The son's role as the audience surrogate works. He asks the questions we want to ask: "Why did you pay? Are you mafia? Who is my father?" Without his curiosity, the exposition would feel forced. His reactions keep the story grounded even when it goes into space god territory. He's the anchor that prevents the story from floating away into pure fantasy.
The merchant Tailin struck me as a well-drawn antagonist. His manipulative bargaining in the village council, insinuating about poor market and hawk infestations to lower prices, felt realistic. I immediately disliked him. Good that the author is introducing human conflict alongside the animal threat. Gives the world depth beyond good vs. evil—just economic greed.
Overall, this story has a very specific vibe—a mix of urban slice-of-life, low-key body horror, and comedy. It’s not trying to be epic. It’s about a broke guy who can suddenly eat a ton and maybe has some electricity-based powers. I’m not deeply invested in the characters yet, but I’m interested enough to keep reading. The humor is good, the dialogue is sharp, and the premise is weird enough to stand out. I just hope it builds on this foundation instead of repeating the same joke.
The parents’ dinner scene is hilarious in a sad way. They come home after he finishes college entrance exams, and instead of asking how he did, they gossip about his love life. The mom goes full protective mode about him not having a girlfriend, and the dad is just eating silently. That’s peak Asian parenting right there.