Thank you Netgalley and Humanoids Inc for a copy of Seoul Before Sunrise in exchange for a honest review!

Seoul Before Sunrise follows a young girl, Seong-ji, who has recently started college, but is stuck in the past, thinking about her past friendship with Ji-won.

This was a sad and simple short story centered around loneliness and loss of friendships. The artwork wa absolutely gorgeous and unlike any other graphic novel or manga I’ve ever read!

The plot and narration didn’t really stuck out to me though, and I think the story could have been elaborated on more. I didn’t love the ending; I definitely wanted to see more of Seong-ji ‘cause she was just a really nice girl.

Cute, lovely short story about queer heartbreak and discovery, and loss.

Not really my sort of story. The artwork is okay, and the story is fine, but it is very melancholy. I felt very uncomfortable reading it because the gloominess of the artwork and story gave me the sense that something terrible was going to happen throughout. Nothing scary or super sad happened, but I started to wonder if it was going to be something more like a horror or crime story (it isn't).
It's fine, just not my cup of tea.

I ended up putting this book down. Maybe the full scope of the story would have been worth it, if I had finished it. It felt like that type of story arch where it would have paid of in the end, when you had the entire picture of everything. But as it was, I found myself getting bored by the story and drifting off in my thoughts. I chose not to invest more energy in trying to engage with the book. There are simply too many great books out there for that.

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 short graphic novel about loss and queer love was truly beautiful.

With this book, you get to experience a wonderful journey about discovering who you are. The main character was quite relatable because she feels like she doesn't fit in. But I've gotta say that it was definitely more heavy than i expected.

Though the art style was one of the prettiest in a graphic novel I've ever seen. It captured the atmosphere perfectly. It was also very helpful that there were some small explanations for some terms I didn't know.

Thank you Humanoids Inc and NetGalley for providing me with this arc in exchange for my honest review.

I am 38 and read this at night, what a coincidence. There is something about the night that I have loved since I was a child, you feel a kind of loneliness and silence that is comforting in a way. The pressure of society falls away and there is room for quiet observation.

The stunning art and the dreamlike parts of this story were what I enjoyed the most. I also enjoyed the slower pace and the meaningful words and silences.

Seong-Ji is about to go to college and is afraid of spending less time with her best friend because they are going to different colleges.

What she was afraid of comes true and she can’t stop thinking about her former best friend and eventually realizes why.

Most of this book is about Seong-Ji working at night and thinking and observing. She meets a 38 year old woman who eventually takes her to real and dreamlike places at night.

This graphic novel left very much space to think and wonder and I hope many people who love to read these kind of stories too, will find it.

This is a beautifully drawn graphic novel with an interesting premise. Aside from the art, I really loved the musings on friendship and growing older/apart. I will say I agree with some of the other reviews that the ending left me at a loss, but I imagine that was sort of the author's point? Things in life don't always tie up nicely. That said, I would recommend this because of the art alone, and the majority of the story was gripping.

And yes, **spoiler incoming** there was some homophobia in here, and obviously, her friend's reaction to her confession was over the top and cruel. In my opinion, it was meant to contrast the two characters' opposite growth trajectories and not like a weird message from the author that's worth docking points off of a review for.

I’m giving this 3 stars as although the story was a little odd, the artwork is beautiful and I feel it conveyed a nice message. To me, that message was to not suffer in silence and to do things you want to do before you miss your chance! Whilst their friendship was formed naturally through their loneliness and understanding, the age gap between Seong-Ji and Bushy Eyebrows felt a little unnecessary to mention as it didn’t really add anything to the story and I also felt the questions BE asked Seong-Ji were a little weird considering she was so mysterious herself and we never really find anything out about her. Overall, whilst I did enjoy reading this I feel it lacked depth and had untouched it’s potential to develop the relationship and storyline.

I'm not completely sure how I feel about this graphic novel. In a lot of ways it feels a bit unfinished. I'm okay with the ambiguous ending but our main character didn't feel completely developed and the reasoning behind her decisions and how she felt about the people around her were still a bit vague. The age gap also felt weird to include, especially because it didn't seem necessary. The dynamic between the two felt more like a friendship but there didn't seem to be a reason why the two gravitated towards each other or what they offered to each other besides company but even then we're only given brief glimpses of their conversations, most of which are just about not getting caught walking into stranger's apartments. I think that this would have benefitted with maybe more story or more dialogue between the characters and their motivations. I did find the illustrations very well done.

Seong-Ji finds the true her in the streets of Seoul at night.

Seong-Ji, a young lady, is excited and nervous about starting college in Seoul. She and her best friend Ji-won promise to keep in contact despite being in different colleges, but the days stretch with no word from Ji-won. Seong-Ji worries about Ji-won in between her college program and a part-time job. During her part-time job, she meets a strange woman who shows her the true wonders of the night. Seong-Ji starts to learn more about herself and her true feelings...

This book was a deep read. It made you think and wonder about what you can see during the night, both mentally and physically. The art style was beautiful and well-done, and the color palette looked like it was done in watercolor. I also learned about the CSAT exam to get into South Korean colleges, where the South Korean government tests you to see which colleges you're fit to go to.

Seong-Ji was a rational and thoughtful character. It was beautiful to see her character development throughout the story. Ji-won could have been more friendly and a better friend. The woman Seong-Ji met looked like me and had a mysterious personality.

Give this book to people who need inspiration and love to see the wonders the world has in store for us.

Happy Reading, Paige ❤️ 📚

Thank you, @netgalley, for the complimentary ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

"Seoul Nights" immerses readers in the nocturnal odyssey of Seong-Ji as she grapples with lost friendships and discovers herself amidst the dreamlike streets of Seoul. As Seong-Ji navigates the rift between her and Ji-won, her encounters with the mysterious nocturnal artist open doors to a world of creativity and self-discovery. Through her exploration of empty homes and quiet spaces, Seong-Ji unravels not only the secrets of strangers but also the depths of her own identity. Yet, as she embraces the possibilities of the future, she must confront the ghosts of her past and the pain of her fractured friendship. With lyrical prose and poignant storytelling, "Seoul Nights" offers a mesmerizing journey of growth, loss, and the transformative power of the night.

I didn’t like the story it was really weird and also didn’t enjoy the art style.——————————————————————————————————-

This story was weird.. but I still enjoyed reading it.

The book tells the story of a young student who loses sight of her best friend when they split ways. Meanwhile she meets a possible new friend, but this one has very peculiar hobbies. Seong-Ji ultimately decides to join her new friend in her strange activities and finds the beauty in little things before sunrise.

The message of the book though is very beautiful and the artwork was a real vibe in this story.
I gave the book 3 stars.

The title and cover intrigued me, and I picked up this read on Netgalley. Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.
It is a short story in graphic novel form,
The artwork is nice - A mix of cartoon style done in watercolor.
The story itself was a little dark, and I felt sad for the young girl at the end.
One way to look at it is that this is a cautionary tale, and the other is about the important of a strong support circle of multiple people and resources.

The story of a young girl as she progresses into adulthood and tries to figure out who she is and find her place in the world.

I liked the artwork and how the author kept the narrative short in Seoul Before Sunrise, but there isn't much else I enjoyed. It's a very introspective novel that doesn't reach any kind of conclusion, which I assume is part of the point. I understand young adults can feel confused and uncertain about their place in society, especially ones that already feel isolated or rejected by it, but the path to understanding isn't to crawl farther into the night where only a handful of people, and those likely not so great, spend their time. Given the epilogue has MC completely disappearing from the narrative, maybe that's also part of the point? I'm honestly not sure. However, I'm not a fan of novels that dwell on the self-centered idea that the answers to all your problems can be fixed if only you focus on yourself more. This novel just wasn't for me, unfortunately.

A coming of age story that aims to address issues like body shaming, adult responsibilities, increasing distance in friendship due to personal endeavours and loneliness.The characters are well developed and explored.The most engaging and eye-catching part is the beautiful illustrations through which the story moves freely.

Thank you NetGalley for an early copy of this comic. Two high school girls are inseparable until they start university. One of them feels lonely and feels nostalgic for her high school days. A stranger comes to her workplace at night and shows her the way to understanding herself better during their nocturnal escapades through the streets of Seoul. There are some points I didn’t like and I feel there’s something missing from the narrative.

I started this short graphic novel really engaged and curious about what would come next for Seong-Ji. The beginning and middle were quite enjoyable and the artwork did a great job of setting the mood. The ending, however, just didn't work for me. I felt a bit of robbed of seeing Seong-Ji's next phase in life. Credit to the storytelling that made me so interested in her future though.

A quiet, reflective graphic novel that deals delicately and metaphorically with the process of coming to realize your own identity. During night shifts at her college job of convenience-store clerk, the main character finds herself growing slowly closer to a mysterious woman who may hold the keys to unraveling her self-awareness. The artwork is done is a soft watercolor style that blends well with the gentle, slow-paced tone of the story. I very much enjoyed the book and highly recommend it to others.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this eARC for unbiased review. This review will be cross-posted to my social media accounts closer to the book release date.

I think this graphic novel did a really good job of capturing that realization of intense female friendship actually being something more (romantic on at least one side) and the way it affects your life when a relationship like that falls apart before you’ve had the opportunity to really understand those feelings. I struggled a bit with following the fantastical symbolism between her and the “ghost” but the tone and emotion of the overall story was clear. The art style really worked well for conveying the mood.