This Manhwa was an accidental discovery on my part when I was browsing the 19 Days (fantastic BL alternative) tag on Tumblr, and now I follow its English translation as closely as I can, because it's just the right amount of BL I need when I drink my coffee. Unripe Expression is easy enough to follow with likable characters and art style, and has some deeper moments here and there which give the story weight.There is a slice of life vibe and there are tropes in the mix, but this allows the mood to become endearing and familiar, so it easily sinks into the readers' hearts. What I mean to say is, It doesn't bore me. Thank God, haha. Unripe is a fun time.
Sometimes I notice grammatical errors in the translations, but they are not so distracting that I can't correct them in my head and move on with the general meaning understood. The story does not have a large scope of the world contained in it, which is probably based on the author's choice and level of skill, but focuses on a group of teens in a modern location in South Korea, specifically some gay boys, and shipping all of them seems more and more plausible to me as I complete another chapter. At first, I didn't have expectations for anything beyond awkward and adorable Shounen Ai scenes, since the beginning gave off that vibe, but I was pleasantly surprised at the way the main character (I am still unfamiliar with Korean names and the Korean language, if it were Japanese or Chinese I'd probably be able to on cue) actually pursues and initiates his romantic crush on the boy sitting beside his desk in class, and relates to him realistically in situations where it is actually plausible to manifest a relationship. He has not been emasculated/Uke-fied so drastically like other BL may fall, sitting around making situations where it is impossible to create real relationships, romantic or otherwise. He's really trying, and I love it. His friend also has an interesting past that puts the slice of life vibe to bed. Ultimately, I'm excited for the potential I see, as the drama and action unfold upon update, I'm all so ready to watch the protagonist actualize his relationships. Woo!