KING’S MAKER
Creator: Haga & Kang Jiyoung
Publisher: Inklore (Digital and Physical)
Translation: Somin Parker
Publication Date: August 26, 2025
Rating: All ages
Genre: Boys’ Love, VSC (S. Korea), Manhwa, Webtoon, Fiction Graphic Novels
K-Comics Beat’s resident BL (Boys’ Love) fans Merve Giray and Hilary Leung have returned in their restrained unhinged glory to talk about another story: King’s Maker, a historical fantasy BL written by Haga and illustrated by Kang Jiyoung. It’s a stark departure from their first roundtable on Wet Sand as it focuses on two children who dream of freedom in a kingdom ruled by a cruel king rather than a gangster love triangle, but they love it just as much.
“Do not lay your eyes upon anything that belongs to the king. Pretend you do not see them. Pretend you do not hear them. Pretend you do not want them.” That’s the mantra Wolfgang Leonard had been chanting to himself ever since he lost his mother. And it’s a promise he vowed not to break when he entered the palace as the long-lost fourth prince of the king, but that changes when he sees Shin Soohyuk, a quiet and distant boy who is also…one of the king’s “sovereign darlings.” Although Wolfgang is filthy, rebellious, and crass, Shin sees the golden-haired boy as an opportunity, a chance, for him to finally reach his goal: to overthrow the king.
Volume 1 sets up King’s Maker perfectly
Merve: So we meet again! Another first look at a VSC-to-print from Inklore with Hilary. King’s Maker has been around for a while on Tappytoon and it’s reached such heights that its creators Haga and Kang Jiyoung were guests at ANYC this year! Kept seeing excited fans and their signed posters on my timeline. Were you aware of the series before, Hilary?
Hilary: I’ve read it before, although it’s been a while since, so it was nice to dive back into the world once more. Rereading it again has reminded me of why this series is so good and why Haga and Kang Jiyoung were at ANYC—the hype is real! What about you, Merve?
Merve: Same for me! Rereading this volume felt simultaneously nostalgic and as if I was discovering it for the first time. And since we’re here to give our honest opinions, can’t lie…I was a little jealous of the convention attendees! Lots of pretty merch and early copies were available, including the King’s Maker volume we’re reviewing now. Hopefully everyone had a blast.
To ease into the work itself and following the steps of our Wet Sand review before—let’s talk about royalty BL first! It’s a popular theme, after all. What are your thoughts on the setting in general?
Hilary: I’m trying to wrack my brain to remember if I’ve read any royalty BL and the only ones I can think of are the omegaverse royal BL (Whispers through the Willows and Cheeky Habits of My Rabbits). I haven’t finished Triple Crown yet so I can’t say for sure if King’s Maker will go down that route.
This first volume sets up the world, in my opinion, quite perfectly. We get a sense of the political tension between the king and the people in his kingdom, Wolfgang and his hatred of the royal family, as well as Shin’s (aka Steak Boy) tentative hopes for Wolfgang.
Merve: Works in the royal setting, especially the master x servant dynamic, can be extremely enticing when done right! I even previously featured the setting on my column, Boys Love for Life. Sometimes it’s solely used to create high stakes which can feel stale, but I agree with you that King’s Maker does the most of two young boys crossing paths and trying to carve a –hopefully– better future for themselves.
This volume brings the prologue and the first 12 chapters together. As you said, Haga and Jiyoung do a great job of fleshing out both the world and its characters, their motives, and interpersonal relationships in just mere chapters. Do you have a particular detail to this fictional world or a specific character that caught your eye? Any favorites?
We bow down to our fashion king Lord Sys, angry wild child Wolfgang, and poor cinnamon roll Shin
Hilary: If this wasn’t a political story with the master x servant dynamic, this could’ve been the BL version of the Princess Diaries, haha. Shin was doing everything he could to turn Wolfgang from a vicious beggar child to a proper prince, and made it abundantly clear that being a prince isn’t just how you looked; it’s about how you carry yourself.
Lord Sys certainly made a memorable entrance. He’s so unapologetically flamboyant and so himself. I liked the details the creators added to his speech bubbles like adding the little flowers when he spoke because he definitely needs that extra pizzazz and that sparkle as befitting of his personality.
Of course, I can’t forget about Wolfgang and Shin. As of now, Shin sees Wolfgang as a chess piece to his grander scheme of turning the fourth prince into the next king. He keeps Wolfgang at a distance because he’s not so sure about him. Wolfgang, I think, is curious about Shin. He has a strong sense of justice as we saw when he made this grandiose declaration that he would be the one to remove the cloak, the symbol of the king’s mark on his property. I can’t wait to see them fall in love with each other. What about you?
Merve: Lord Sys is definitely a presence! He has that devilish charm to him that even if he were to scam you out of your remaining two gold coins, you couldn’t help but forgive him. Plus, in a world where status and image are everything, Sys being true to himself is a radical act and a breath fresh of air.
Shin, my poor cinnamon roll… He has seen things, and at such a young age! Similar to the other adolescent kids that “belong” to the king but, being the minister’s son, he has to play his cards right in order to not get swallowed up by the unjust and ruthless governance of the king.
I’m glad you mentioned their first meeting because rereading this volume made me wonder what could be the motivation behind Wolfgang’s grand declaration? Shin’s motives are made clear, and sure, Wolfgang has always assumed a caretaking and protective role with the kids who needed someone to rely on. But considering his hatred toward the king with the tragic events that transpired with his mother and the lengths he has to go, what could be the spark behind his interest in Shin?
Hilary: I think you can tell Wolfgang is intrigued when they first meet because he looks a little startled when he sees Shin, just from the sheer fact that this child is walking amongst the adults. You wouldn’t expect to see that as you’re getting dragged back to the palace; it’s unusual. Seeing the king put his arm around Shin also planted a seed in Wolfgang’s mind that Shin was no ordinary child, because there’s something slightly creepy about that “fatherly” gesture, although Wolfgang had no way of knowing then.
I think you actually touched on the reason why Wolfgang was taken by Shin! Shin and Wolfgang’s mother are both the king’s prisoners. After losing his mother, he doesn’t want to see that same fate befall Shin. I don’t think he necessarily feels sorry for Shin, but he recognizes someone who needs help. And Shin recognizes that by themselves, he nor Wolfgang can do much, but together, they can be a powerful duo.
I also think Wolfgang was just talking out of his ass, haha. This kid doesn’t know what it takes to take off a cloak, but what does it matter? If he needs to be king, then dammit, he’ll be king! How hard could it be anyway? Once he puts his mind to doing something, he’s not going to back down.
Artwork fit for a king
Merve: He truly has that gay “How hard can it be,” audacity! And I didn’t connect the points between Wolfgang’s mother and Shin like that; now it makes so much sense.
Their characteristics complement each other and are certainly useful for their ambitious goal to reshape the kingdom but at the same time, it’s bound to cause friction between the two as well. Though there’s a tinge of sadness in me to see these kids literally thrown into lion’s den when they should be out there playing and getting scolded by their parents for not doing their homework.
That isn’t to say the volume is a dreary one! Laughter and funny moments help alleviate the cruelty of the palace and the wealth they own. All the golds and reds paint a vivid and glorious picture. What did you think about the artistic side of things?
Hilary: There’s a lot of gold. I’m not that knowledgeable about royal attire but I felt like the creators did a lot of research into what royalty would wear as well as what each little piece of clothing means. They don’t slap on a brooch for no reason other than it looks pretty! I think my favorite part of the artwork was Wolfgang’s hair. Given the importance of his hair to his lineage, I liked how Kang Jiyoung made it look like spun gold. It may not seem like much as you rifle through the volume but the attention to detail that the creators have to the palace and the characters’ expressions just add to the reading experience.
The tone definitely shifted more apparently near the end of the volume with Wolfgang struggling to tame the horse. It wasn’t just that it was more humorous, but it had more of a slice-of-life pacing to it whereas the first couple chapters was of higher stakes.
Merve: What you mentioned about purpose compelled me to make this weird tangent, but have you seen any posts from “Derek Guy”? He’s a menswear editor and has these super interesting and informative threads on fashion and its history. This specific one where he talks about aristocracy has made rounds! It’s mind-blowing how every little detail, color and even the stripes on a tie are intentional and serve a purpose, and especially communicate status, among other things.
It’s nice to see such a careful approach in this series when most simply copy details and slap them together, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, and not that I have a discerning eye to pinpoint which style of bow or lace belongs to which era. But it does ground the work.
And the horse arc!! He really give Wolfgang a taste of the inconvenience he caused upon arriving at the castle the first time. I was surprised by how invested I was in their journey and them riding together out on an open field, enveloped by the bright, blue sky felt so freeing and satisfying! The horse kicking Wolfgang here and there were definitely some of my favorite panels though, sorry, Wolfgang!
Depictions of pedophilia in King’s Maker
Hilary: That horse was not going to give Wolfgang a break. “If you want me at my best, you have to love me at my worst even when I’m kicking you off and nearly trampling you to death.”
We do need to talk about the big elephant in the room and that’s the depiction of pedophilia in the story. It’s not in-your-face, but it makes it more sinister to have hints of what the king does to these kids threaded throughout the story. It’s a dog-eat-dog world there too because Shin is obviously the king’s favorite—how he was accompanying the king when they went to the stables, allowing Shin to use his vacation days to accompany Wolfgang, and even how Shin was seated right next to the king at the dinner table. The other boys don’t like Shin because he’s aloof, because he’s of a “higher status” as a minister’s son, and because he has the king’s favor. But they don’t see, or perhaps they don’t care, that being the king’s favorite is the worst possible place to be. They’re just trying to survive.
Merve: Agree with you on the depiction of king’s subtle yet strong control over the kids. The panel where Shin was sitting next to the king and the king slid his hand on Shin’s thigh sent shivers down my spine. His large hand on the young boy’s slender leg was enough to paint a striking image. The other kids’ hatred toward Shin is understandable, but at the same time, they aren’t even aware of what they’re truly jealous of.
I also wondered, does the minister know? There’s no way he wouldn’t be privy to this “well-known secret” of the palace as he’s one of the three attendants of the king as the ancient story tells. He directly works for the king.
Hilary: I physically recoiled when I got to that panel with the king touching Shin! When Shin was throwing up later, I thought, I’m right here with you, buddy.
I feel like…he has to, right? When Wolfgang asked Shin if his family was being held hostage, Shin paused, gauging how much he wanted to divulge to this wild child. The minister might not know the true extent of what having his child in the king’s service means. The king might have some leverage on the minister, forcing him to use his son as a bargaining chip. I don’t get the sense that Shin hates his father or that his father abuses him in some way, nor that his father is hungry for power which is why he “sold” Shin to the king.
I could be wrong, but I think this is one of the few BL stories that’s set in a Western setting. And I think Shin is the only Asian character that we’ve seen so far. What do you think about that, Merve?
Merve: Shin’s father isn’t portrayed as overly anxious or evil, so it’s possible that he isn’t fully in the know. He even seemed like he was genuinely trying to talk to Shin when he was tying his shoe before they were interrupted. Considering how closed off these kids’ quarters and Shin’s father’s status, they probably don’t have long periods of time to sit down and bond.
While I did read a few BLs set in a Western (or Western-inspired) country, I don’t remember race being in the equation in a substantial way. I wonder if his raven black hair and facial features played a role in him being a favorite of the king, as if he’s an “exotic piece”? The king’s lineage are all born with gold hair, after all.
I don’t remember whether Shin’s racial background became an integral part of the dynamic between Wolfgang and him, though I like how there’s some type of balance between the two. Wolfgang comes from the streets but is now of a higher standing than Shin while Shin knows the ins and out of the nobility, comes from a distinguished family but has to serve Wolfgang. One is not distinctly above the other, which makes an interesting couple! What do you think about the two as people, when you set aside the goal they’ll work together to bring to fruition?
Hilary: I agree with you about Shin being seen as an “exotic piece” and I wonder if that’s the reason why the king went after the minister’s son. Shin deliberately plays into the racial stereotype of Asian people being more demure, quiet, and obedient, but he uses it as a weapon.
I think their current dynamic balances out their relationship. I don’t quite get the sense that Shin is serving Wolfgang just yet, only because he’s more or less whipping him in shape. I get the sense that Shin is wrangling Wolfgang like Wolfgang was trying to tame the horse, haha. Like you said, neither of them are above the other. Wolfgang is street-smart and speaks from the heart while Shin is more wily, cautious, and book-smart. Both of them have a fairly good grasp of people and make use of their keen knowledge to get what they want.
I wonder…do you think the two would have even been friends had they met in a different life?
We love side stories here
Merve: True, they seem like completely different people, character-wise, and makes you wonder whether they’d even stay together without a common goal. There’s a flashback scene in the library where Shin is buried under the pile of books and Wolfgang visits him as he pleases. Shin’s quiet and seemingly uninterested, but Wolfgang knows he’s listening to his antics from Shin not turning the pages. It would be a friendship/relationship where constant effort and communication are needed, but surely there would be times where their differences help each other as well!
I also adored the illustration at the end where they’re depicted with modern day clothes, going on a vacation. Sometimes, with historical series such as this, the creators come up with modern-time settings as side stories. Hope we’ll get some when the series is finished!
Hilary: The illustration!! Thank goodness you mentioned that. I’m on my knees, begging Haga and Kang Jiyoung, to please, please, please give us a modern day AU. I also loved the little behind-the-scenes snippets we got at the end of the volume. They broke the fourth wall in one when Shin hilariously reminded Wolfgang (and us) that this was an all-ages book, and Sys’s bodyguard censoring his partner when he tried to explain the nature of their relationship with Sys.
I think we know the answer to this question, but would you recommend King’s Maker to our readers out there?
Merve: YES! Those snippets gave me life! It shows the creators have a knack for humor and slice-of-life but they chose violence and threw us into the pits of depression instead. How very demure, very brave of them.
Of course, I would recommend King’s Maker to everyone! No way we will suffer through this dog-eat-dog world alone lol. It’s more fun when we crawl through the depths of hell, hoping to see the light of day once again together. And now fans can enjoy a physical copy to put on their shelves, so what better chance to give it a go! What about you, Hilary?
Hilary: I echo all of that! It’s a BL that deals with more serious topics and those who were hoping for a fluffy and sweet read might think twice about picking up King’s Maker. This story is more of a slow burn in terms of the romance department, which makes sense since the focus is on two (very traumatized, very determined, very “I’ll-watch-the-world-burn-if-I-can-create-another-one-anew”) children trying to usurp the king, but for those who have been looking for a story with fantastic world-building, a political plot, and two people going against the world, look no further than King’s Maker!
Merve: Nothing more to add to that except visit Inklore’s page and snag yourself a copy! Thank you so much for another enjoyable roundtable Hilary and a big thank you goes out to Inklore for providing us a copy in exchange for our honest opinions. See you all next time!
King’s Maker Volume 1 is now out.
