Feb 17, 2020
A masterclass in comedy and drama, "Moon Yoo" achieves everything it sets out to do, and then some.
One of "Moon Yoo's" biggest strengths imo lies in its pacing, and how it effortlessly transitions between comedic and serious moments. Nobody does it better than Jo Seok. His comedic capabilties from his previous work "The Sound of your Heart" carries over and it shows. Genuinely one of the more funnier webtoons out there. And now with a foundation of something more ambitious and grandiose, he isn't confined to a short style gag format anymore and can flex his writing skills in the context of interpersonal relationships and
...
dramatic storytelling. Weaving between them, it helps keep things dynamic and never stale. So one moment you'll have a hearty time goofing around, while the other you might find yourself bawling out at some of the thematics and concepts.
Jo Seok proves himself as an exceptional writer.
Art: 10/10
The art in "Moon Yoo" is exquisite and aesthetically pleasing. From meticulously crafted scenes to well-considered angles, and beautifully rendered set pieces. This level of flexibility is definitely something I did not expect from a usual gag artist. But he delivered. Also, the occasional use of colors to emphasize pivotal moments definitely adds a profound dimension to the experience.
Writing: 9/10, Overall Story: 10/10
The scientific foundation displayed here is undoubtedly solid, but at times, I felt as though the narrative attempts to explain even relatively simple concepts in excessive detail. You'll have multiple panels going off about some elementary science fact, which is pretty well explained but unneccesraily added upon. There are also numerous "conveniences" in this story, but delving into them would reveal spoilers. But for instance, there is a panel where they calculate the potential paths of an "asteroid", I won't dive deeper into what it is, but I was defintiely skeptical about how they really went through with these calculations, and made me feel something akin to those hacker moments in popular movies. This may sound like I'm nitpicking, and maybe I am, but this is only an example, and I definitely felt this way sometimes. The story relies heavily on convenient coincidences, which cheapens the scientific push it aims to do.
However, Jo Seok still earns some credit for maintaining scientific accuracy whenever possible. And his forray into general sci-fiction territory and liberty in geeking over these details is very cool to read. Apart from that the webtoon is emotionally gripping and consistently satisfying. The latter being a key positive. This webtoon from start to finish, with all it's story segments and branches, it's character driven tensions and overarching-storylines, all are immensely satisfying. It will not let you down, and most certainly will not let up.
Characters: 10/10
Moon Yoo is a fantastic character, one of my favorites. He serves as a bridge between Jo Seok's previous work and this, blending humor with the necessary dose of foolishness that defines Cho Seok's character in The sound of Your Heart. Overall, he is fantastically written. Relatable enough to resonate with him, but also outlandish enough to laugh at him and with him. The same level of quality extends to the rest of the cast, with each character possessing a unique touch, which is another staple borrowed from Jo's previous work. In comedy focused material having contrastive characters that all have a unique "bit" or "trope" is neccesary to paint a colorful cast of vibrant personalities. And that's what happens here too, working suprisingly well even during the duller more serious moments of the webtoon.
In the end, "Moon Yoo" emerges as a compelling, emotionally resonant, and thoroughly enjoyable webtoon that deserves recognition for its remarkable storytelling and memorable characters. It is a must-read for fans of comedy, drama, and compelling narratives. Honestly, it is one of the very few entertainment products out there that can pull off sheer stupidity and silliness, while also delivering the most touching experience.
Brilliant stuff this.
Overall: 10/10
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
What did you think of this review?
Nice
0
Love it
0
Funny
0
Confusing
0
Well-written
0
Creative
0Show all
