Itaewon Class Volumes 2 and 3 Review

In the first volume, readers got to meet Saeroyi Park, the protagonist of Itaewon Class. In the next two  volumes, more characters are introduced and we learn about their backgrounds and what brought them into Saeroyi’s life. Can he succeed in his dream to run a successful pub in Itaewon?

Volumes 2 and 3 introduce Yiseo Jo, Geunsoo Jang and Seungkwon Choi—people who find themselves somehow involved with Saeroyi and his pub Honey Night. Yiseo is a 19-year-old high school student who has a rather pessimistic view of life and the world. She’s always succeeded in everything she’s done, and even when her methods were underhanded to get first place, her mother would praise her. She has a somewhat difficult personality and gets called a sociopath. It’s only by meeting Saeroyi that her view of life slowly starts to change and she ends up working with him.

Geunsoo is the half-brother of Geunwon Jang, Saeroyi’s bully from high school and the man who killed his father. It’s a twist of fate that brings Geunsoo to Honey Night and makes him realise that he can do something to change himself. As an illegitimate child, he’s been treated as nothing all his life and his half-brother would be more than happy to see him dead. Seungkwon plays a smaller role compared to Geunsoo and Yiseo but he’s used as an example of how Saeroyi changed someone’s life. Seungkwon comes from a gang culture and even volunteered to go to prison to support his old boss; that’s when he met Saeroyi. He didn’t like our protagonist much, but seeing the efforts he put into changing his life around, Seungkwon decided to give it a try as well when he learned Honey Night was opening.

Lastly, the person the readers could consider the villain, Geunwon makes an appearance. Seven years have passed but he still behaves like the bully he was in high school. When an unfortunate accident brings his half-brother and Saeroyi together, he doesn’t miss out on the opportunity to mess with  them. But Saeroyi is a changed man and doesn’t let his feelings influence his goals for the future.

There is a lot of drama going on but, as in the first volume, the narration is slow-paced with the author creating momentum to introduce the characters and their backgrounds. A lot happens, but it’s all helping to build the foundations for the actual development of the story. Itaewon Class gives off a slice-of-life vibe, even if in the non-traditional sense. The characters we’re introduced to have all witnessed some sort of crisis or event that made them grow, and coming together is turning out to be the catalyst for the personal growth they need. The author depicts realistic settings, and characters whom the readers could easily imagine passing on the street, and this helps to give a more serious tone to the story.

There is a hint of crime in the story but it’s not prominent. There’s bullying, attempted homicide and even bribery, but the author makes it a point to have Saeroyi as an example of outstanding behaviour without having him go through a redemption arc. Although he’s still angry about what happened in the past, he wants to improve himself to make his deceased father proud. And it is this behaviour that brings character after character into Saeroyi’s life, even if he’s not trying to ‘recruit’ more people to work at Honey Night…

The art is still simplistic for backgrounds and characters, giving more prominence to narration via the characters’ thoughts and dialogues. The story pulls the readers in as the characters look so natural. Moreover, Volume 2 introduces the next setting of the story, giving a preview of what’s to come in the rest of the volume, so that the readers will then figure out how the characters arrived at the point they are at the beginning. Although there are flashbacks, it’s all done in a seamless way so as not to interrupt the flow. Lastly, the only thing I wished was done differently is the translation note at the end of each volume. Throughout the pages there is no indication that a translation note is available at the end of the volumes, possibly leaving the readers a little bit confused about some terminology.

Itaewon Class is written by Kwang Jin and is published in the English language by Ize Press. It started as a web comic available on Tapas before being published in volume format and also adapted as a K-drama available on Netflix. Volumes 4-8 are available.

Our review copies were supplied by the publisher Ize Press.