[Contemplation] Sixteen Pink Balloons by n.a.p
*spoiler alert*
I’ve finished yet another story this evening and was truly excited to share it with everyone else. I’ve finished the Sixteen Pink Balloons by: n.a.p and I won’t hesitate reviewing it now!
Here’s the synopsis of the story:
Kim Yongmi is a typical girl whose life is admired by others. Being the only child in the family, she has a bestfriend named Park Sujin, a monkey neighbor Lee Seunghyun - who is actually 5 years younger and has an ultimate crush on her and her first love is named Kim Junsu. Everything was working out pretty well until they grew up and went to college, separating herself from her family, friends and loved one. Suddenly things started getting wrong when she and Junsu were not feeling the way they used to feel. Tied with their impending problem is the mysterious Kim Jaejoong, yapping that Kim Yongmi is his potential ideal girl. The message is about realizing the love that has always been there but dare not notice because of personal insecurities and denial until it's too late. It’s a simple story about waiting for love.
The first thing I would like to say is that, this is one of the most unique stories I have encountered whilst reading fictions. This story consists of many genuine scenarios that we may encounter in a real life. Having a first love, moving on, finding another one to recover, having a bestfriend that betrays, yet receiving another thoughtful friend and victims of one-sided love. It’s all raw.
In all factual, I’ll tell you a little insight spoiler: Yongmi's character was actually based on those side characters in a story; that perfect girl that the main girl always feels insufficient to in the beginning, that perfect girl who gets what she wanted but ends up not satisfying herself and that girl who got in the way of two lovers because she happened to be the first love - that’s her. Truth to be told, Kim Yongmi is the character of her own story. That is how we all think, that we are the lead characters in life. Sometimes though, like Yongmi, some of us might not play that lead character like we planned. And that’s what the story happen to note me.
Now I knew why Sixteen Pink Balloons was seriously underrated. It’s a great fiction however not well-marketed in soompi. Some readers depend on the number of views and comments before they read it and unfortunately, Sixteen Pink Balloons doesn't have many replies the last time I checked. It must be appreciated for it brings us the things that are not common in most stories - the feelings from the other side of the story.
I recommend this to people who wanted to taste a wholly new outlook to sub characters if you’ve been fond of reading too much cliche characters, this will help you realized the feelings of the side characters in a story. I also recommended this for people who does light reading because it's seriously short (16 chapters). I bet you won’t regret reading such a masterpiece. But sorry, I don’t guarantee that you can keep your tissues away. Just keep it beside you, just in case.
“At least to me, it is a simple love story with a happy ending… just… told from a different point of view.”
My Rating:
Plot: 7.2/10
Characters & Dialogue : 9.3/10
Structure & Pacing: 8.0/10
Theme: 9.5/10
Style & Tone: 7.0/10
OVERALL RATING: 8.2
NOTE: This review came from my old tumblr account and was posted in July 2013.