intended for. This is an interesting concept, as it is noticeable how different every featured pairing approaches romance. The writer really comes at it from all angles with some very original thoughts, combating concepts such as self-hatred, jealousy, shallowness, and greed, but all in very different and appealing ways. There are even connotations of psychotic episodes and insanity which are somewhat overlooked and ignored, but give the comic a little bit of excitement and depth. These kinds of stories I find are uniquely Korean, and totally diverge from common manga tropes. Overall, the emotions portrayed are deep and fulfilling, and there are some real tear-jerking scenes in this comic that emanate genuine love for someone in very specific and realistic ways. I think this is mainly down to the author's mastery of timing and naturalistic flow, which is a talent in itself.

This comic is sweet, well-drawn, incredibly engaging, and heartwarming, with plenty of instances for comedy, depth, playfulness, and seriousness. The characters and story are well-developed, and there are plenty of satisfying moments, alongside moments that keep you on the edge of your seat. If you're looking for a story with heaps of character, lots of chapters, emotional ups and downs, and an overall story that will have you totally overwhelmed and engaged, I couldn't recommend this comic more.

Rating: 5/5

Lezhin

Manganelo

Lezhin supports the author, but requires you to pay for chapters.

I suggest reading this comic online, as it was designed for this format. Since certain manga reading apps take the pictures from Lezhin, many process badly and so come out blurred or pixelated, making them impossible to read. If you can, please support the official release.