Characters:

Bomi Yun – Bo-mi Yoon*

Jaemin Lee – Jae-min Lee*

Seonhui Kang – Sun-Hee Kang*

Jinyeong Choi – Jin-Young Choi*

Somang Han

*Names from the Korean translation

“Spring, summer, fall and winter —love blossoms in all seasons.” Seasons of Blossom, an ongoing Korean webtoon created by pen names Nemone and Hongduck, takes on a rollercoaster of emotions through its portrayal of love through multiple stories, all revolving around a group of friends in high school navigating the beginning of adulthood. The friend group includes Yoon Bomi, a sweet model student, Lee Jaemin, a bright young man, Choi Jinyeong, a gamer with a delicate personality, and Seonhui Choi, Bomi’s strong-willed friend. Despite its very “cutesy” art style, Seasons of Blossom uses its dialogue and art to elevate the story and tackles serious issues, making it a Webtoon that should not be skipped. Although Seasons of Blossom currently features four arcs, this review will be focusing on the series’ first two arcs– “Bomi’s Flower” and “Hamin’s Flower.” Viewer discretion is advised as the Webtoon contains sensitive topics, including depression and suicide. 

The first story arc, labeled “Bomi’s Flower,” focuses on Yoon Bomi, and takes place in the spring season. The friendship between highschool students Bomi, who is considered smart and popular, and Seonhui, otherwise known as “Seon,” is introduced to the readers. Although Bomi is always paired with Jaemin as the “it” couple of the school, in an unlikely turn of events, Seon reveals that she has liked Jaemin for a while. Although Bomi had previously felt the same way about Jaemin, she hides this in order to protect her friendship with Seon, and resolves the issue by beginning a fake relationship with Jinyeong. The readers see their encounters as a couple as they develop feelings for one another, creating a wholesome love between the couple as they continue to “pretend” to date. Bomi and Jinyeong begin to learn each other’s personalities, bringing the best out of each other. Although conflicts such as classmates spreading crude rumors and misunderstandings between the friends still arise, the story ultimately ends on a sweet note, with Bomi and Jinyeong officially beginning to date. 

The second story arc is where Hongduck’s writing begins to shine. “Hamin’s Flower” transitions into a story about a character named Hamin Lee, and begins with Somang Han as she begins her day as an artist working in a studio. As Somang reminisces about her past friendship with a boy with blond hair, she stumbles upon Jaemin, who looks surprisingly like the boy she was reminiscing about. It is revealed that the mysterious boy is Hamin Lee, and that he was Jaemin’s older brother, before he committed suicide years ago. As Somang asks Hamin to become her model for her drawings, the story continues to reveal more about Hanim’s death as Somang and Jaemin begin to talk about the past, especially about Hamin. This story arc does not shy away from showing the realities of school and its effects on students. 

With Hamin having to shoulder a cheerful reputation and earn amazing grades for college, Hamin viewed Somang as his escape from reality. His at-home environment did not feel safe either, as he placed stress on himself to meet his mother’s expectations in order to protect Jaemin from the stress of having to study hard. However, Hamin began to view his time with Somang as a sign of relief, as the two of them constantly ran off to the nearby art school, the only place where Hamin could truly express himself. The romantic feelings between the two began to blossom, but Hamin felt as if his world was slipping away, when his mother found out about the art school and Somang began to stand out from the crowd, creating a rift between the two. 

In the end, Hamin took his own life. During the last stretch of the story, Somang and Jaemin reflect on their actions during the period. Both understand that Hamin valued them and continue to live their lives for themselves. The ending of “Hamin’s Flower” was bittersweet, and although it left the audience wanting to know more, it was a great place to end the story.

The Webtoon introduces the first story’s lovers through cute drawings, and many readers believe that it is truly a romance Webtoon. Two students in highschool fall in love through endearing and comedic moments and then the story shifts towards the love stories of their other friends. To an extent, this isn’t wrong. Bomi and Jinyeong are adorable, along with the romance of their friends later in the story. However, that is not the primary point. Through the heartbreaking stories of the characters’ inner struggles and struggles between family and friends, the author highlights that love takes many different forms. In some cases, love grows and develops, whether it be platonic or romantic. In some cases, love is never meant to be, even if it seems to be the right person.

One of the best parts of the Webtoon is how all the story arcs continue to connect with the main group of friends in the end. It emphasizes that the world is so small and that people can impact the lives of those around them in ways they never imagined were possible. Seasons of Blossom leaves the readers wanting more with each episode. The way that the story revolves around a flower truly demonstrates the character growth from the beginning to the end of each section. Dealing with relevant topics, addressing difficult issues, and writing heartwarming stories, Seasons of Blossom is truly an amazing Webtoon and a highly recommended read.