Webtoon's Your Letter by Hyeon A Cho
Webtoon's Your Letter by Hyeon A Cho
A beautiful tale of innocence, magic, friendship and food!
Written and illustrated by Hyeon A Cho.
When I watch movies from Studio Ghibli and Makoto Shinkai, I often pause the movies in certain scenes just to admire the art; do other people do that? I always wished that Studio Ghibli produced affordable art books or coloured manga versions of the movies.
But obviously, this has not yet happened except for a few art books that have graced the book market which I can't afford. Though I was gifted a light novel adaptation of Your Name, it's not the same as Manga. But my search for beautiful art and wholesome stories never ends, that's how I found Your Letter on the Webtoon App.
The letter contained the key to the rabbit hutch, along with a note asking me to visit early in the morning.
Sori-Lee is a brave and kind middle-schooler who moves to a new school in her old city from her grandmother's home; after she stood up to the class bullies to help a fellow student, and faced bullying herself. In her new school, assigned to an unoccupied desk, soon she finds a letter addressed to her; containing the names of her new classmates, a school map, and a clue for the next letter.
Each letter is a portal to a magical revelation
From one letter to another, Sori, moves into a world that she can't explain: the school gardener is a witch who offers her tea; she walks seven and a half steps with closed eyes and ends up finding a magical hideout.
From ordering delicious food to school, jumping into the pond to retrieve a letter, and befriending Eugene Park. Eugene is an archer who is having a hard time concentrating on his sport.
They become partners to uncover the letters. Each letter is just not words, but a task ahead that helps Sori, Eugene later, or both, just having a magical gala time together.
Friendships are life-altering
The story is sweet: it's about courage, having faith, the timelessness of friendship, and about the fragility of life.
They constantly face obstacles while looking for their letters, from the wet letter to the moment when another bully burns their letter, they never give in to despair. They overcome the obstacles with wit and logical thinking, and their belief in their pen-pal never wavers.
A detailed delicate world
I can't praise and gush enough about the art style. The art and storytelling of Your Letter are a blissful marriage between Makoto Shinkai's narrative detailing and Miyazaki's magical adventure in ordinary life.
The beautiful transition from childhood to adolescence, and the friendship triangle, are so well-balanced. There is no hint of 'adult love', but affection for each other as friends, and the art helps enhance the curiosity of the characters tenfold.
Your Letter is only ten chapters long, and each chapter is bewitching.
My personal favourite scenes were: Sori and Mrs Kim having tea, or when Sori receives a “Thank You” letter from an old friend, and then the plunge Sori takes into the pond were simply gorgeously drawn!
The story was Innocence Illustrated. This is a perfect story for people who crave Miyazaki and Shinkai stories on paper.
Read Your Letter On Webtoon App
Image source: screengrab from the comics, edited on InFrame
Was published on Pop: Comics and Culture, on April 27, 2020