I've been on a new wave of reading manhwa lately, but I noticed several peculiar things about the creative process in manhwa that seemed to be dominating for the one final result - efficiency. A lot of usage of 3D modeling, same images, patterns etc. The only thing that makes them look different is the art style. Though sometimes it also looks rushed and crude.
I personally love costuming, especially in movies, if it's a decently budgeted film and the director invites a visionary we can end up with some amazing costume decisions that will distinct the movie from the rest. At least in terms of costuming will make everything shine and stand out. The movie even may up ending a complete garbage truck, but costuming may take it to another level of glory and impact the viewer. Nowadays a good styling at the premiere also attracts a lot of attention. But to me nothing can compare of relaying the visual information as costuming and settings.
And it doesn't matter the genre, be it fantasy or urban story. Costuming may play a big role and become some sort of an iconic moment. At least in Hollywood that's for sure.
As of lately I've read some decent Korean novels and manhwas, which was surprising to me. The reason being the love of Korean authors writing many toxic plots just for the sake of it. It may be completely illogical and bad, but it will mask itself behind some heart-wrenching moments that people will be distracted by to notice the fallacy. And these stories are predominantly popular for reasons unknown to me. But I digress.
But I found it surprising how downright foolish some of the visuals actually are and how lazy the thought process behind the costuming is. All for the sake one goal - efficiency. Draw fast, throw some stock images on top and be done with it.
If you've read at least one or two manhwas, you probably have seen the majority of them, because they look the same. The excessive use of 3D modeling for everything, starting from houses, horses that will give me nightmares and even the plates and food. Sometimes artists are lazy to draw correctly around those and the entire thing often looks wanky and uggo. When it comes to houses to me it feels stupid because all houses feel the same, but if you ever saw the estates that belonged to aristocracy of the past centuries you'd see the difference, most of it stems from status. But to me it's funny how Korean authors don't really distinguish it sometimes. Like a palace will be huge, then a duchy will be huge but any other house will look huge as well. But it's not only a talk about status, but many don't realize that if you portray a family that can't support that you can't really make them look like any other.
I want to shortly mention names, I wish they would just copy something from outside, but I guess that would only complicate things. By names I mean that there is a family last name, but there is a territory name and they will be different. In manhwa something like this won't be seen, the territory and last name will be the same. But honestly whatever, it's not such a big deal overall. I'm mentioning it only because you can see the attempts to somewhat rely on that vibe, but not completely (e.g. giving the royal family long names).
While the costuming uses no rhyme or reason, the female gowns are always these wackadoodle pastes of hundreds details that are meant to distract you from how crazy it looks or how modern it feels. The modern silhouette is the common problem of those looks. And they mean to sell it as "European ambience". These are not my words, it's a legit tag used for romantasy set in a country that will remind you of something European, even though it's a fantasy country.
I'd love to talk about how messy it looks with styles mixed, too many modern pieces included everywhere, which to me as a reader doesn't help to immerse myself into what supposed to be a fantasy.
But when it comes to dresses... girl. This is a mess.
Even if they would just follow some past historical fashion they would be totally fine, copy and paste what a big deal, but they need to bring this girl fantasy of sparkles and gems that often just looks illogical.
Before I dive into it I must have an honorable mention, this should be given best costuming award, at least artist had put some thought in it - My In-Laws are obsessed with me. And not to mention artist will never forget the gloves, which is a big part of the story (if you know, you know). But has a better distinction between day wear, ball gowns and overall female / male fashion. The artist even takes care of the hairstyle for the FMC. Also the story is great, I loved it.
For example, Pereshati here wears an evening dress that is more elegant, usually ones worn for the dinner, the palette is always subdued and dark, like she wears darker colors than anyone else, the same as the rest of the family. It may be connected to family's curse. She also has her gloves on at all times. Everything is simple and conforms the settings and supports the gloomy situation of the family she married. She also has always her hair up in a simplest of buns, but still it's not as frivulous as other manhwas.
Another one that stood out to me among others was Mother's Contract Marriage, which is visually stunning, totally stands out among others. And I don't care if our main characters wardrobe looks too modern tbh, but it looks cute. It has a strong theme of found family and discovering happiness, which is why it has a lot of yellowish color scheme.
The wardrobe is also interesting, since it helps to tell the difference between characters and they all have their own individuality. Lyrica is the one with assortment of cute dresses appropriate for a girl her age, colorful and cute, very much like herself.
Like this one here, cute simple dress with apron from getting dirty and it's one of the simplest ones. Prince on the other hand looks really modern in his pants that look like jeans, his jacket bears some of the medals but also some other adornments, which fits his contradictory personality and rebelling spirit.
Fashion elements. Trends and silhouettes.
Back to other manhwas. The fashion is weird is the main thought I have when looking at what I see on the page. It exists, but trends don't. I see no trends in romantasy manhwa, ever. It always feels like - whichever idea came to mind, we will realize it. But most of the time it ends up looking as something you'd see at a graduation ball, often time it makes me think of Korean weddings, because they like the same type of dress, just tube top with bare shoulders and volumunous skirt. In manhwa this image is changed only to color it, but we don't really go anywhere from here, you can see how often bare shoulders come up. And I find it funny because often time they mention fashion in the manhwa itself (like who is the most sophisticated lady of their society now etc.), but they don't have distinct elements to make up a trend and usually all girls look so different in the same frame, as if it's a fashon through ages collage. Like the FMC can wear a full skirt, then it's more fishtail, she can wear a hat, then she wears a bonnet. It's like mix and match of styles from existing fashion eras. It looks like a mess, especially when it exists in one frame.
There are no trends, no silhouettes that are fashionable, it's always just a lot of ruffles and a lot of stock images that are used to make up details and patterns. You know those, 2D images of necklaces that look obviously flat or other embellishments and patterns that looks same dead. They don't even bother to draw those anymore.
Wardrobe. Day wear, dresses for outings, evening gowns.
I find it funny that the simplest type of logic does not apply to costuming at all. Though the difference between daywear and ballgowns should be inevitable just for the sake of comfort. What many artists find appealing is actually not comfortable for a daywear at all, like for example there is a difference between a dress you'd wear inside or outside the house. the only thing I see common inwatching manhwas is that every piece just looks like a ball gown, girl is ready to be swept away by a prince and bedazzle him with jewels. It's not practical at all, also illogical. But here is what we get. This is baffling to me because otherwise characters look like Christmas trees in their everyday life, dressed in full glam. Which personally I find gaudy to look at.
Usually dressing could would even pinpoint to which class the character belongs to. For example you look at a historical TV show which did a good job at costuming and you can easily see the difference, but in manhwa such difference only exists between protagonists and background characters who did not get many details. While I think someone of higher or lower status, which is so prevelent in the stories and when you actually hear about their situation could be shown through costuming.
There is no distinction between status in this way. Like you look at people who definitely should have different status, but they all look the same.
Why I mention this is because I think it's missed opportunity and secondly, artists make some interesting mistakes while disregarding what they're writing about just for the sake of being "pretty".
I can give an example, can't make screenshots though.
In manhwa called Marchioness Maron (or just call it moron, would be fitting considering the story), FMC is sent to isolated territory and she basically has nothing with her outside the dress she's wearing. The mansion Marron is a dilapitated building that does not seem to hold much. Let's admit she might have found a change of clothes, but other than that?
But later she develops the territory slowly and brings in several occupants. The manhwa draws attention several times to the fact that they need to sell some of their produce to survive and Maron herself mentioned the lack of money. So on one of their outings she buys a dress, it's an investment, I admit, but later on she is seen to be walking around always in more sophisticated dresses and each time they're different, not to mention embellishments are all gems, which makes her dresses look expensive. Which in her current settings looked quite not right and conflicting. Not to mention she does not need to wear those for her everyday wear. There is no one to see her, she established her status among her (small bunch of) people.
This is a great example, because it has lacing. Lace was always considered a luxury, even for our modern society which created machine to do the machine-made lace, but where would a romantasy get a high-tech stuff like that, so it's hand-woven item for sure. This is her day dress I mind you, she is just sitting behind a desk doing her thing wearing that. Does it look like a ball gown? Definitely. Does it looks expensive? Absolutely. This is why I said she is dressed rather expensive for their situation. I can understand the idea of finally letting your main character doll up after predicaments, but honestly, it lacks in logic.
Gloves.
This will be short because I have not seen a single glove except for that one manhwa. The rest is emptiness, and I find it strange because gloves were practical, for men and women.
Weather. Only summer exists, or winter.
One of the main trends in romantasy is actually the copy of GoT. Northern territory ruled by a Duke that defends against monsters. We'd seen that script too many times.
Almost every other romantasy manhwa (and noevel) is about a Norther territory that protects from monsters and they also have beef with central territory which is supposed to be the ruling center. Not to mention almost every other male lead character has dark hair and red eyes, watch out for that shit.
But it's hilarious when characters are drawn in some fine embellished dresses while it's a winter territory they describe as COLD. Clothes always look thin and you would expect more fur but no.
I forgot which manhwa I've opened up lately and it basically showed a female character walking around in winter in her heels. It's not a boot, it's a full high-heeled shoe with some gems and stuff. And it's not a single occurance and no, she did not run out out of urgency, she wore it as if it was okay.
Clothes always look the same in many manhwas, they're elaborate and don't take into consideration anything except looking flashy. Like details of the plot, character growth, status, purchase ability etc.
I can understand efficiency, but sometimes it looks more than that, that artists did not waste even two brain cells on creating something unique or of their own. Sometimes gowns look simple only because the overall art style is like that.
I think novel covers art looks the best out of all, since the artists only draw this one picture and if they add too many details it might end up looking gaudy, but just the working on the texture and making the drawing look good make the most basic things shine. And I don't think it's realistic to draw like that all the time. I'm sure there are plenty out there just drawing, not really aiming to create a masterpiece.
But from time to time it's nice to see at least something. Although usually it's simple things, but at least it will give you something. For example, a color scheme that belongs solely to some regions to distinct the rivalry is the easiest to draw. Or often time the soft-looking female villain who always cries so the males will pity her will look innocent and wearing some light-colored clothes with lots of ruffle to support the girlishness.
I remember someone made a hilarious comment how they're gonna have a PTSD from pink- or light-haired villains who look and act innocent (Chinese equivalent of White Lotus x Green Tea Bitch mix).
So basically, not everything is lost and it looks good, but often time it just does not look appropriate for what scene / situation the characters are in.
Hats. Hair.
Another critique of mine is about hair and hats. Hats are usually the product of 3D this is why they look like abomination and I think it's a missed opportunity to shine. But the main problem of mine is the hair. It's always down. I can get the idea, but I also don't understand it at the same time.
All characters are shown to have long (though it's only booty length hair) and thick hair, which is basically not styled, those who have it a bit curled look like they were born with it.
The exceptions to this rule are rare.
I don't get it because you can do so much with it, at least show the difference between occasions. Like everyday hair can be down, but at the ball I'm all dolled up. Of course drawn hair doesn't get messy or tangled but sometimes looking at the flat hair that has nothing look so weird to me. Especially with elaborate costuming. Maybe I'm reminiscent of the times when you look at brides who try on dresses, but they have no hair or make-up done and they look as if not ready for the full glam of the dress, if I can convey my impression across.
Men's fashion can be characterised as suffering from the same thing. The only difference is there is no need for hair styling. But when looking at men it feels like they have everything on them, which shouldn't be your everyday look, it's just weird.
Well, ranting is over. I can go on even longer rant, but that's the gist of it. Maybe I will come back some day and add screenshots.
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