Goong 2
Posted: April 3, 2009 Filed under: Goong 1 Comment »This volume was just as satisfying as the first. I was actually a little more pleased with it since a lot of the comedy is left behind, leaving what is truly an awful situation for Chae-Kyung.
I loved the awkward wedding at the beginning of the volume. The manga helps out a lot by pointing out the traditional steps in a Korean royal wedding, then walking the characters through them. The elaborate ceremonial costumes are really, really awesome, and Chae-Kyung’s displeasure with the whole affair, which involves her being carried several miles on a palanquin while wearing a large, awkward headdress. For her part, she doesn’t embarass yourself like you thought she would after seeing how silly she was last volume. There is one point where she accidentally bows and can’t get her head back up because of the headdress.
And after all this, the prince is still a huge jerk. He tries to be at least civil a few times, but he gets it out in the open right away that he is what he is and he can’t hide the fact he doesn’t really care about the royal family, making things very, very awkward for Chae-Kyung. Though she hates his guts, she begins to develop a sexual attraction to him that she can’t stop. The volume leaves off on an interesting cliffhanger. To add to this, the prince’s cousin, whose father would have been the crown prince had he not died, is the only one at the palace that is civil to Chae-Kyung, which may or may not have “sexy results.”
Another detail that I liked was showing Chae-Kyung going back to her school life. Really, the fact that the series seems to portray the unfortunate and unlikely situation of becoming a princess in the most realistic way possible is probably its strength. I really, really need to pick up the next couple volumes now.
[...] 13 (Slightly Biased Manga) Michelle Smith on vol. 1 of Goong (Comics Should Be Good) Connie on vol. 2 of Goong (Slightly Biased Manga) Connie on vols. 16 and 17 of Hana-Kimi (Slightly Biased Manga) Katherine [...]