hey, people might block you thinking you're a bot. You should get a profile picture and banner.

Is there really something like this? Lol I mean are bots able to write long posts? I don't plan being very active here so I'm not sure, but thank you for the heads up! Hopefully I won't get blocked😭

MHA's River Scene Symbolism - How to Build a Narrative Around a Simple Scene

As the My Hero Academia manga approaches its long-awaited final chapters, I thought it would be good to talk about one of the most important, but also most generally misunderstood moment of the series - Bakugou falling into the river as a kid and Deku trying to help him.

Let me start off by saying that Kohei Horikoshi is great at visual storytelling. In order to understand why he can write redemption stories so well, one has to look at the literal meaning and symbolism behind his panels. Bakugou and Deku's childhood memory, while being the start of their broken relationship, also serves as the first core symbol in the manga that later takes on many different forms. Hands- as Horikoshi says - are very expressive and tell a lot about a person. Shigaraki, for example, has hands all around his body which are tragic reminders of his origin. But what about the panel that started it all?

Bakugou and Deku are intertwined narratively

First of all, we have to talk about just why Bakugou reacted the way he did. Horikoshi's message in the story seems to be that if there's something wrong on the level of society, personal relationships can reflect that same state. The hero society favors those who have powerful and flashy quirks, making them heroes who fight those who were born different than the norm and went down on the wrong path a.k.a. the villains.

Even before getting his quirk, Bakugou could feel that he was different than Deku. He was naturally gifted in many areas, lived a comfortable life, and was praised for the smallest of things by the adults and children around him. If we add his natural brazen personality that he inherited from his mother, Bakugou was a kid both gifted and appreciated by the society. On the other hand, little Deku who lived in the same neighborhood was quirkless, plain, not outstandingly talented at anything and naturally shy and introverted. For Bakugou, who gained the ego of the size of the Moon, it made perfect sense that Deku ended up being quirkless - after all, Deku was unremarkable even before that from the perspective of the collective whole, and him being quirkless only reinforced the idea that Deku was below him. He wasn't outright hostile towards him, but he made clear Deku was someone who should always walk behind him because Bakugou is superior than him.

Until little Katsuki fell into the river. It was a simple moment, but changed their relationship forever. Because little Izuku who was supposed to be a loser ended up the only one who tried to help him. Because Deku showcased that he had the heart and selfless nature of a real hero, something Bakugou didn't have. But Bakugou was supposed to be the remarkable one, so was Deku mocking him by trying to help him? Was he saying that Bakugou needed help because Deku was better? Because this was what Bakugou started to think and became the source of his inferiority complex - he had to prove to himself that he was better by belittling Deku. Not a nice thing to do by any means, but a natural response from a kid whose whole world was shattered in that single moment.

The funny thing is, Deku and Bakugou's reactions stem from the two sides of the same feeling - when you realize someone has something that you don't. Izuku admires Bakugou because he's talented, brave and strong, something which Deku aspires to be (that's why he calls him his "Image of Victory"). Bakugou is afraid of Deku because he's naturally selfless and kind, so he wants to push him away in order to feel better about himself. Bakugou doesn't hate Deku, he hates what his presence in his life represents - that he's not the center of the universe and has to learn as a hero.

Bakugou and Deku both learn from each other in the story in order to become the best versions of themselves. Deku imitates Bakugou when he wants to be brave and improve his moves, while Bakugou's redemption journey is centered around his regrets about Deku. Interestingly they are also both each other's first "save" when their bodies moved without thinking.

Reaching out a hand

The river scene is the core of one of the most important themes of the series - helping those who might not need it and accepting the help that is given to you. Bakugou regrets not taking Deku's hand and not seeing his kindness, the same hand that is able to reach many others and inspire them, like Uraraka, Iida, Todoroki, Kota or even Shigaraki. Deku doesn't believe that Bakugou would ever want to receive help from him. Horikoshi visually paires this idea with the transfer of OFA - we see the users reaching out a hand to pass on the power.

The first OFA user is saved by the second who offered his hand to him. Funnily enough they resemble Deku and Bakugou, even AFO notes it. Whether it's the reincarnation of their will, or just visual parallels, the first OFA transfer happened because a person reached out to another. The manga's message is that one's soul can be saved if they are willing to accept the help others offer and are willing to change themselves for the better. Endeavor and Bakugou both died symbolically to reborn as better people. Shoto was able to reach Touya in order to save his soul. it doesn't mean the villains will be model citizens after these acts, but it's more about the spiritual cleansing of their souls, even if they die.

Deku offered his hand to Bakugou who refused to take it and went down on the path of bad. Years later, Bakugou understands that even if they are the ones who know each other the best, both of them misunderstood the other and regrets not accepting Deku's kindness. He apologizes surrounded by rain. a great call-back to how he was drenched in water and Deku willingly did the same to help him - now Bakugou lets the water cleanse his soul while he shows his most vulnerable side to the person he was afraid of and hurt the most. It really shows how Horikoshi was able to build a great narrative centered around one simple, seemingly unimportant moment that happened between two kids. It has become a great scene that highlights the problems of the hero society, how characters become heroes by offering help to those who need it, and how one can change by atoning for their sins (like what we see with Endeavor as well).

And most importantly, the river scene tells us how one doesn't need a quirk to be a hero if they have a selfless heart, and how Deku has always been and always will be a hero even if he loses OFA.

Please please please make a prediction about how the story will unfold starting from chapter 127 in Aslfua. I am a big fan of your theorie

Well, this is a difficult quiestion, but I will try to answer it. First of all, I believe everything depends on the author's intentions. I've read her previous webtoon, Cheese in the Trap, and I must say she has grown a lot as a storyteller and artist. Unripe Apples, in my opinion, is her best work so far in terms of characters, storytelling and symbolism. From the very start the ending had two different outcomes, at least the part of the ending most readers seem to care about - whether Cheol and Miae will end up together. The author has hinted the possibility of them parting ways since the very first chapters; in fact, when I read the narrator's parts it always feels like the narrator is looking back at the past, recalling fleeting moments that were important to the characters once. It's deliberately like an adult talking to children, noting how their age and inexperience about the world shape who they are in the storyline. Of course, the creator might have wanted them to end up together from the start, or maybe fan reactions and personal opinions could have changed her mind, maybe she always wanted a bittersweet ending and will stick with it - who knows. It will all depend on what she will emphasize in the upcoming part of the story, either way it will be fine.

As for other aspects of the story, I have lots of theories and have read other interesting ones as well.

In my previous post I talked about how ASLFUA should be read as a growth story instead of a romance. Like there are certain people we have to meet in our lives as if it was fated in order to learn from them. If we use this mindset, we can say that differents parts of the story are about the struggles and emotional growth of different characters. Part 1, ending with Miae's birthday, is mainly Cheol's story. It deals with his insecurities, problems and he matures significantly by the end of the first part. One of my personal favourite scenes is when he's just sitting next to the trash, broken, without any hope for the future - it's a visually impressive and tragic scene about a teenager who carries a heavy weight too big for a child. Part two, ending with ch126, is mostly about the changing friendship between Cheol and Miae, and the start of Miae's growth as a person. It is also the first time Jisu gets a center role in the story. Interestingly, characters who are acknowledged by the main characters and start to be a significant presence in their lives get their faces revealed. It's a funny visual solution, because it shows the focus of these kids - one who can expand their world and be a part of it is treated differently than those who are not. Jisu's face wasn't shown before simply because he wasn't the focus of Miae's limited world, once she acknowledged him as a person and learned his name his face was revealed. Part 3, in my opinion, starting from 127 will put more focus on Jisu as a character. There are multiple signs of him being a significant character from the very first chapter.

Jisu is an interesting case though, because we know almost nothing about him. It's pretty obvious that he parallels Cheol in many ways, they are opposites in almost everything. If the story becomes darker as the end of the year approaches, Jisu's backstory might not be as happy as some might first believed. There are numerous theories about him, I've also mentioned some of them before, like how he might be neurodivergent, a son of divorced parents, or maybe even abused. Some of these might be present at the same time, e.g. if he's on the spectrum he might be abused and bullied because of it, people who are different are always easy targets for those who want to abuse their power. Let's not forget his reactions when he was hit by the teacher and it became a running gag with Miae thinking he enjoys the pain - but if you reaaaaaally look at his expression and what he says about it the signs are all there, especially for those who have experienced similar treatment in the past. Jisu enduring all that might be his way of defiance for all we know. Considering that he has started to appear more since part2 and has been featured in ads and promotional arts, I would say his story will take central stage in part3 and will be the catalyst to Miae's growth as a person, in what exact way it remains to be seen.

Cheol and Miae will probably have an awkard relationship after the kiss without real resolution, but will still see each other in the summer. The bully from Cheol's old school will be back for sure, hopefully this time Cheol will ask help from his family and not act alone on the matter. I don't believe the academy kids will be featured that much, but I can imagine a Sora miniarc which could also take a darker turn. They will all have to say goodbye very soon with the end of the year approaching. I don't believe many of them will go to the same high school which ties to my theory that the story is about making connections in different parts of our lives. If Cheol chooses to go back to the countryside it won't be because he's still afraid and wants to hide from others - it will be because he likes being there. About Cheol and Miae the real question is whether they can grow together or if they have a different path they have to take. If it's not in the cards, it's not their fault, they are still kids after all. But if they are destined to be together I think the author will make them both mature together and communicate more about their feelings. I will be able to say more once the new season starts, but I guess these are the most important thematic points the story needs to address. :)

You’re theories r good 😭please can u do more

I just posted something, I hope you'll ike it :)

Exploring ASLFUA Through Symbolism - The Importance of Year 1999

Hello guys! :) I'm so happy for all the messages that I've received, and while many of you asked me to post theories, this one will rather be an observation about Unripe Apples, but I hope it will be interesting enough. :)

To start off, many people have noticed that the year the story takes place in, 1999, is referenced in the Korean title of After School Lessons. While it might seem insignificant at first, I firmly believe that there is a connection between what happens in the world and Miae's personal growth story. Let me explain.

The importance of 1999

1999 was a symbolic year for many reasons. It was the last year of the century, and many people celebrated the beginning of a new millenium (even if there are arguments supporting 2001 as the start of it). When something long ends, it means that something new also starts. 1999 was a transition period in the minds of many - some people believed the end of the year would sign the end of humanity, like how it was highlighted in the first chapters of the webtoon as a joke. So aside from the obvious change in years, it also had a spritual aspect - ending one part of your old life, and starting anew as a different person, also moving on. Does it sound familiar? Because this is exactly what happens to Miae in the story.

Miae is in a transition period in her life - middle school is soon ending and she has to go to high school. She meets someone from her childhood who becomes her first love. And most importantly, Miae grows as a person while meeting new people and understanding their perspectives (or so she probably will, more about this later on). As a new century starts, Miae has to say goodbye to old friends and embrace new challenges. Which, if my prediction is correct, will mark the end of the story. The end of the year will mean a stage of Miae's life also concludes, while a new chapter will start (high school, new friends, new experiences, etc.) But how is it really presented for us readers?

The world revolves around Miae - until it doesn't

While Cheol and Miae are both protagonists of the story, one could argue Miae gets the most focus in the narrative. We see most of her thoughts, her memories, her interactions with others, her family, etc. While Cheol's growth is a big part of the story, his development is nearly concluded at the end of the first part. Cheol gains confidence, friends, he becomes more expressive, he falls in love. What we can expect from him is his confrontation with the school bully and the resolution of his romance with Miae. Cheol seems immature at first, but with Miae's help he learns and matures. On the other hand, Miae seemingly becomes more immature as the story progresses. It sounds contradictory, because I've just said she was the catalyst to Cheol's growth and has helped him understand when he was wrong. But Miae's world is limited, and it becomes even more obvious as the story unfolds.

Like any kid, Miae has problems that seem trivial for adults, but were probably concerns for a lot of us when we were at her age. She has to study although she hates it, likes hanging out with her friends and read comic books, wants to buy new things and falls in love. Her life is seemingly like a comic book - she feels like the protagonist, every encounter with Cheol feels fateful, and she can, even if it requires effort, befriend anyone and understand them. Like any other teenager, Miae feels like the center of her own universe and thinks the world is ending when she experiences negative feelings. It's part of growing up, and it is perfectly illustrated by the comic about the neighbours next door in the story. But growing up also means looking beyond our own limited world. While her encounters with Cheol seem like it was their destiny, many of them were created because of their families (Cheol's family moving there was probably because of their friendship, Cheol got his room because his sister wanted to tease him,etc.) Growing up means that you have to understand that not everything will go your way and not everything stays the same. Growing up means dealing with people whom you cannot understand and might not like you. And most importantly, you learn that life is not a fairy tale and conflicts do not get resolved without communication and feelings won't be understood unless you express them. Which is one of Miae's biggest weaknesses and the source of her immaturity.

Enter Seo Jisu

This is not a shipping post and I love all the characters, so please spare me before I get cancelled. Seo Jisu enters at the perfect time in the story, when Miae starts to lose her sense of boundaries as her feelings for Cheol keep growing. Although Jisu was in the story since the first chapter, Miae's limited universe did not acknowldege him even though they were classmates. She did not know his name, his reputation at school, doesn't remember him from her childhood and doesn't seem to care about him at all. But why did he enter at the perfect moment?

Like I've said, Cheol's catalyst was Miae, but Miae's world was still too small, revolving around Cheol too much. She was still insesitive in many ways and immature. Enter Jisu, Miae's catalyst for personal growth. Jisu is a challenge for Miae just like Miae was for Cheol, no surprise they mirror each other (Miae saying the same thing to Jisu as what Cheol said to Miae is the perfect example.) Miae cannot understand him, she thinks he's weird and wants him to stop following her (sounds familiar?) and makes assumptions about him without trying to talk or get to know him. And while Cheol put in effort to better his relationship with Miae, she does not do the same for Jisu. Jisu is a glitch in the system, one that was not expected and shakes her peaceful days (just like how Miae was the same for Cheol) However, Jisu's presence becomes an important learning opportunity for Miae. There's a reason why I think it was necessary to add him as a potential love interest even if there were already great candidates. And it's because Jisu is mature in ways Miae isn't. The perfect example is when he told her to stop interrupting the confession. And she thought about his words after the incident, and felt ashamed when she was talking to the girl who wanted to confess. And what would happen, let's say, if she realized Jisu was different because of his own circumstances, and not because he wanted to bully her? She knew Cheol wasn't a gangster because she knew him personally. For Miae's world to expand, she needs to make her own efforts and understand others.

The universe seems to like Miae, and interacts with her multiple times in her dreams. Miae is a precious child of the world who is loved, but needs guidance. Right now, as we approach the end of the year the story takes place in, Miae needs to mature and be ready for a new phase of her life. Whether the transition period will end with something (like her and Cheol parting ways) or start with something new (Miae and Cheol getting together at the end of 1999 and running around in circles through the majority of the year) - it doesn't matter. What matters is how she will develop as a person and what she will learn. It's beyond a simple love triangle, it's about people who inspire and help each other and learn from their mistakes. They are kids, they keep changing. The best way is to read ASLFUA as a growth story, not as a romance series, because at the end of the day what matters are the connections these kids create with each other and the memories they make.

Please do an analysis and theorize the latest chapter, chapter 126 where the biggest cliffhanger happened in Aslfua. I just love your theories so so much🙂

I won't make this post long because I don't want it to be controversial, but I feel like we are far from the end of the story. Logically speaking, the Korean title also includes the year 1999 and we are only halfway through that year. Considering the series will possibly end with a new century starting (metaphor of Miae growing up and entering high school - I want to include this in my next post because it's such a great parallel), we still have half a year to fill in.

Now, if we look at unresolved plot points if Cheol and Miae get together, there are not a lot:

Cheol's story with the bully from middle school

Jisu's whole past with Miae and how she will remember it + Jisu's backstory and why he's so disengaged

Possible Sora miniarc??

Resolution to the Cheol/Miae relationship (preferably soon so the story doesn't get repetitive - but at the end of the year the latest before graduation). Hopefully a real talk about their feelings without childish jealousy fits and avoiding each other.

Other than these, the story basically won't have substance. Cheol getting jealous at Jisu is already getting old, and Miae and Cheol have kept going around in circles for so long, it would be unwise to still make them run away from their feelings as the writing is concerned. There's not much the author can spend on their actual relationship because they are still kids so we wouldn't be able to see a drastic change either with the remaining time left of the story. Also, looking at the kids' profile, Miae had her birthday first from the main trio while Cheol will in September, followed by Jisu in November. Considering that Jisu is probably the third main character (he also appeared in the last two ads), it might not be a coincidence the year almost ends with his birthday.

So, if you are asking me, I would say there will definitely be more twists, otherwise we would be out of plot points very quickly and it seems like the story is not close to ending. So basically anything is possible at this point 🙂 or maybe I'm wrong, could be😅 we will have to see

Thank you for your kind words!🙂

Do you still read ASLFUA? I love your posts on it. 🙂

Yes, I still do. 🙂 I just figured out how to allow asks on Tumblr, glad you could use it. I'm planning to write more posts, I'm waiting to see what will happen in the next few chapters. There's one post in plans about the parallels of Jisu and Cheol in the story and fate, hopefully you will like it (it won't be romance-centered, but rather about the narrative).🙂

Seo Jisu Character Analysis (ASLFUA)

After the latest chapter of Unripe Apples (117), I felt like I had to write this post because of the immense hate this character received. I personally find him the most interesting part of the series because in order to understand his actions, you need to put all the pieces of the puzzle together that the author has given us from the very first chapter. I've seen posts about him being a "bully" or "an unserious funny guy" and I found these pretty bad interpretations of his place in the story as of now.

Let me explain. In my opinion, there's a high possibility that Jisu is on the autistic spectrum. Let's look at all the clues that can lead to this conclusion.

Physical appearance

Jisu has an "expressionless" face from his very first appearance. He also has his mouth open a lot of times, especially when he's supposed to emotionally react to a certain situation or he doesn't understand something. These are typical signs of people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We can also see that even when he's feeling more extreme emotions, such as surprise, his facial expressions don't change significantly like in the case of other characters, the change is always slight. It's probably important, as all the other characters show a wider range of emotions with their faces, and we are talking about a manhwa where body language is clearly important (like how Miae or Cheol walk, for example, tells a lot about their characters).

Behavioral patterns and personality

Let's quickly get one thing out of the way - if Jisu is indeed on the spectrum, then saying that he's an unserious guy or immature or a bully is insensitive and a bad misinterpretation of his character. Autistic people are not immature, sometimes they even deal with stronger emotions than most people, but they have a hard time expressing these feelings. Just because they seem expressionless doesn't mean they are ignorant, it means that they see the world in a different way, which is not a problem. Miae doesn't need to make "a man out of him" and other weird takes I've seen in the last few days.

Having clarified this, let's look at some things that Jisu does in the story that could show us he might be neurodivergent.

-We see that Jisu is often sleeping and yawning in the story, even as a kid. For neurodivergent people, sighing and yawning are not only the signs of boredom/tiredness, but also tools for emotional regulation. Autistic fatigue is a real thing and it can be caused by many things like major life changes, sensory overload or even prolonged interactions at work or school. Some autistic people do not even notice that they are yawning until someone points it out to them. He also sometimes looks away while talking to Miae (like in ch117)

-Jisu is shown to have exceptional mental capabilities, it wouldn't be an overstatement to say he might be a genius. Many people on the autism spectrum have higher-than-average intelligence and Jisu clearly has exceptional capabilities if he could earn the first place in school without much effort. He also knows the names of all his previous classmates as shown in ch 117 so he seems to be good at memorizing factual information.

It connects to my previous point, but Jisu has his own unique way of perceiving the world and other people find it hard to understand. Even among his schoolmates, Jisu is famous for his "unique" personality, as Miae's friend points it out. Miae sometimes doesn't understand what Jisu wants to communicate and she ends up misinterpreting his intentions, the latest chapter was the biggest proof of this. Here's the thing, Jisu doesn't know that what he did annoyed Miae. He seems to have trouble understanding social clues and is genuinely surprised when Miae calls him a bully - because he never felt like he was bullying her. He always asks back when she's accusing him of something ("Me?" "Is that true?") because he cannot understand why she's saying those things about him. He isn't trying to be rude, he's simply confused, and Miae takes it the wrong way because she's an impulsive person. Jisu talks in a blunt way and his way of showing remorse is also strange to Miae, the best example is when he flipped over the plant just to prove that he wasn't bullying her.

-Jisu also seems to take things literally, like when Miae told him to stop yawning or when she told him she would twist his arms if he put them on her desk. Like many people with ASD, he seems to observe others and imitate their behavioral patterns, like when he imitated the way Miae was walking and she thought he was bullying her. He simply said that her way of walking was interesting. Talking about interesting, Jisu finds his coincidental meetings with Miae fun and interesting and it ties with the fact that neurodivergent people can have unique "fixations" including fixations on people. Jisu finds these occasions fun, but fails to read the social clues that Miae is bothered by it. While Jisu seems to avoid socialization at school and is mainly alone most times, it might seem strange that he has a fixation on Miae, but for autistic people this contradiction is not weird at all. She was also the person who helped him as a kid, so the theory that Jisu showed her how to count airplanes doesn't seem far-fetched knowing that it's indeed a pretty unique habit. In conclusion, Jisu was probably not even aware that he was being rude, because he just wanted to get close to Miae and found her fun. He even apologized in ch117 for not understanding her feelings.

So, extra thoughts quickly:

Jisu is not immature, he actually seems to have mature thoughts, but has trouble picking up social clues like how he should behave normally (that's why we see him doing all that ninja-stunt and hiding in the bush), and he cannot seem to realize that his direct approach to Miae seems excessive to other people. People on the spectrum are NOT immature, they won't magically change and they do not do a lot of things intentionally. Jisu seems to be pretty wise as well, he can see situations rationally like when Miae wanted to disrupt the faceless girl's confession (sorry, forgot the name)

So, what's his role in the story?

In my opinion, he's definitely the catalyst to Miae's growth as a person. Ch 115 even calls Miae out saying that Cheol has changed a lot, is it Miae's time to grow? Miae was Cheol's catalyst for sure, she brought him out of his shell, encouraged to make friends at school etc. But what about Miae? Sure, she has a few moments when she reflected on her actions when she was with Cheol, but she didn't mature significantly, whether people accept it or not she's still emotionally immature in many ways. It's not a coincidence in my opinion that the relationship between Jisu and Miae parallels the Cheol-Miae dynamic, in ch 117 Miae even used the same words and expression Cheol once told her ("Don't act like we're friends.") Let's just quickly look at some things where Miae's immaturity could be felt:

Miae is a messy person, doesn't clean her room and loses her stuff. She's forced to clean the school because Jisu didn't understand her frustrations, so SHE had to be the responsible one. Cheol always says that he will take responsibility for her, but Miae needs to be responsible on her own. Same goes to when she wanted to teach Jisu. Miae doesn't take her studies seriously, is often distracted, but she had to be responsible (even if it was not her choice and felt betrayed)

But most importantly, Miae thinks about Jisu's advice whether she hates him or not. Two good examples: when he called her out on her relationship with Cheol while they were cleaning; and when he stopped her from interrupting the confession. Deep down, Miae knows that Jisu was right, but she's too prideful to admit it. Jisu doesn't want Miae to be the "weird" girl probably because he was also bullied for being "weird."

Miae is also very impulsive, which is not necessarily a bad thing but she keeps hitting Jisu for the reason that he annoys her. But what if, she realizes, he indeed meant no harm, wouldn't she feel bad? We are shown that she used to hit kids who made fun of her, but as you grow up, violence is not the answer. You have to be level-headed in situations even when you feel angry. And understanding Jisu's intentions might be the first step to achieve that.

So, these are just my speculations, could be totally wrong as always, but I'm interested in what others think.

Edit:: it's not my purpose to diagnose these characters, but there are enough clues in the story to conclude that Jisu is indeed neurodivergent. Obviously, these traits are not strictly connected to ASD, this is just a theory, and I do not condone any hate on teenagers, even if they are fictional, so please refrain from doing so. Miae also shows signs of ADHD, but there's a possibility these things won't get addressed directly as the story takes place in the 90s.

Edit2:: I feel like the latest chapter on Naver(124) reinforced this theory again. Jisu was not simply angry, he was livid. Most people on the spectrum find it difficult to regulate their feelings, especially anger. It can lead to outbursts or even meltdowns, just think about how Jisu wanted to hit Cheol and how intense his reaction was compared to his usual behaviour. It definitely felt like an outburst. Also, have you guys seen how often he avoids eye contact since I first made this post?

(Btw, for those who say that Jisu's biggest problem was that he couldn't catch Miae - I feel like it had to do more with the fact that he almost smashed his head into the ground and was humiliated in front of everybody. We know that he was bullied as a kid so it's no surprise he felt intense anger, even his head kept hurting from the fall.)

Unripe Apples Rant

I feel like I really have to get this off my chest, but lately I feel like the international aslfua fandom is full of immature adults, like... why would you hate on a fictional 14-year-old boy simply because he likes a girl he met in elementary school??? Are you telling me, that as a full-grown adult, you have the right to make fun of his height, his face, his actions, just because he's in the way of your favourite relationship which includes two teenagers?? Like, hello?? It's incredibly childish and honestly, gross.

And about Jisu's role in the story, we almost now nothing as of now. There's definitely a deep reason when a 14-year-old kid all of a sudden becomes incredibly disengaged and unmotivated. As someone who has worked in education, it's a very alarming sign that should raise a lot of red flags for teachers. However, the teachers that we see in the story are failing as educators. The homeroom teacher noticed that there's a problem, and in these cases it is indeed not a bad idea to try to involve another student who's seemingly close to the other, but her approach was just bad. She basically threatened Miae to make Jisu's grades better, obviously if someone can feel that the other is not genuinely interested in helping them, they won't open up easily. And let's not even talk about the other teacher who keeps hitting him. From his reactions, it's even possible that he has some complicated family matters, his face darkened when the teacher kept hitting him so I wouldn't rule out ab*se as a possibility. And most international readers are like "How dare he talk to Miae" or "what a loser lol Cheol should just hit him" -> why???? Someone won't magically change after one week because Miae is forced to help him. If he got zero points, there was definitely something behind it. I couldn't care less who ends up with whom, but I've had enough of grown up adults humiliating a young teenage boy. A lot of readers on Naver are adults who admit that they don't have high expectations when romantic relationships are concerned, because the main characters are basically kids (well, compared to us, adults lol). They are just there for the growth story and the nostalgia factor. Why can't the international fandom do the same?

I didn't forget about it, I just simply remembered my own experiences as a teenager and decided that it wasn't important to my post. When I was younger I also had people around me who were the most important to me at that time. It was then, and it's not true know. It's possible Cheol will be the most important person to 16-year-old Miae, and later it will be someone else. Or it will be always Cheol, like I said, the ending could go either ways. People come and go in our lives, it's sad but it's reality. And sometimes we grow apart, but it doesn't make a relationship that was once important any less meaningful. And because it's a growth story above anything else, I can imagine an ending like this.

ASLFUA ending theory

I’ve recently re-read this webtoon, along with the Korean raws, so there will be SPOILERS for those who are not up-to-date with it. I will also compare it the the Korean drama, 25 21, so if someone hasn’t watched it, please skip those sections. Thank you. :)

So, let’s start off by clarifying that I love After School Lessons for Unripe Apples. I adore the relationship between Cheol and Miae, and I love them both as characters. I need to address this here, because otherwise some might think this is a hate post. It is not. What I will conclude at the end of my post is my interpretation of how the story will end, and it is an objective conclusion, not my subjective feelings. Please understand before accusing me of favoring certain characters over others. 

This webtoon is very similar to the Korean hit-drama, 25 21 in many ways. They are both set in the same time period, they are about youth and friendship, and are centered around a boy and a girl and their blossoming relationship. The girl is positive about life, full of energy with an eccentric personality, while the boy is more cautious because of his own bad experiences in the past, and he starts to see the beauty of life again and be more himself after meeting the girl. Of course, these similarities are coincidental as we know that Unripe Apples was published before 25 21. At the beginning of 25 21, we get to know that the main characters are no longer together in the future. Despite hoping that the narrative will keep them together, we have to resign to the fact that the show will be about their youth and they will eventually get separated. Let’s not talk about how that happened, because the execution was quite clumsy, but the main idea is the following: two young people meet when they need each other the most at a certain point in their lives - they develop a friendship which later becomes romantic love - life and circumstances force them apart, and the love they shared will only be a memory while they experience new things. Now, let’s look at what we know about Aslfua:

In the second chapter of the webtoon, we are told that Cheol is someone Miae will never forget. This message is reinforced again in chapter 4, when they end up being in the same class. This leaves the readers wondering: why is the wording like this? In fact, the meaning is the same in the original Korean text. If Miae and Cheol get married one day, why are we told that she would never forget him? Because, if the foreshadowing is intentional, Miae and Cheol will one day part ways. I know that it is hard to imagine for us readers, who watch their story unfold in front of our very eyes, but this is a very likely outcome. From the very beginning, Cheol is introduced in every way as Miae’s first love. Miae often compares their moments together to the comic she reads, My First Love Next Door Is Number One. The comic is a blatant symbol of their relationship- they live next door, the main character is like Cheol, and he is the first love of the girl. The narrative keeps emphasizing when something significant happens, that Cheol and Miae are 16 years old, with sentences like “this is the age when everything is embarrassing”. It’s not a coincidence in my opinion that the emphasis is always there. Because it keeps us not forgetting that this is a certain period in their lives, which will one day pass. But if they do not end up together, you may ask, what was the point?

Well, in my opinion, the story has always been about Miae and Cheol helping each other, while the romance has been secondary. Cheol meets Miae at the lowest point in his life. For him, meeting her is more than a romantic relationshp, meeting Miae is a start of a significant turn in his life. Cheol becomes friendlier, more expressive and acts more like a young boy. Miae, on the other hand, learns to be more responsible when she is with Cheol, and he helps her out many times. The time that they spend together might be short for all we know, but it is truly something they will never forget. Interesting that the author has drawn them together in high school, wouldn’t that be a spoiler at this point? Well, it wouldn’t if they do not go to the same high school, in this case it would be a what if scenario. There are also a lot of illustrations on her social media, but they are not strictly romantic. This leads me believe that while Cheol and Miae will indeed fall in love with each other, it will be just a short period of their lives. Yes, heartbreaking, but very realistic if you ask me (as an adult, I’m speaking from experience). 

So, here comes the more controversial part. If Cheol and Miae do not end up together, what about the other characters? It’s a very interesting question. Because, for a long time, the webtoon did not have a clear second male lead. Second male leads are usually introduced only for the sake of creating drama between the main characters. We know from the start that they will not end up with the main character, but they are usually fun people with an unrequited crush, who are introduced at the beginning as part of a love triangle.We could observe the same pattern in Cheese in the Trap, the author’s other work. In Ho was shortly introduced after the male lead,they had a personal grudge against each other, fell in love with the same girl, etc. He was included in promotional art, but it was obvious he was destined to lose.

Let’s look at Unripe Apples from the same perspective. Jinseop is shortly introduced after Cheol, he has a fun personality and personal connections to Cheol. Does he end up as the second ml? No.He seems like the perfect candidate, but he only becomes Miae’s friend without romantic feelings. What about Jungwook? He’s Cheol’s friend, goes to the same academy as Mae, he is handsome and kind, another perfect candidate. But no. He never has any romantic feelings towards Miae. So, here comes the strange part. We are introduced to a boy way long into the story, Seo Jisu. His apperance seems random at that point of the narrative until we realize: but he has been there all along. In fact, if Korean theories are true, he has been in the story since chapter 1. Miae gets back her pencil, but it wasn’t Cheol’s doing. Soemone drags Miae away from the crowd at the sports festival. She dances with a faceless guy who keeps saying random things. They are sent out to the corridor for not paying attention. He finds Miae’s nametag and wears it. And, if the theories are true from the Korean raws, he went to the same elementary school and confessed he liked her in front of the whole class before transferring. So, this guy was truly everywhere in the narrative even before we were aware of his existence. But why?

If he was truly destined to be the second ml, why wasn’t he introduced earlier? Why was this character needed when we already had at least two boys who could have fulfilled the same role? Jinseop already created tension between the main characters, so what was the reason? Also, Jisu is weirdly separated from certain parts of the story. He doesn’t go to the academy, in fact, we never see him outside school. Jinseop is tied to Cheol’s past, and we see him a lot outside of school with Miae. And how does Miae see Jisu? She thinks he’s weird, while others characters think the same of her. Even though they recently made connection, she looks at him a lot, while they are not even friends. Miae had already had a lot of male friends from the cast, why was one more added? And why don’t we know anything about him? 

Well, here comes the final conclusion. I think Jisu will be the one Miae will stay with at the end. Otherwise I do not see why the author chose to drop so many hints of him even before his introduction if it wasn’t going to be important. If Cheol and Miae get separated, which is supported by the narrative, the most likely outcome is that she introduced Jisu to be Miae’s final love interest. Again, I’m not saying this because I prefer him over Cheol. I love both characters. I relate a lot to Cheol. It is my objective conclusion based on the narrative, if the author wants to portay a realistic coming-of-age story. It would be pointless if she created Jisu’s character only to create drama at that late point of the story, and honestly, bad writing, especially with how she built up his character in the background. Obviously, I can be wrong. The story will still be good even I’m wrong. But it’s an interesting possibility to think about. 

ASLFUA spoilers

It would be so wholesome if we could see Jisu's face as a kid when Miae finally remembers him T.T

ASLFUA ending theory

I’ve recently re-read this webtoon, along with the Korean raws, so there will be SPOILERS for those who are not up-to-date with it. I will also compare it the the Korean drama, 25 21, so if someone hasn’t watched it, please skip those sections. Thank you. :)

So, let’s start off by clarifying that I love After School Lessons for Unripe Apples. I adore the relationship between Cheol and Miae, and I love them both as characters. I need to address this here, because otherwise some might think this is a hate post. It is not. What I will conclude at the end of my post is my interpretation of how the story will end, and it is an objective conclusion, not my subjective feelings. Please understand before accusing me of favoring certain characters over others. 

This webtoon is very similar to the Korean hit-drama, 25 21 in many ways. They are both set in the same time period, they are about youth and friendship, and are centered around a boy and a girl and their blossoming relationship. The girl is positive about life, full of energy with an eccentric personality, while the boy is more cautious because of his own bad experiences in the past, and he starts to see the beauty of life again and be more himself after meeting the girl. Of course, these similarities are coincidental as we know that Unripe Apples was published before 25 21. At the beginning of 25 21, we get to know that the main characters are no longer together in the future. Despite hoping that the narrative will keep them together, we have to resign to the fact that the show will be about their youth and they will eventually get separated. Let’s not talk about how that happened, because the execution was quite clumsy, but the main idea is the following: two young people meet when they need each other the most at a certain point in their lives - they develop a friendship which later becomes romantic love - life and circumstances force them apart, and the love they shared will only be a memory while they experience new things. Now, let’s look at what we know about Aslfua:

In the second chapter of the webtoon, we are told that Cheol is someone Miae will never forget. This message is reinforced again in chapter 4, when they end up being in the same class. This leaves the readers wondering: why is the wording like this? In fact, the meaning is the same in the original Korean text. If Miae and Cheol get married one day, why are we told that she would never forget him? Because, if the foreshadowing is intentional, Miae and Cheol will one day part ways. I know that it is hard to imagine for us readers, who watch their story unfold in front of our very eyes, but this is a very likely outcome. From the very beginning, Cheol is introduced in every way as Miae’s first love. Miae often compares their moments together to the comic she reads, My First Love Next Door Is Number One. The comic is a blatant symbol of their relationship- they live next door, the main character is like Cheol, and he is the first love of the girl. The narrative keeps emphasizing when something significant happens, that Cheol and Miae are 16 years old, with sentences like “this is the age when everything is embarrassing”. It’s not a coincidence in my opinion that the emphasis is always there. Because it keeps us not forgetting that this is a certain period in their lives, which will one day pass. But if they do not end up together, you may ask, what was the point?

Well, in my opinion, the story has always been about Miae and Cheol helping each other, while the romance has been secondary. Cheol meets Miae at the lowest point in his life. For him, meeting her is more than a romantic relationshp, meeting Miae is a start of a significant turn in his life. Cheol becomes friendlier, more expressive and acts more like a young boy. Miae, on the other hand, learns to be more responsible when she is with Cheol, and he helps her out many times. The time that they spend together might be short for all we know, but it is truly something they will never forget. Interesting that the author has drawn them together in high school, wouldn’t that be a spoiler at this point? Well, it wouldn’t if they do not go to the same high school, in this case it would be a what if scenario. There are also a lot of illustrations on her social media, but they are not strictly romantic. This leads me believe that while Cheol and Miae will indeed fall in love with each other, it will be just a short period of their lives. Yes, heartbreaking, but very realistic if you ask me (as an adult, I’m speaking from experience). 

So, here comes the more controversial part. If Cheol and Miae do not end up together, what about the other characters? It’s a very interesting question. Because, for a long time, the webtoon did not have a clear second male lead. Second male leads are usually introduced only for the sake of creating drama between the main characters. We know from the start that they will not end up with the main character, but they are usually fun people with an unrequited crush, who are introduced at the beginning as part of a love triangle.We could observe the same pattern in Cheese in the Trap, the author’s other work. In Ho was shortly introduced after the male lead,they had a personal grudge against each other, fell in love with the same girl, etc. He was included in promotional art, but it was obvious he was destined to lose.

Let’s look at Unripe Apples from the same perspective. Jinseop is shortly introduced after Cheol, he has a fun personality and personal connections to Cheol. Does he end up as the second ml? No.He seems like the perfect candidate, but he only becomes Miae’s friend without romantic feelings. What about Jungwook? He’s Cheol’s friend, goes to the same academy as Mae, he is handsome and kind, another perfect candidate. But no. He never has any romantic feelings towards Miae. So, here comes the strange part. We are introduced to a boy way long into the story, Seo Jisu. His apperance seems random at that point of the narrative until we realize: but he has been there all along. In fact, if Korean theories are true, he has been in the story since chapter 1. Miae gets back her pencil, but it wasn’t Cheol’s doing. Soemone drags Miae away from the crowd at the sports festival. She dances with a faceless guy who keeps saying random things. They are sent out to the corridor for not paying attention. He finds Miae’s nametag and wears it. And, if the theories are true from the Korean raws, he went to the same elementary school and confessed he liked her in front of the whole class before transferring. So, this guy was truly everywhere in the narrative even before we were aware of his existence. But why?

If he was truly destined to be the second ml, why wasn’t he introduced earlier? Why was this character needed when we already had at least two boys who could have fulfilled the same role? Jinseop already created tension between the main characters, so what was the reason? Also, Jisu is weirdly separated from certain parts of the story. He doesn’t go to the academy, in fact, we never see him outside school. Jinseop is tied to Cheol’s past, and we see him a lot outside of school with Miae. And how does Miae see Jisu? She thinks he’s weird, while others characters think the same of her. Even though they recently made connection, she looks at him a lot, while they are not even friends. Miae had already had a lot of male friends from the cast, why was one more added? And why don’t we know anything about him? 

Well, here comes the final conclusion. I think Jisu will be the one Miae will stay with at the end. Otherwise I do not see why the author chose to drop so many hints of him even before his introduction if it wasn’t going to be important. If Cheol and Miae get separated, which is supported by the narrative, the most likely outcome is that she introduced Jisu to be Miae’s final love interest. Again, I’m not saying this because I prefer him over Cheol. I love both characters. I relate a lot to Cheol. It is my objective conclusion based on the narrative, if the author wants to portay a realistic coming-of-age story. It would be pointless if she created Jisu’s character only to create drama at that late point of the story, and honestly, bad writing, especially with how she built up his character in the background. Obviously, I can be wrong. The story will still be good even I’m wrong. But it’s an interesting possibility to think about.