really dissapointed with this graphic novel. I really like the art style but story wise ... I don´t like all the homophobia in this book. I do not recommend. To describe lesbians as "disgusting" is unacceptable.

—Thank you so much to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the chance to review an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I really liked the artwork and the story. It is a fast read.

Although this was a simple story about growing up and growing out of a very close friendship, I'm not sure if it actually hit the right mark for me.

The art isn't really my style, but I can appreciate the muted watercolors. I read an e-arc, but I think I would've appreciated the art a lot more if I had a physical copy.

So, on to the story...

I understand the older "ghost" woman's character as a metaphor for Seong-ji's growth and introspection, but I don't think the author/illustrator portrayed this well. It read oddly predatory because Seong-ji is very young (just out of high school and in college) while the woman was in her thirties. Seong-ji seemed really fascinated by this strange woman and her strange hobbies, but all I wanted to do was scream, "Stranger danger!"

Idk.

Although I think the parts where both characters broke into people's apartments to paint/draw/hang out were great metaphors for Seong-ji trying new things out of her comfort zone. When they both went to the beach and Seong-ji had a huge revelation about letting go of her friend, Ji-won, it turned out to be a really powerful scene. And Seong-ji's queer realization and love confession was pretty heartbreaking. I think some of us can relate to it.

Thank you to Life Drawn and NetGalley for this arc.

Thanks Netgalley and publisher for providing me this very oddball of a graphic novel I’ve ever read.

So basically we see FL here with her friend talking about some girl in their class being outed as gay and as life goes on, the two girls go their separate ways. FL while working in a convenience store meets a weird woman who she befriends with and spends time with her. Not gonna lie, it was a little creepy with the woman and FL to be together as it was a big age gap between them and it looked like they might’ve been a couple but nothing happened here ok like wtf lol?!

I still feel it is a decent read with some weirdness but just half baked in my personal opinion at the same time…..

This story leaves me with a strange aftertaste, as if it's a recipe that uses ingredients you like to cook a dish that doesn't agree with you.

The watercolour art is atmospheric and memorable, the themes should in theory be all close to my heart, but beyond ambiance and vibes I didn't feel like I got much out of the story, and what I got gave me a bad aftertaste. The story follows Seong-ji, who has this intense co-dependent friendship with her childhood friend -- the kind that so often conceals a poorly processed crush, and in this case is padded with some homophobia -- and struggles to deal with drifting apart after they have each left for college. She strikes up a friendship with a strange woman twice her age with questionable hobbies that ought to be a philosophical commentary on life but to my tired adult eyes are downright skeevy. The skeeviness is compounded by the authorial decision to make this woman's only narrative parallel a perverted old man hitting on young students working at the grocery store, like Seong-ji. The story isn't even that long, you cannot put this in there and expect me to think it was not done deliberately - which adds oiliness to the way the author presents the chosen themes and characters. And there is no catharsis: the antisocial adventures the woman takes out Seong-ji lead to Seong-ji catching up with her feelings, confronting her friend with disastrous consequences, and then we get a quaint little epilogue where we get to hear second hand that Seong-ji was fired for negligent attitude to work, and the closing shot is of the strange woman having an emotional wibble about it being her responsibility or not, before choosing to be once again immature because clearly that's how these socially maladjusted gay women are. Or something.

So yeah. I don't know what you wanted to say with this story, but I don't think it's been done with particular sympathy to queer women.

Thank you to publisher for providing an arc of this, all opinions are my own.

<blockquote>Often during my lonelier nights, intrusive thoughts surfaced, flourished, and took hold of me...
By following them, i relived moments and memories, which i often reexamined in detail...</blockquote>
First of all thanks eternally to Humanoids once again, Samir Dahmani amazing writer and artist, I have received this Graphic Novel ARC via NetGalley, This will come out May 21, 2024 so stay tuned!

<blockquote>During the day, everybody is so judgmental... we have to be blameless in the eyes of others</blockquote>
This is a novel about a highschool girl entering collogue, and her friendship with her life friend who abandons her at this period of their life, for the most trivial of reasons, it happens people, it happens, and it's not you, it's not your fault, some people are just there for your attention and care, and they forget about you once they can get that from another source, it's not you so give yourself a break.

I am logging this as Magical Realism, there was some a certain scene, that really looked fictional there, there shouldn't be apartments with working door locks underneath the sea, there shouldn't man! and actually this being Magical Realism makes this so much better, it's that feeling of uncertainty was this real or was this a dream?
She viewed the woman who accompanied her at the later half of the novel as a ghost after she disappeared, but then that woman comes back for her later after she was gone!
i am holding my grounds though for that underwater scene lol.

Our MC is a homophobe who turned out to be lesbian herself, which is funny, you could see that coming after the homophobic comments at the start of the story, you know humanoids would never be pro homophobics and from that one exchange you were waiting for the inevitable to happen.

<blockquote>Maybe because of them you missed seeing some stops along your journey... One's that are only visible at night, ones that the daytime people choose not to see.</blockquote>
She is speaking about her glasses her, but forget the glasses for a second i think about that so much, The detours i could have took along the way, i am only thinking that because i am not completely happy with where i am, even though i am making the most of it, i am not really working even though i have money and can make more, you stop and think did it really have to turn out this way? But yeah the detours in life are crazy, i could have ended up in many other towns than my own, i could have ended up married to one of many women, i could have been working one of many jobs, i could have still been Muslim, Hell i could have been dead (Which is not the worst thing that could have happened) But i am here for whatever that's worth, and i am making the most of it, focusing on me.
<blockquote>One or two degrees difference is enough... For us to end up truly distant from one another.</blockquote>

Quick but beautifully done. The art style was whimsical, with some dreamlike scenes that deal with growing up and becoming adult, and the transitions that brings.
I think it was well done, but I wish it would have been a bit longer and taken more time to explore some of the relocations and explanations.

Posted on Goodreads:

4.5/5⭐️

Seong-ji is trying to come to terms with the loss of her friendship, her feelings and what the future holds for her. Where her friend promised to keep in touch and that nothing would change, the days go by without hearing from her and she battles with being the first to make contact. She takes a night job at a convenience store and begins a friendship with a strange woman she sees walking through different apartments of the building across the store. Through her nocturnal visits, Seong-ji begins to rediscover herself.

This story is bittersweet and brought forth aches that had been long forgotten. The nostalgic artworks helps bring the story to life. It was so raw and real but shown through a soft lens. That make sense?

Thank you netgalley, humanoids inc and Samir dahmani for the arc opportunity.

I gave Seoul Before Sunrise by Samir Dahmani 3 stars

Longtime friends Seong-ji and Ji-won are excited to begin university in Seoul, swearing to stay close in the big city, but from the moment they arrive, they begin to drift apart.

Her focus split between her rigorous accounting program and her overnight job at a grocery store, Seong-ji tries to make peace with the loss. It’s during her overnight shifts that she encounters an enigmatic young woman who spends her nights entering the empty homes of other people to paint and photograph these places. Now, the normally rational Seong-ji finds herself swept up in a dreamlike otherworld, made up of freedom and creativity. As she explores these quiet places, she uncovers not only an intimate portrait of strangers, but perhaps even herself.

But as the nocturnal walks reveal the possibilities of the future, they also force her to relive the pain of her lost friendship with Ji-won…

-------- REVIEW --------

A beautiful graphic novel that explores friendship, loneliness and coming to life. I really enjoyed this story at first, and at times it was really moving. However, the ending was a bit confusing and I wish it would not have left me with so many questions. Even if I only invested 30 minutes into this graphic novel, I felt tricked at the end.

Maybe it is just my taste, and I am sure others will love this more than I did. There are really beautiful illustrations and I think many can identify with the characters.

Thank you NetGalley and Humanoids Inc for the ARC en exchange for my honest review.

***3.5 Stars***

I love how this graphic novel is picturized/painted, It's a very watercolor picturesque style theme, and it's also dark and alluring at least it was for me. This story revolves around self-exploration and coming of age. The story is set in Korea and it was fun to see this side of culture too. Our protagonist is a teenager struggling with her sexuality and the author has captured a unique way of how she comes to accept herself in a society where others may find her sexuality questioning or hateful. There was beauty in this darkness.

I did have a problem with one thing about how the girls were breaking and entering into houses, which seemed very illegal and unethical. They were barging into people's space without any consequences and to have an adult do it along with a teenage and force her to do it just because you want to teach her a lesson on life was very redundant. Makes no sense right? The story could have been molded in a much more appetizing manner so it didn't feel "okay what umm nooo'.
The author has a lot of potential but could work more on the storyline.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this ARC and giving my honest review in return.

The art of this graphic novel is lovely and the soft watercolors add to the dreamy tone of the book. This book explores themes of growing into adulthood and finding who you want to be. I feel that it didn't take these themes far enough. It felt unresolved. Your mileage may vary.

Sometimes, there are stories that could exist in a range of mediums, a prose book, a movie, and audiobook or a graphic novel interchangeably. This is a story that I can’t imagine being as beautiful or as effective in any other format.

The water colour art is just a perfect way to tell the story. It was a story that left me feeling very sad and melancholy. Coming of age is a hard time, and the water colour art did a beautiful job at evoking that sense of loss, sense of impermanence, and the fascination with the different rules of the night.

Seong-Ji moves to Seoul for University, but going to a different university from her high school best friend, she feels adrift and alone. She also starts to wonder if her missing her friends is more about a crush, and less about friendship. An interesting woman appears in the all-night convenience store that she works in, and together they start to go on a series of increasingly more surreal and dreamlike adventures.

The story telling reminds me a lot of Haruki Murakami, with the slow descent into a more and more surreal experiences. The art creates the most vivid sense of place, adding so much depth to the heartbreaking story.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC edition of "Seoul Before Sunrise."

Following the journey of a newly graduated and working university girl abandoned by her best friend that was with her all throughout high school, this story clenches the heart and squeezes ocean water from it for every page. A short read of a graphic novel, this does not disappoint in terms of message and impact. It really shows that things and relationships can be fleeting, but the people we meet along the way can really affect us in ways even we are unsure of.

I have also started counted my days by nights.

I have absolutely no clue how to rate this book. The beginning was a little disconcerting because there was immediate lesbophobia before we even really knew anything about the characters. We’re told Ji-won and Seong-ji are best friends attached at the hip but I didn’t feel the connection really at all as Ji-won was distant and dismissive from the start. That made it harder to really understand Seong-ji’s later romantic feelings because Ji-won was not at all a good friend during this book. I guess I felt like there was a lot of context missing that I needed to understand their connection. I really loved and connected with the other aspects of the book though. The art was beautiful and there was an air of mystery and longing for the past throughout. The underwater scenes in particular were so unique. The metaphor about boats slowly drifting apart was so insightful too.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!

I feel like this is meant to be a more poetic story with deep meanings, but it honestly just didn't hit the right way for me. Seong-ji while trying to cope with becoming an adult and slowly growing apart from her childhood friends, meets a strange woman while she works the night shift. This mystery woman often breaks into people's homes to paint the apartments and achieve something. I'm not quite sure what. How Seong-ji realizes what her true feelings are for Ji-won comes somewhat out of nowhere, and the way they part is very unsatisfying. The way this graphic novel ends is just unsatisfying. It honestly made me think "Okay...and the point of that was?". The art style is very pretty, but the watercolor does make some panels feel muddy and hard to understand.

The artwork is really pretty and I enjoyed the melancholic and slightly whimsy feel of this, but something about it just wasn’t quite for me, I was rather confused at times as to what was going on and in the back of my mind I was worried about her leaving her job all of the time, which for me personally took away from the enjoyment a little bit.

Thank you NetGalley for giving me a chance to read this in exchange for a review

Seong-ji works at a convenience store. She remembers her friend Jo-won, they both promised to go together to a university in Seoul, but they don't talk. One day Seong-ji meets a mysterious woman.

The art style is gorgeous, I love good watercolours, but the story is pretty meh.

Thank you Net Galley for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review.

I would like to express my gratitude for the Advance Reader Copy (ARC) of this book, generously provided by the publisher through NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

"Seoul Before Sunrise" by Samir Dahmani weaves a narrative around the complexities of friendship and the unexpected paths life can take. Longtime friends Seong-ji and Ji-won embark on their university journey in Seoul with the promise of staying close, only to find themselves gradually drifting apart.

The graphic novel opens a window into Seong-ji's world, caught between the demands of her rigorous accounting program and her overnight job at a grocery store. As she grapples with the loss of her friendship with Ji-won, the story takes an intriguing turn when she encounters an enigmatic young woman during her overnight shifts. This mysterious figure spends her nights entering empty homes to create art, painting and photographing these spaces.

Dahmani's artwork in "Seoul Before Sunrise" is undeniably beautiful, capturing the essence of both the bustling city and the quiet, contemplative moments within abandoned homes. The visuals contribute significantly to the dreamlike atmosphere of the narrative, creating a mesmerizing backdrop for the unfolding story.

The storyline itself is somewhat unusual, navigating through the realms of freedom, creativity, and self-discovery. Seong-ji's exploration of these quiet spaces becomes a metaphorical journey into her own psyche, uncovering not only intimate portraits of strangers but perhaps a deeper understanding of herself.

While the narrative may strike some readers as somewhat strange, it undeniably works within the context of the graphic novel. The dreamlike quality of the story adds to its allure, creating an atmosphere that is both haunting and enchanting.

"Seoul Before Sunrise" successfully blends stunning art with an unconventional yet compelling narrative. The beauty of the illustrations, coupled with the exploration of themes such as friendship and self-exploration, make this graphic novel a captivating read. I would gladly rate it 4 stars, appreciating the artistic brilliance and the unique storytelling that leaves a lingering impression on the reader.

“The night rebalances things and disturbs our senses. We see things differently. The night lets us behave in ways that can surprise us.”

Samir Dahmani’s graphic novel is a coming of age story about two friends Seong-ji and Ji-won. They are excited about this new chapter in their lives of starting university in Seoul. They swear to stay in close touch with each other however when they move they barely keep in touch. Seong-ji tries to make peace with the distance between them. Being busy with study and her over night job at a grocery store, it introduces her to an intriguing women who opens Seong-ji’s eyes to a dream like world where she explores those hidden places where she discovers more about herself.

Firstly the beautiful water colour illustrations worked very well with telling this story. Especially during those moments of dream like visions where Seong-ji comes to realise why her life has turned out the way it did.

The reality of transition from childhood to adulthood is heavily explored and through those moments of self reflection it’s easy for the reader to relate to this part of Seong-ji’s struggle.

A touching tale told through beautiful imagery.

A melancholic little tale of nighttime romance and the human experience. What I take away most from this are the gorgeous watercolour (I think) illustrations.