Writer/Colorist: AngryMonster
Illustrator: HmmYongYong
Translator: Stacy Chi
Publisher: TappyToon (under license from C&C Revolution Inc.)
WHAT IS IT?
A musician and a farmhand must navigate an unexpected summer companionship in this slice-of-life BL (boy’s love) webtoon*.
Think Stardew Valley meets Silver Spoon.
WHAT’S IT ABOUT?
(Minor Spoilers)
Sun Yool is a stressed-out law student who decides to head to his grandfather’s house in the countryside to look after the property during summer break. He hopes the fresh air and the chance to unwind will do him some much-needed good. His peaceful retreat is soon disrupted by repeated awkward encounters with bumbling farmhand Yechan who lives down the way by the peach farm. The extroverted, socially awkward, tractor-loving Yechan soon becomes persistent in his attempts to drag Sun Yool out into the fields.
Over the coming weeks, the two develop a friendship, one that Sun Yool desperately needs after leaving a rocky relationship and a complicated home life behind in Seoul. Yechan, however, realizes this prickly city boy may have stolen his heart and has no idea how to handle it. Will Sun Yool be able to let go of the past through the healing power of this bumbling himbo’s innocent personality, or is he forever cursed to walk the path that others have laid out before him? Only the slow simmer of summer can tell in season one of Love Tractor.
WHAT WORKS?
HmmYongYong has a whimsical tone to their art. The character designs are on the realistic side, but the sketchy, almost painted style that’s used through the webtoon enhances the summery aesthetic.
AngryMonster complements the art style with a soft color palette. The airy feeling adds to the expansive countryside setting and invokes a sense of wanderlust for greener pastures. The coloring is simply stunning, every panel feels vibrant. When a moment is meant to be felt heavily you instantly do, especially the scenes in the aquarium and when Sun Yool plays music.
AngryMonster has crafted an enjoyable slice-of-life story that is simple and captivating. The cast is charming and the main duo subverts the typical stereotypes of common BL webtoons/manhwa**. The relationship between Sun Yool and Yechan is very wholesome and feels natural, and the supporting cast captures the small town feeling with their warm personalities.
Chi was thorough with the translation, especially tackling a series with as much lettering as this one has (both in dialogue and sound effects). It’s free of grammatical errors and you can tell extra care was put into ensuring everything was accurate. The added footnotes to explain Korean terms that may not be common knowledge to western audiences is appreciated. It’s an easy read that’s quite smooth and enjoyable.
True to its slice-of-life nature, the webtoon leans more to the quirky, comedic side, which is accented by over-the-top expressions used to really hit the humorous high notes. It’s done in such a way that it isn’t distracting from the story and adds to the charm of the narrative.
The story is incredibly heartwarming. The journeys taken by both Yechan and Sun Yool are powerful, as one comes to realize the hardships that come with adulthood and the other comes to accept the power of pursuing his passions and self-love. It’s one of the rare gems that tends to focus on the positives and consistently leaves readers with the warm fuzzies.
The gardening aspect is actually quite accurate! I personally followed the step-by-steps guide provided in one of the chapters of how to check for ripeness and pick strawberries this last summer with my own strawberry plant and every berry was perfect.
WHAT DOESN’T WORK?
The webtoon contains some mild language, use of tobacco and alcohol, and some blood.
Conversations involving homophobia, Sun Yool's dealings with clinical anxiety, and acts of manipulation/co-dependency in a toxic relationship are very small themes, but they might be upsetting for some readers.
WHY SHOULD I READ IT?
Season one recently ended with a stunning fifty-three-chapter arc, so there’s no better time to pick up this binge-worthy slice-of-life webtoon as the summer months come to a close.
Bursting with wholesome moments and a slow-building, will-they/won’t-they relationship set against a backdrop of the Korean countryside, Love Tractor captures the joy of picking up a new farming sim for the first time. Delightful humor, beautiful environments, and good, old-fashioned farm living hits you with that sweet serotonin of childhood nostalgia of afternoons spent playing Harvest Moon.
Tapping into the underutilized genre of farming and agriculture (a setting and topic that I personally believe has great potential), Love Tractor satisfies that itch for those who have the desire to escape to the countryside. A story that doesn’t take itself too seriously, it touches on the importance of discovering what truly makes you happy and learning how to live life to the fullest with people who really understand you. Love Tractor is a breath of fresh air that captures the freedom of sweltering summers and young love. It is a must-read for anyone who’s tired of being cooped up and dreams of spending the afternoon amongst rolling hills and freshly picked peaches.
HOW DO I READ IT?
The image(s) used in this article are from a comic strip, webcomic or the cover or interior of a comic book. The copyright for this image(s) is likely owned by either the publisher of the comic, the writer(s) and/or artist(s) who produced the comic. It is believed that the use of this image(s) qualifies as fair use under the United States copyright law. The image is used in a limited fashion in an educational manner in order to illustrate the points of the author and not for the purpose of entertainment or substituting the original work. It is believed the use of this image has had no impact on the market value of the original work.
All AngryMonster/HmmYongYong characters and the distinctive likeness(es) thereof are trademarks of and copyright AngryMonster/HmmYongYong or their respective owners. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
*Webtoon - term for digital comics that originated in Korea, created specifically for scrolling on mobile devices
**Manhwa - traditional Korean print comics
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