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When I'm gathering in Mabinogi Mobile, there are plenty of moments when I don't need to keep my eyes on the screen or do much with the controls. I use that time to get things done or enjoy another hobby, and more often than not, that means reading webtoons. I hop between NAVER, Daum Kakao, and KakaoPage, since I have favorites on each platform. It looks like Daum Kakao and KakaoPage will be merging soon (or is it an acquisition?), so I suppose I'll be down to two places to read. With that in mind, I thought I'd share a few recommendations.

I've been reading webtoons for a long time, going all the way back to Marineblues, before those so-called first-generation webtoons like The Sound of Your Heart and 골방환상곡, which coined the term “mom's friend's son” for that seemingly perfect person you're always compared to. There's so much more to choose from now than there was back then. I'd like to share a few series I've enjoyed, including some I'm still following, along with an anime I recently started watching!

Odd Girl Out

- I've been following this series since it appeared in the Best Challenge section back in '15. The protagonist of Odd Girl Out, who I first got to know when I was in college, has now taken her college entrance exam and graduated from high school. I've been reading for around 10 years, and while those girls are turning 20, I'm heading toward my late 30s. Even when I was in college, I found so much to relate to, and the characters' growth and individual stories are handled so beautifully. I can see the series drawing toward its ending now, but I'd love to spend more time with it.

재난은 늘 곁에 있다

I first discovered Lee Hey, known as a master of unexpected twists, through 신령. I was still reeling from the surprises in 신령, and every series since has managed to catch me off guard all over again. That's what Lee Hey is known for: stories that give you lovely moments and startling twists all in one. I've enjoyed almost all of Lee Hey's works, from 신령 to A Good Day to be a Dog and See You in My 19th Life, and 재난은 늘 곁에 있다 is currently ongoing. If you're new to Lee Hey, why not start with the completed series and work your way through them?

My Dearest Nemesis

This series is by 혜진양, whose other works I've really enjoyed too, including 물망초. As someone who spent my school years in the 2000s, I found plenty here to reminisce about and plenty to think about, which made it a particularly enjoyable read. The game featured in the webtoon and the 홀맨 dolls that show up now and then took me right back to those days. Even without that nostalgia, though, it's an entertaining story that's easy to get lost in.

NAVER WEBTOON uses wide banners, so I've introduced those recommendations one at a time, with a link on each banner. Daum Webtoon uses vertical images, so I'll share three images together and follow them with the recommendations in order.

Mystic Pop-up Bar

Mystic Pop-up Bar by 배혜수 moved from Daum to Kakao Webtoon, and you'll still be able to read it on KakaoPage after the platforms are combined. Of all the webtoons I've read, this is the one I've gone back to the most, rereading it again and again because it has brought me so much comfort. It unfolds as a collection of different stories, and I've loved every one of them. The author has just begun an extended hiatus, so why not take the opportunity to read through the series before it returns? Then we can welcome it back together.

그때 우리가 조아한

Back in the golden age of Daum Cafe, some communities were full of people posting novels. It was the heyday of internet fiction, and perhaps the beginning of web novels as we know them today (though we can't forget earlier works like 퇴마록 and Dragon Raja, posted on services such as 천리안). If you remember when internet fiction was all the rage, I think you'll enjoy this one. There's a lot to reflect on here, from who we were back then and who we became afterward to what it means to accept yourself.

Acoustic Life

From 난다's dating days through the wedding, married life, childbirth, and parenting, Acoustic Life makes you feel as though you've walked through life alongside the author, even if you haven't actually been there in person. I love the quiet, everyday moments in this slice-of-life webtoon and the author's insights woven through them. I even own Acoustic Life in print. Its episodic format makes it a lovely companion while gaming or taking a break, though it's just as nice to give it your full attention.

I've taken the chance to share a few personal favorites.

I generally prefer words and pictures that I can take in at my own pace to watching something like anime. With a video, if my attention wanders even briefly, I have to rewind to catch what I missed. Still, I have an anime recommendation today, too, and I'm watching it right now with Mabinogi Mobile open on the right. It's the Japanese anime JUJUTSU KAISEN. Why am I suddenly watching anime when I usually don't, and why the recommendation out of the blue? There's a reason for all of this.

Mabinogi Mobile is launching a collaboration with JUJUTSU KAISEN this coming November 5. As someone who spends a lot of time playing Mabinogi Mobile, I felt I wasn't quite ready to enjoy the collaboration without knowing anything about the anime, so I've been hurrying to catch up. JUJUTSU KAISEN is a name even I knew, despite rarely watching anime, which says something about how well known it is. And I'd like to think that so many people knowing and watching it is a good sign that it's an enjoyable watch.

So I've been putting my dual monitors to use, fishing on one screen and watching JUJUTSU KAISEN on the other, and I'm finding it pretty entertaining. People who've already seen JUJUTSU KAISEN seem to recognize everyone from their silhouettes alone, while I can barely guess two or three of them so far. With all the sorcery and curses, there are also creatures I'd probably call monsters, and they do make me jump sometimes. There are occasional bits of mosaic censorship, too. Still, it feels something like a superhero story at heart, so I'm going to be a little braver and keep watching.

Those are a few of my recommendations for things to enjoy alongside a game. What do you usually like to do when you have room for another hobby while gaming? Until now, I've mostly read web novels or webtoons, or done some knitting, but starting today, I'll be watching anime for a while so I can enjoy the upcoming collaboration even more. With that, I hope everyone reading this has a happy day.