Maybe I’m just sucker for soulmate AUs but I kind of loved this? The red string of fate trope feels very fanfiction-y to me so it’s always interesting to see it done in traditional publishing, even in a manhwa. In fact, this whole setup kind of feels like a trope salad, with the MC being in love with his best friend. The ML is very much giving “fell first and fell harder” even though the circumstances of him falling are a little… weird.

I like the gradual slow build of the relationship, as it really just feels like two people trying to figure out a situation they never intended to be in. I don’t really get why they’re acting like it has to be a secret but I suppose it’s fine for some added drama.

My one critique beyond the kind of pointless miscommunication is the art. It’s lovely, but everyone does seem to suffer a little from same-face-syndrome. With the entire love triangle (or anticipated love triangle) having black hair, I feel like I had to really lock in and pay attention to hairstyles and names more than I typically would reading a manhwa or graphic novel. I still enjoyed the art, but it did make the reading experience a little more laborious than it would be otherwise.

I will definitely be checking out the next installment of this series, and look forward to some of the conflict setup here escalating even more.

Thank you to the publisher Yen Press for providing an ARC via NetGalley for an honest review.

This fantasy romance manga was cute, but also sad at times. What if the person you were destined to be with was in love with your own brother? Yet, since you have always known them you have wanted that person. Later discovering that they are the other end to your red string of fate and they also know that too, but still they pine for your brother who only sees them as a best friend. The quiet love and pining was aching to read about.

After reading, it also gave a lot to thinks about. What would it be like if we all knew from the moment we were 18 who our red string of fate soulmate was? Would life be easier? Would it become more complicated? How would it feel to know that your destined person was in love with someone else?

The idea should be so sweet, but in this manga it becomes something bitter at times. Sometimes it becomes dark even. There was a short mention of people killing their partners after being rejected by them due the red string of fate. One you know who your partner is if you sleep without them your nights are restless and sleepless. It sounds as much of a burden as it could be potentially something amazingly beautiful.
I definitely recommend this manga and I look forward to seeing what comes in the future of this story.

Wow, it has been awhile since I reviewed a manga/manwha, but this was an excellent one to come back with. Tied to You is a brother’s best friend, slow-burn romance with an age gap. It plays with the East Asian folklore surrounding the Red String of Fate, but in this instance the “string” is actually a ring that appears on your hand after you’ve come into physical contact with your soul mate. Once someone has been “ringed” they are plagued with sleeplessness unless they can sleep while touching their partner. The closer they are, the better their rest.
Wooseo has been in love with his best friend since they were in grade school. Now in their twenties, he has accepted that his love will remain unrequited. However, a chance encounter with his friend’s older brother, Jigeon, reveals that it is in fact Jigeon that is Wooseo’s ring partner. Now, both must manage their newfound reliance on one another, all the while navigating past feelings and concern over how revealing the truth may alter both their lives—because the ring doesn’t make you fall in love with someone. It just makes it so you can’t live without them.
For me, this was certainly one for the record books in terms of romantic pining. I absolutely adored all of the characters and how the secrecy of the situation developed and began to alter their behaviour towards one another. Wooseo was sweet without being naive, and Jigeon was a stoic caretaker with hints of a darker side. Personally, I would absolutely recommend this, and I can’t wait for volume 2 to come out.

Soul mates, best friends and a brother come together in a really fun romance read.

I enjoyed this so much, but I also wanted to fight basically every character at one point or another. They were all so frustrating, but in a good way. I couldn’t hardly put it down! Watching them and their relationships grow was great.

I did struggle a little sometimes because it wasn’t always clearly marked when it was a flashback or the POV was changing. But it wasn’t enough to make me stop reading, and it could be because I and somewhat new to this format.

But overall I really enjoyed this. I loved the concept of soul mates and seeing how it affects their day to day lives.

𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: 4.5 ⭐️
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁:
💛 MM Unrequited Feelings
💛 Love Triangle
💛 Fated Mates
💛 Best Friend + Best Friend’s Older Brother
💛 East Asian Lore

Wooseo Shin never believed in fate because of his unrequited love for his best friend, Jiseok Kang. That is until a ring of red thread appears around his finger linking him to his fated mate, Jiseok’s older brother, Jigeon! Once linked, mates cannot sleep apart so Wooseo finds himself torn between his forever crush and best friend and his older brother.

I’m not usually one for love triangles but this one is just too fun! I LOVE this East Asian lore and how it ties into the web of fates. Gah! You feel the triangle vibes and you hope for one pairing but then something happens and you hope for another pairing. Usually I end up with a favorite and I’m kind of leaning toward Jigeon just because of his little secret that had me swooning.

The artistry is gorgeous and I love that’s it’s in muted colors. This is one I could easily see putting in my shelves and once the whole series is released could become a 5 star series!

𝘙𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘋𝘢𝘵𝘦: May 21, 2024
𝙄 𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙚𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙙 𝙖 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙡𝙞𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙮 𝙘𝙤𝙥𝙮 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠. 𝘼𝙡𝙡 𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬𝙨 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙢𝙮 𝙤𝙬𝙣.

Absolutely loved this. The art work was great and just a great story I seriously cannot wait for more. If you’re into college-age romance and unrequited love and friendship this is definitely a pick i definitely will be picking up my own copy ! 🖤

Tropes:
forced proximity
fated mates
best friend's brother
unrequited love

I loved this so much. The Red String of Fate is one of my favorite romance tropes and I love the way it was used in this book. I love the art style and the format of the text and pictures was great aesthetically. I like that the story was an instant romance that you usually expect with the soulmate trope. The miscommunication, unrequited love, back and forth, and slow-burn tropes are all used to create a well rounded love story that I can't wait to see continue into the next volume.

It’s complicated~

Wooseo is in love with his best friend, Jiseok, but the string of fate links him to Jiseok’s older brother, Jigeon.

In the beginning, I honestly felt bad for Jiseok. Nobody wants their best friend to be fatefully tied to their older sibling—it’s just awkward. And to make matters worse, they both are poorly hiding their relationship from him instead of just telling him.

Everything is all mixed up due to the fated ring, but each character is not only well-drawn but also well-written. As other reviewers have mentioned, these three characters have a lot of depth, and the story is well-paced. Even though there is the supernatural element of ‘fated pairs,’ the story still feels very real and well-developed.

Thank you to Netgalley for a copy for an honest review

I really enjoyed it and would highly recommend and I can’t wait to buy a copy for myself 🙂

Rating 4 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is a 64 chapter webtoon, the first volume contains 16 chapters. This is a shounen-ai (meaning no smut for those not in the know). This is based on the Korean webnovel. The webnovel does contain some 19+ (adults only 🤫🫣) side stories. As of now there are no 19+ webtoon side stories. I found this information interesting. Whenever I start a new manhwa I like to know what I'm getting into 🤭😁

I wouldn't say this is a happy story. It's angsty, full of unrequited love. The male lead is your classic obsessive type and when he finds out he's bound to our main character he's going to stop at nothing to make him his completely. The overall tone is sad. Our main character is struggling with accepting this unchangeable fate. This is a good, but sad, start to a bittersweet story.

I'd recommend this if you like red flag, obsessive type male leads. Also if you like an overall melancholy vibe to your webtoon.

In a world where someone can be bound to someone through an invisible ring, the couple is unable to live without their "Fated Partner". They cannot sleep or function if they aren't in eachother's arms at night. What if you're in love with someone who isn't your "Fated Partner"?

Wooseo Shin fell in love with Jiseok Kang the moment they met in high school. He hid his feelings away, in fear that Jiseok won't reciprocate them. One night, Wooseo spends the evening at Jiseok's house, and wakes up to find that he has been bound to Jiseok's brother, Jigeon. We watch as fate ties together two people whose hearts were torn by unrequited love.

This series has a good flow, and the art is consistent throughout the volume. They use 3D models to assist with the backgrounds, but it's not noticable and the artist does a good job at making it look hand drawn by having the characters interact with the environment around them.

I've always had a soft spot for unrequited loves. Something about it squeezes my heart, and it's hard to watch the one you love yearn for someone else.

I enjoyed the cast of characters in this series, especially Jigeon. He's a compelling character who always has something up his sleeve. We learn more about him and his intentions throughout the novel. Wooseo is cute, and Jiseok is loveable. It's hard to dislike on anyone in this series - even Jigeon. As manipulative as he is, he's sincere towards Wooseo, and he's the type to be cold to anyone other than the one he loves. It's endearing.

I love korean BL webtoons that are mainly focused on a slow (very slow!) burn romance with a lot of drama, tons of behind closed doors sexual tension and many pretty boys. The premise is also super interesting (red string myth). I loved this first volume so much I will become feral when volume 2 drops.

4 stars!

If you love best friend's brother, fate, forced proximity trope then this one is for you!

The manhwa follows the MC where he is in love with his best friend and his unrequited love for him. But little did he know that his best friend's brother was in love with him the whole time. I will say that there are some iffy moments in terms of like the ml seemed to be a bit manipulative??? But overall it was a fast paced manhwa that can get you out of your reading slump!

Thank you Ize press, yen press, and negalley for this e-ARC in exchange for a honest review!

I really love the red string theme, the unrequited love is killing me though. But I guess all is well that ends well, so I'm rooting for you, Jigeon!

Overall 4 out of 5 for me. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

At first glance, this is a pretty standard BL but it's got a little twist by incorporating the whiskey of the red string of fate. Who doesn't swoon at the idea of having a fated partner? I was really intrigued by the idea that there are physical symptoms of the rings. Given, this assumes that you and your ring partner are actually compatible because otherwise that is just tragic .

However, I was not a fan of Jigeon using Wooseo’s feelings for his brother to be with him. I wish he had just organically tried to woo Wooseo rather than use this manipulative tactic.

Tied to You was a story with a fun premise. I liked the gradual development of the relationship between the two main characters. The artwork, too, was pleasing throughout with some lovely panels and page layouts. By the time this first volume ended, I was invested in the characters and their story, so I would definitely be happy to read on in volume two, to see where this slow-burn start takes them. I am giving it 4.5 stars.

Wooseo has been in love with his best friend for years. But fate has other plans.
What happens when fate ties him to his best friend’s…brother?

I’m not usually one for love triangles, but this yaoi manhwa had me swooning and melting at every page. Cold and stoic CEO Jigeon crushing on sweet Wooseo was positively adorable and I need more of this immediately.

The added fantasy element of the red rings just made this read even cuter. Who doesn’t want to believe in magic? In special rings that appear when you meet the one person meant for you?

My only problem is, I don’t know how I feel about Jigeon using Wooseo’s feelings for his brother to be with him.
I’ve read other reviews saying he comes off a bit manipulative, and that the age gap seemed a little iffy. I didn’t get that vibe, only two people struggling with unrequited love and trying, albeit not in a healthy way, to find solace and comfort.
And I get that age gap is a trope not many can get into, so if you don’t enjoy it maybe steer clear of these guys.

I’m expecting tons of drama between these three, but hopefully they all find happiness in the end. Can’t wait.

Thank you Yen Press and NetGalley, for providing me with this arc in exchange for my honest review.

In a world where fate can tie you together and you won’t be able to sleep without your fated partner once you’ve made physical contact with him/her after becoming an adult, Wooseo Shin becomes part of a very complicated love triangle.

This was a very engaging story with cool art with a sophisticated feel, I found it really fitting especially for the parts with Jigeon.

Wooseo is a top student at college. He was able to go to his preferred college together with his best friend Jiseok, thanks to Jiseok’s older brother Jigeon, who tutored Wooseo.

Wooseo is an insecure and nervous character but he is really sweet and considerate. He’s in love with Jiseok but it’s unrequited love.. Wooseo has lost touch with Jigeon and we eventually find out why. It complicates things even more..

After seeing Jigeon again when Wooseo becomes an adult and he accidentally touches him, they both fall ill and get their rings which means they’re fated partners and they need to find a way to sleep together like in just sleep. They find solutions and Jigeon stays really cool and composed, he’s almost cold but there is (even though he’s really good at manipulating people) a heart in there, but Wooseo worries a lot. Wooseo is scared that Jiseok will find out and that Jigeon hates him,…

Eventually we find out that things aren’t (or possibly aren’t) what they seem and I guessed some of the hidden feelings or secrets, but not all of them.

Jigeon was the cool older brother and successful CEO and almost treated Wooseo like his pet xd. Wooseo was cute and easily manipulated and I really loved his friendship with popular but nice guy Jiseok at first but I’m not so sure about that anymore after some things happened at the end.

I wasn’t the biggest fan of certain behaviors but this was very entertaining and I wanna read more! I need to know where this is going.

This story was so sweet and heartwarming, but at the same time it broke my heart. The characters have depth and I couldn't stop reading - I had to know what happened next. The way the story is spun is just breathtaking.

I loved the story, the pacing and the artstyle. Can't wait for the next volume!

** I WAS GIVEN THIS BOOK FOR MY READING PLEASURE **
Copy received through Netgalley

~

Tied To You, Vol. 1, by WHAT, Chelliace

★★★★★
272 Pages
Themes: forced proximity, fated mates, best friend's brother, unrequited love, love triangle


Tied to You is an adorable college-age romance. Weaving together themes of unrequited love, friendship and fated mates, it spins a new take on the red thread of fate.

In this world, it's commonly known that a red thread connects two fated hearts together. Most believe it's only an urban legend, but everyone knows about it. The red thread connects two people and they're unable to sleep or function without one another, once they discover the thread after they turn 20. All it takes is a single touch to know and they can see the thread between them.

Wooseo is in love with his best friend, Jiseok, but knows that Jiseok is straight and they've been friends for so long that they can't be connected by the red thread. But when he bumps into Jiseok's older brother one day, Jigeon, and the red thread appears between Wooseo and Jigeon, things begin to unravel.

Wooseo is a heart-on-his-sleeve type of person, but he's been holding back a lot to hide his feelings from Jiseok. Conversely, Jigeon has been shutting his emotions away for so long – with absent parents, he's had to grow up fast and be the parental figure to two siblings – that it's second nature. Until the red thread starts to force their hand.

I loved that the red thread connection didn't make everything perfect for this couple, but actually made it more complicated and forced them to face things they'd been avoiding. I also loved that it wasn't in any way sexual; they just had to sleep beside each other, which was a really cute and sweet twist.

There was a lot of story packed into this one volume, which was awesome! I love a long volume, especially when we got to see flashbacks from each main character, explaining their past relationship with each other and how that's affected the present day. At first I really loved Wooseo and Jiseok's friendship, but the cracks soon began to appear and feel more like Wooseo was being used by his friend, even though it may have been unintentional.

Sometimes, manga stories move fast and I've grown used to that, but this one took a nice length of time to explore the characters and their complex relationships before progressing. I loved the pacing, the artwork and the hints of what might happen in volume two.

I am absolutely in love with the recent influx of YA BL manga on the market lately, and this is another great story. I've already added it to my cart, to get the paperbacks on my shelf!