Writer/Artist: TANSAE
Translator/Designer: Uptempo
Publisher: Manta (completed)
Publication Date: December 02, 2022
Rating: Older Teen
Genre: VSC (S. Korea), Drama, Social issues
Under different pseudonyms, TANSAE was already involved with webtoons either as the artist or the author. However, Because I Love You is their first work they handled both sides of a webtoon, and it’s available in Manta’s library. One of my Underrated Gem picks for Comics Beat’s 20 Best Webtoons for 2023, Because I Love You is a dramatic and poignant story of a mother and her daughter. Be aware of the content warnings for domestic abuse and violence.
Hayong writes webnovels and essays and has spent the past year abroad. When it’s time to return to Korea, her mother suggests she move in with her. Hayoung is conflicted; they never got along well, and she isn’t eager to go back to living with her family. On the other hand, her time abroad hasn’t been that bad. Miles between them meant nothing for her mother’s incessant nagging, but Hayoung didn’t feel as suffocated either. She accepts the suggestion but soon remembers why she put those miles between them in the first place.
After her move, Hayoung seems to have hit a writer’s block. She’s supposed to write an essay on relaxation, but she draws blank each time she tries to type a sentence. Her seeking a therapist and being close to her mother again is how the lid on Hayoung’s past is lifted. It is by no means an easy read, more so if you relate to the story, partly or wholly. However, TANSAE successfully crafts an honest and touching story, where the reader is compelled to think alongside and ask: is it really alright if it’s done in the name of love?
Our relationship with our parents is surrounded by an intricately complex web of emotions, and shrouded by clashing realities. Oftentimes, untangling that web seems impossible. That’s where Hayoung finds herself as well; is she overreacting? Is she insensitive? She knows how much her mother had sacrificed to raise her and her two siblings, especially after their father had passed away. But all she wants is for her boundaries to be respected, is that honestly too much? Every family has these types of problems, not all of her memories are awful either. Your parents aren’t people you connect with on a personal level. It’s all normal… right?
We not only witness Hayoung’s past but accompany her attempts at healing as well. From taking classes to trying to connect with new people or trying to draw a line between her and her mother, it’s not always smooth sailing or pretty. Yet, it’s encouraging to read that the path to discovering yourself once more and acknowledging your emotions, or it takes two people and constant effort to fix a relationship, doesn’t have to look picture-perfect.
The simplistic art style and blocks of colors let the narration take the spotlight in Because I Love You and leave room for contemplation instead of trying to impress. This doesn’t mean that it’s not emotive, though. TANSAE can convey how certain people or situations make us feel visually. In turn, the style supports the story without overshadowing the message the artist wants to communicate.
Because I Love You is a completed series, you don’t have to wait week after week to find out what happens next. If you’re comfortable with reading such topics, I heartily suggest you give this webtoon a chance. It’s thoughtful, compelling, beautiful, and memorable. I’m sure you’ll find yourself recommending it to your friends.
