Whale Star: The Gyeongseong Mermaid

Gorae Byul
고래별

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manhwa #1,095
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Description

The year is 1926 in this retelling of Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Little Mermaid”, and Joseon (present-day Korea), is under colonial Japanese rule. Su-A Heo is a handmaiden who spends her days working and swimming in the sea. Her work is her whole life, until one day, when she discovers a wounded independence fighter named Ui-Hyeon Kang washed up on the shore. She nurses him back to health, only to lose her ability to speak in a botched murder attempt by Ui-Hyeon’s comrade, Hae-Su Song. As she travels to the capital, Gyeongseong (present-day Seoul), to get revenge, she finds herself growing more and more intertwined with a strange, brave new world and the people within it.

(Source: WEBTOONS)

Note: Chapter count includes prologue.

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Genres
Drama Historical Psychological Romance Tragedy
Activities
Leisure Crossdressing
Crimes
Attempted Murder Murder
Character Types
Female Lead Determined Protagonist Hard-Working Protagonist Cast Primarily Adult Cast
Female Lead
Innocent Female Lead Plain-Looking Female Lead Commoner Female Lead Crippled Female Lead Determined Female Lead Disabled Female Lead Emotionally Strong Female Lead Expressive Female Lead Hard-Working Female Lead Independent Female Lead Kind female Lead Maid Female Lead Mute Female Lead Orphan Female Lead Poor Female Lead
Male Lead
Determined Male Lead Hard-Working Male Lead Kind Male Lead Polite Male Lead University Student Male Lead
Derivative Work > Based on > Based on Literature
Based on a Fairy Tale Based on a Novel Based on a Fairy Tale Fairy Tale
Narrative Tropes
Dead Family Member Friends Grow Distant Lifestyle Change Love At First Sight Secret Identity Time Skip In Final Chapter/Epilogue Tragic Past Character Change Character Growth Plot Structure Past Plays a Big Role Power Dynamics Abuse of Power Storytelling Techniques Multiple POVs
Death Tropes
Accidental Death Dead Friend Death of Loved One
Love Tropes
Love Triangle Female Lead Falls in Love First Realistic Relationship Subtle Romance Unrequited Love Becomes Requited Unrequited Love Stays Unrequited
Themes
Conspiracy Disability War Espionage Guns Organized Crime Politics Secret Organizations Suicide Abusive Parents Adopted Children Death Discrimination Dreams Love Confession Medical Orphans Rescue Reunion Rich Family Secrets Torture Trauma Traumatic Past Unexpressed Feelings Violence Marriage Arranged Marriage Mental Illness Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Narrative Themes Betrayal Romance Unrequited Love
Social Issues
Gender discrimination Poverty Racism Sexism Social Class Discrimination Social Gap
Sports
Water sports Swimming
Time Period > Period Piece > Late Modern & Contemporary
20th Century 20th Century 1920s
Objects
Eyepatch Kimono
Occupations
Maids Assassins Police Servant Teachers
Relationship
Childhood Friends Friendship Important Non-Romantic Relationship Age Gap Older Male Younger Female Orientation Heterosexual
Family
Siblings Parent-Child Mother and Son Siblings Brother and Sister
Settings
Dark Ambience Historical Setting Asian Ambience Korean ambience
Audience Demographics
Female Oriented Josei
Character Traits
Emotionally Strong Protagonist Freckles Strong-Willed Character Attractiveness Handsome Male Lead Human Anatomy Scars Wealth Rich Characters
Appearance > Hair
Black-Haired Female Lead Black-Haired Protagonist Brown-Haired Male Lead Long-Haired Female Lead Long-Haired Male Character Long-Haired Protagonist
Behavioral Traits
Ruthless Character Scheming Character
Locations
Foreign Mountain Food & Drink Tea Shop Religious Sites Temple School College
Asia
South Korea Japan
Natural
Coastal Ocean Snowscape
Species & Creatures
Non-human Mermaid
Tags
Hidden Identity/ies
Work Info
Open Ending
Art Style
Faded-Color Realistic