Got Dropped into a Ghost Story, Still Gotta Work

It's good, not peak if you've experienced many classic novels of caliber, but it's still an entertaining read. The telltale signs of a writer limiting the story under certain guidelines that anyone can pick up on, such as important characters never dying (Ironic for a horror theme story featuring stuff like slashers), the protagonist having one or two Deus ex machine cards to play at any moment, and despite being a coward the protagonist doesn't obviously emit any such factors that causes him to fail as he should. Despite this, ... more>> the writing is perfectly paced, the problems unto solutions are entertaining, and the mysterious events unfolding are a wild ride, as one who expect of an author that has read classics before. I'd say this would fit perfectly as a 90s anime shounen mystery adventure title, it just feels like such a perfect fit in with these guidelines and expectations for the story as is. A novel worth reading over anything average, but not perfect as it's certainly something any jaded reader would catch the flaws and have their expectations permanently nonchalant in whatever the writer throws at us. <<less

It's so good!! Especially the translator's formatting! It gets me so immersed in the story, it hooked me and I couldn't stop reading. Every twist and turn is well done, unexpected, but also hinted at. I really feel bad for the MC he's not a gary stu, just a dork of a self-sacrificial guy even to an extreme extent. Another thing I LOVE about the story is how much of an unreliable narrator the MC, Kim Soleum, is and how much it actually lets us realize things aren't as okay as ... more>> we think them to be, specially if we keep the MC's character in mind. You think his behavior is inconsistent? Nope, he's always extremely cautious but cares about people. If he's not acting that way, something is wrong. Even the side characters are so well-written! Even when you don't see them a lot or hear them speak or act much, you get to infer a lot of their behavior from the small snippets that you do see. (I am a Sergeant J3 stan, Ilovehimsomuch.) Once again 100/10, many well wishes to the translator! <<less

As of this review, Part 1 is nearly completely translated. Please take this as a review of Part 1. It's quite a good story. The protagonist, Kim Soleum, comes off as a timid and cowardly pretender in his POV. However, it is easy to see that he's very reliable, intelligent, and kind-hearted. Kim Soleum is an extremely unreliable narrator due to his lack of self-esteem as well as significant outside influences, which makes re-reading past chapters very interesting once you learn certain plot points. It's easy to forget while reading that Kim Soleum is constantly terrified. He sacrifices the himself of today for this hypothetical future of safety, which leads to terrible but understandable decisions and unforeseeable consequences. Kim Soleum's fear prevents him from consciously recognizing how much the people who love him actually care for him, and what lengths they would go to protect or help him. Kim Soleum's fear also leads him to treat his relationships to those that he fears as transactional, or where he needs to establish a clear social hierarchy to feel safe, even when it is clear to us readers that it may not be necessary with certain entities. The surrounding cast is fantastic. We are limited by Kim Soleum's ''not my circus, not my monkeys' approach, but every major character is memorable and distinct. Characters can be good people but do terrible things for the sake of a greater purpose. Characters that are terrible people can be extremely friendly and helpful to the point we forget that they are morally incompatible to us. Notable side-characters are fleshed-out with care, and every single one is strange in their own fantastic way. Also, I think the men are all in love with/fascinated by Kim Soleum (half joking) ?? The office politics and competition between the three major factions is an interesting driving-force for the plot. Even when things go well for Kim Soleum in the supernatural scenarios, it is always hard-won and come with lasting consequences. Some Critiques: A downside to a fantastic cast is that it's a bit obvious when the author introduces a character to serve as cannon-fodder. RIP cannon fodder. There are plot points that feel like they were meant to be significant, but were forgotten about. The plot points that were intentionally left vague for future development are done well, but there are abandoned plot points that feel jarring and unintentional. On the other side of the spectrum, there are some reused plot points that were extremely convenient to the point of rolling your eyes instead of being clever. The flow of time feels a little unimportant, especially when it's over a significant length of time. There are important relationships that would have benefited from developing on-screen rather than glossed over after a time-skip. There are also relationships that logically should have progressed due to the amount of development they get on-screen, but don't due to a desired dynamic that feels forced by the author. Overall I enjoyed reading part 1. I'll be waiting to read Part 2 to binge-read it all, because this is a novel that you don't want to put down once you start.

Unique and compelling world structure, plotline, and characters. Main character is relatable, yet takes initiative competently. Just like in debut and die, the intense life-and-death plotline and the emotional undertones in the relationships between the life-saving side characters and the MC touched me (and I'm not even into BL). This author is the top author that I spent by far the most money on to read his works on the translated then the official platforms.

Please read this novel. If you have any question as to whether or not you should, please just read this novel. This series isn't perfect. There's moments where it drags, the protagonist feels like he's getting through things a little too easy, and even parts where you might question whether reading it is worth it. ... more>> I promise you all these feelings will make sense/nullify themselfs. You just have to keep reading it. Do you like stories where on the second read through you pick up on clues to major events that occur way later in the series? Do you like suffering in knowing both too much about the plot and too little? Do you enjoy watching a protagonist slowly (or not so slowly) loose his mind over and over again? Then read this novel. In all seriousness GSGW is a really good story. The protagonist is a scaredy cat but that doesn't stop him from acting smart (if you've ever had an adrenaline rush while seriously afraid you know why this works), the characters are well written (even though in some cases it takes some time for them to be), and honestly this is the best story that I've read in a long while. I'm a prolific reader. I read hundreds of stories a year across different mediums. This one is good enough I actually read it every time a new chapter comes out, which is something I never do. That's how good it is. If anything I'd argue the major flaw with gsgw is that you kinda have to wait for the payoff in some senses and some people aren't willing to stick around for it. Everything makes sense. All the parts that you dislike because it feels s*upid or overpowered or whatever reason make sense. You just have to read it all. I anxiously await part 2. Hopefully you'll soon be anxiously awaiting it too. ＼ (&Gt;_<) ／ <<less

Genuinely one of the best Korean horror novels I have read. The horror isn’t the main focus for me, though. It’s the writing style and the side characters. The side characters are SO well fleshed out, I want to pull them out of the screen and hug them. I love the MCs dynamic with all of them (especially Braun). I honestly don’t understand why some people call the MC op or “too convenient”. If you were actually reading it, then you would see his character development and growth. Yes, he calls ... more>> himself a coward one too many times, but hasn’t the author already established the fact that MC is an unreliable narrator? Obviously MC is hiding something, his erratic thoughts and contradicting actions are huge red flags. also Spoiler he’s already gotten corrupted by Braun. There’s also a possibility that his original world was a ghost story (most popular theory so far) [collapse] But please check this out. The fandom is growing and is fairly big global-wise. (Fandom is HUGE in Korea) The creepypasta element is definitely there, and MC is a hilarious chaotic mess. <<less

Welp, bring out pitch fork and and torches, cause I'm about to do what nobody here has done, I'm about to criticize this novel. 1. Protagonist's 'fear'. While we can claim that protagonist is an unreliable narrator, and nothing he says should be taken at a face value, as he always tries to present a utilitarian logic behind saving others while the actual reason being that he's just a nice guy, we cannot claim the same when it comes to his fear. Not when omniscient narrator himself says that the protagonist is ... more>> a coward, a huge coward, mind you. But this fear of his is never, never, detrimental to his actions, it's merely a quirk he has, not much dissimilar to how other novels' protagonists who have detrimental conditions never suffer for them. It feels especially jarring because we are reminded of this quirk of his, by himself and the omniscient narrator, every few lines whenever something creepy is going on. 2. Side characters.... are just there. Side characters, as of chapter 35, are wholly underdeveloped. The only memorable character being the Lizard man, but that's because he's a lizard man. Aside from that quirk of his he's not really memorable. 3. Protagonist coming across something convenient when he needs it. It is so prevalent among these novels that I feel like I shouldn't even complain about it, but yes, he gets what he needs when he needs it. 4. No sense of mystery, suspense or horror. There's not really much sense of mystery, horror or suspense because protagonist has a booklet that lists everything that has ever happened during an scenario. So when it tries to formulate a sense of mystery by not letting protagonist access wiki, or simply making him forgetting to do so, it feels animated and fake. 5. World building is nonexistent. It's supposed to be our world with horror stories springing up everywhere, but how far exactly this phenomena reaches is not clear. Is it a country wise phenomenon or a global? Is the company he works in a domestic company or international? We don't know, because just like a marvel movie, in which no place except America exists, here, nothing exists outside of South Korea. 6. Elite characters are incompetent. People who are supposed to be at the forefront of darkness exploration, ones charged with keeping cosmic horrors in check, are incompetent. At least, they become so whenever protagonist is nearby. But hey, maybe I just don't get the appeal behind this novel and it's just not for me, as there's pretty much no negative review of this novel there must be something good about it, though even if I can't see it. So don't let my points discourage you from reading it if you think positive points other people here have listed are appealing enough. Though I'll maintain that my points are valid, and this novel is being praised a bit too much. <<less

I had some doubts before starting this novel, but I'm honestly so glad I gave it a shot. See all those five stars? Trust them—and read this story. I promise you won't regret it. It's absolutely worth it. The story is rare in its own way. Sure, the beginning might seem a little cliché—a genius protagonist? Power-enhancing items? Yeah, all the usual stuff. But Kim Soleum is anything but ordinary. He's a complex, lovable character. Every side character has depth, It's genuinely refreshing to see each one have their own voice and not ... more>> just some random ncp with no presence or brain. The MC isn't s*upid—in fact, I'd say he's one of the best "actors" I've ever seen in a story. The way he builds different versions of himself in the minds of others? *Fascinating.* And inside? Well... he's a coward. The bravest coward I've ever seen. (Because if I were in his place, I would've dropped dead from panic a hundred times by now.) The character dynamics are rich and layered—every relationship has something different to offer, with its own emotional weight. It never feels boring or flat. But they are far from things that can end up in a romantic way so no worries about that either. And records, the cases, the way he speedruns through puzzles—it's genuinely thrilling. Admittedly, some of the early mysteries can feel a bit far-fetched or confusing due to limited explanations, which threw me off a bit (maybe I'm just slow), but I promise it gets better with time. Just stick with it. There are scenes that'll make your heart race, your blood freeze, plot twists that'll make you drop your phone and stare at the ceiling. Hilarious moments, gut-punching emotions, and even monsters you might end up loving (or not). It's one of those stories that quietly pulls you in, layer by layer, until you suddenly realize you're hooked—and there's no going back. It's not just a mystery, or horror, or comedy. It's a survival story wrapped in performance, layered with human psychology, and sprinkled with just enough chaos to make it unforgettable. If you're looking for a story with a creepy atmosphere, suspense, dark humor, and a protagonist who flirts with death more than once—who seems like the most capable person in the room while silently screaming inside— this one's for you . Some spoiler for end of part one: Spoiler The end of Part 1 was *incredible*, and I feel the need to lay everything out. In my opinion, it was the perfect way to wrap up the first arc. It explained everything that *needed* to be explained while cleverly leaving behind just enough unanswered questions to pave the way for Part 2. It was masterfully done. The final chapters were complex, layered, and emotionally intense. But what truly stood out was how skillfully the author tied everything together—every thread, every hint, every shadowed moment. And just when I thought I had it all figured out, it ended with an even *bigger* question mark burning in my mind. (Yes... that night, I cursed myself with everything I had for not waiting until the story was complete. Now I have to endure two months of madness until the author returns—and I *will* go insane waiting) [collapse] <<less