Goong 10

So Hee Park – Yen Press – 2010 – 26+ volumes
this is an omnibus containing vols 11-12

So much back and forth! Shin feels like puking after Chae-Kyung “betrays” him and is cold towards her for an entire volume. Then, Chae-Kyung is the brave one who sets their feud aside in lieu of health concerns, and they are back together, with Chae-Kyung back in Shin’s good graces. It could be argued that Shin was betrayed by Chae-Kyung’s talk of divorce, that he finally learned to love her and his affection was kinda scorned, but still. He was a jerk again, and for an entire volume.

Still lots of drama. Surprise! Shin’s mother is close to giving birth, and Chae-Kyung’s grandfather is on her deathbed. These things can go nowhere good. I did like the way the former event will turn out, but a huge storm is approaching over the latter. I’m a little horrified, actually, because I just want Shin and Chae-Kyung to stop second-guessing one another, and this is going to be the worst for that.

There’s also still Hyo-Rin and Yul to consider. Both still rankle their intended’s opposite, and while this volume does have unpleasant jealous outbursts from both Shin and Chae-Kyung, both are becoming better and better at containing their rage and blowing off jealousy as the silliness it is. In Chae-Kyung’s case, it really does seem as if she has no intention of encouraging Yul. In Shin’s case, he… well, he did love Hyo-Rin, and he does things he shouldn’t, but it still doesn’t seem likely that he will cheat on Chae-Kyung. So there’s that, but it’s infuriating that these issues are still coming up. Hyo-Rin and Yul are positively relentless.

Elsewhere, Shin decides to take being king very seriously, and perhaps that means letting Chae-Kyung go. His father sees this, and the two have a discussion for the first time… well, since the manga started. Perhaps the seriousness is what his father wanted all along.

Also, there’s a really great scene on the Queen Mother’s birthday where it’s revealed that she enjoys traditional Korean wrestling more than any other traditional event. This goes along with Ms. Park humiliating her characters spectacularly, except in the case of the Queen Mother, she has no shame about her preferences. In that vein, she also asks Shin and Yul to wrestle. It’s great, save for the fact that Yul seriously needs to shut up about Shin’s wife.

Anyway, that was not a review of any note. I am enjoying this series immensely once again, and it makes me very happy to read two volumes at a time. But this is because I am a huge girl about comics, and can’t resist romance and drama when it’s so well-done. Goong is certainly queen in that department. I am disappointed that it is still going over the same issues again and again and AGAIN… but on the other hand, this keeps the cast of characters small, and every volume gives us a little more insight. Shin and Chae-Kyung can be an annoying study sometimes, but the side characters are developed very well, and I do like seeing the roles they play a little more in each volume. And… yes, annoying as they are, I love seeing Shin and Chae-Kyung together, too. Sigh.