I don’t like love triangles but this isn’t really a love triangle, though it has potential to be one and probably is hinted at being one, but maybe not like right now. Ugh I don’t know but I liked the story and I am conflicted about this myself.

Similar to fated pairs or soulmates, this setting takes place where there are ring marks that appear once you touch your soulmate. Wooseo does not welcome his ring mark tying him to his unrequited lover’s older brother, Jigeon. Being apart is hurtful so Wooseo and Jigeon start a relationship of convenience and soon Wooseo starts living with Jigeon and Jiseok.

Honestly I liked this ring concept and wished we had it in real life. It wouldn’t make every pairing a success because that takes effort and consideration, but at least it paves the way. The story is well paced and interesting while using a small cast of characters. I’m actually really glad for this because I had trouble identifying the characters and remembering their names. And that is something I’ve never had trouble with.

That said, the artwork has a more muted tone. I feel like it uses a lot of grey and brown undertones that gives the story an almost solemn feel. The artwork is quite clean using simple backgrounds and subtle iconography. I wonder if the latter volumes will differ, because right now the artwork exudes a clouded and uncertain feel.

Jigeon’s character is one I liked but also disliked. In the past, Jigeon had feelings for Wooseo and yet, couldn’t express them. Jigeon kept his distance by avoiding Wooseo and I honestly felt bad. But now, with the ring it seems like he got the green light and is being somewhat manipulative. Though it’s probably best I read a bit more before affirming my stance on this.

Wooseo is a character that I cannot hate and honestly I’ve never been in love so I cannot question how he’s able to love one man for so long. I’ll probably never understand his character but I genuinely feel sympathy for him. Jiseok is a bit unknown to me right now, but I wonder if he really does have feelings for Wooseo. I hope we see more of his perspective in the next volume.

This story captivated me. The artwork was unique and the story was interesting. We have two people tied together by fate and yet one who loves another man. I enjoyed how this story was told utilizing flashbacks in key areas and conversations that felt natural.

Overall, I enjoyed this volume but it’s unfortunately not available as an eBook. I’ll be continuing this story via the official English online publisher and hopefully then I’ll be able to solidify my thoughts on this series.

3.75, rounded up. This really grabbed my interest. Main character is in love with his best friend and has been for years without telling him, and discovers he’s connected by the ring string of fate not to the best friend, but the best friend’s older brother who he was close to when younger but has drifted apart from. Different from a crush, they find negative effects, with an early conflict being that they struggle to sleep at night when apart and try to figure out how to get platonic naps between their work and school schedules in secret.

I found the characters interesting and the decision to have the two fated characters (MC and bestie’s older brother) feel ambivalent about their situation and struggling to avoid or manage it in secret without telling anyone they know. Over the course of the first volume the dynamic between the three main characters changes and secrets begin to pile up in a way that makes me curious to keep reading.
I enjoyed the art quite as bit as well. Characters had personality and were distinct in both flashbacks and modern times while maintaining a realistic and natural style of similar hair, eye, and skin tones and heights.
This wasn’t a must-buy for me, but I enjoyed it and am going to ask my library if they will get volume 2.

Thank you for the ARC digital copy from NetGalley, Yen Press, and Ize Press! This is my honest review.

This book was so adorable! It's just the beginning but I was sucked in from the start, I've always loved the red string theory type stories and this is a great example of it and the art is amazing, I enjoyed the characters and the story so far, I will be grabbing the second volume and recommending it. It was a fun quick read with enjoyable characters and an interesting story overall and I think a lot of people will like it.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC! I thought this was a cute beginner to this series! The art style was beautiful. I love a friends but also fated lovers trope. It will be interesting to see how the plot develops in later editions.

Okay this was not what I was expecting at all!! I actually really loved the story line. It wasn’t overly complicated and the characters were portrayed so well and I was sucked into the plot immediately!

I will definitely have to pick up volume 2 because the ending was too good!

A young man who is in love with his straight best friend becomes tied by fate to the best friend's older brother who has always seemed to have a thing for him. Can they keep their tie a secret from the brother and how will they deal with one of them being in love and the other not?

Tied To You Vol. 1 introduces readers to Wooseo who's hopelessly in love with his best friend but has settled for being able to just be by his side. Suddenly one day a brief encounter with Jiseok's older brother Jigeon literally links them together forever in the form of a Ring bond.

This Ring bond forms when two people have physical contact with another person who ends up being their "life partner." The Ring bond only happens after the age of 20 and it seems a majority of the population considers the Ring bond to be a myth.

I liked this Manhwa for bringing in a unique element to this hidden/secret crush troupe. By the end of volume one, readers are able to see that it's not only Wooseo who has a crush/unrequited love. But could there be something Jiseok hasn't realized yet? 👀

Also, there's someone outside of our trio who wants to cause harm and trouble for Wooseo and the Hang brothers.

I will continue with this series to discover the full story.

Tied to You offers a unique twist on the soulmate trope with its “red thread ring” concept, forcing destined partners to sleep together. Wooseo, who has long had feelings for his best friend’s younger brother, is shocked to find out his true soulmate is actually Jigeon, the older brother. This twist creates tension, emotional conflict, and plenty of angst.

The romance is sweet, with great chemistry and well-developed characters. However, the age gap—especially since Wooseo was still in high school when Jigeon developed feelings—might not sit well with everyone.

Overall, it’s a strong debut with emotional depth, intriguing supernatural elements, and compelling relationship dynamics. If you enjoy webtoons and manhwa, this is worth checking out!

I'm honestly not 100% sure how I feel about this novel.

I really liked the overall concept of some people getting a ring on their finger and only being able to sleep when they meet and sleep together with the person who is their fated partner. But aside from that I'm genuinely not sure how I feel about the story and the characters.

The age gap is rubbing me the wrong way, I won't lie. The ML was finishing college when he first started falling for the MC who was a senior in high school at the time. If it weren't for this aspect I don't think I would have minded the age gap all that much, but the fact that it all started when the MC was still a minor just doesn't sit right with me.

Ignoring that factor, I am still intrigued by the plot and I will continue reading the story. The romance itself is really cute so far too and I just need to see how it will develop further!!

A most heartfelt thank you to Netgalley and Yen Press for giving me the chance to read Tied to You vol.1 in exchange for my honest review. 

With an original story by Chelliace and art by WHAT, this graphic novel is beautiful and captivating from the get go. Tied to you has some of my most loved tropes : red string of fate, forced proximity, best friend's brother, mutual pining, broody love interest. Need I really say more ?

I loved Wooseo's and Jigeon's story, so much I wish I had volume 2 in my hands already ! Give me a cute oblivious protagonist and a broody love interest and take my soul away. Add a mix of "we shouldn't let the brother know" and "I've loved you but you're oblivious" times three into the story, and you are now hooked to read and read and read and want more and more. 

If you are familiar with manhwa and graphic novels or if you love a good webtoon novel, definitely check it out !

I was hooked on Tied to You from the very beginning, which is unusual for me since unrequited love stories aren’t typically my thing. However, the characters in this manga really won me over. They’re not perfect, which I appreciate—I love a multi-dimensional character, and this story delivers on that front.

The concept of the red thread ring binding soulmates together, making it impossible for them to sleep apart, is an intriguing take on fate and romance. What makes it even more compelling is the twist: Wooseo’s soulmate isn’t his longtime crush, Jiseok, but Jiseok’s older brother, Jigeon. This setup creates tension, emotional conflict, and the potential for heartbreak and healing, which I’m excited to see explored in future volumes.

One of the strongest aspects of this manga is the hint of mystery surrounding the ring pair—there’s a sense that something more is at play, which keeps the story engaging. While I’m not particularly eager for a love triangle, I’d be willing to endure it for these characters because they feel so well-developed and worth following.

Overall, Tied to You is a fantastic debut for this series. It’s emotional, intriguing, and has great potential for future installments. I can’t wait to see what happens next!

Thank you to NetGalley and Yen Press | Ize Press for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Not much to say honestly. Considering this is the first book and there's a relationship dynamics that I'm not particularly fond of. The art is amazing tho, and I liked the story narration. However, I'm not inclined to pick up the subsequent parts.

This story was truly beatful and at times very heartbreaking. BL stories from Asia has always had a unique way of showing trauma very head on, but so much so that it truly pulls at my heart. I loved this one. The concept of the ring is a well-known, and loved trope, and I adore it.

I loved the art and I loved the way the story unfolded slowly. This is a very slow burn, and if you like it, this one is for you. I sometimes felt a little but confused about who was who, mainly because the characters were drawn very similar, but that was just a minor detail. All in all, this was wonderful and I really want to read more.

The only reason I did not give full five starts was for the times one of the MCs had toxic and red flag behavior, and resorted to manipulating.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the arc.

Unfortunately, I wasn't given much time to start or read this comic because it was archived almost immediately after I was accepted to read it. With that being said, my rating is based off the average rating it was given, as well as for the cover art.

ty to netgalley and yen press | ize press for a copy of the arc :)

ngl the arc was crusty. text was missing, graphics were pixelated. luckily, this has been out for awhile so i just reread it on tappytoon

as an absolute whore for BL, i speed read the shit out of this. watching jiseok and jigeon fight over wooseo had me in a chokehold i s2g. i love a little possessiveness, and i knew jigeon was gonna be a big softie in the end

very cute and i will definitely be reading the other volumes

This was such a cute start to a manga series. Wooseo and Jigeon being matched is going to be such an interesting story line and I cannot wait to read more. Will absolutely be purchasing this series to have on my shelves if they all are like vol 1!

2.5/5

I was really excited to read this because the premise sounded great and I usually love these kind of stories, but unfortunately it didn't live up to my expectations. There were some questionable moments throughout (kissing someone sleeping, a large age gap while one person is still young) that I found difficult to look past. However, I think the concept of the ring appearing and causing sleep problems was really cool. Thank you for the ARC!

This was a good manga with a decent storyline but it got weird and confusing at the end.

The art was good and the text was nice.

The cute parts of the book were sweet, showing the relationship between the leads.

Thank you @netgalley for the review copy.

I had high hopes for this book, but it never delivered. The writing underdelivered the "soul mate" link. The concept was introduced too late, and it was too vague. The author should have leaned into the mysteriously appearing ring more than he did, especially giving the reader more of an explanation.

The illustrator also made it diffficult to follow because all the characters looked alike. Other than height and hair, the illustrator made no attempt to differentiate the characters for the reader. That made it difficult to understant who was interaction/speaking with whom.

My biggest complaint is the story just ended with no resolution. I understand this is part one, but the author could have provided a satisfying story with a definitive conclusion.

Despite it's shortfalls, I liked the book. I would have loved it had the author made it easier for the reader to follow the storyline.

This was definitely a cute starter for this series! I found the characters to be very interesting, but I did have trouble wanting to continue with the story here and there. I really only enjoyed the moments between Wooseo and Jigeon, but I wouldn't necessarily say that's a bad thing. We're obviously setting the scene and doing a bit of world building, so I can understand not immediately jumping into the juicy stuff. I loved the idea behind finding your match based on the red thread around your finger. Super cute concept!