The Fall 2024 K-Comics Guide

Under the Oak Tree

What's It About? 

When stuttering Lady Maximilian is forced to marry Sir Riftan, a lowborn knight caught in one of her father's schemes, her stumbling communication and his gruff manner sour their relationship before it can begin. Riftan leaves for war the morning after their disastrous wedding night, and it's three years before Maxi sees him again.

Now, the husband she barely knows is a war hero. And when he comes home to claim her, Maxi will need to master her own bewildering desire—and Riftan's—before she can hope to become the true mistress of their enormous castle estate. That task will demand courage from Maxi, even as she struggles to find her own voice.

Under the Oak Tree has a story by Suji Kim and art by P. Acting as adapter is namu. English translation by Sena. Published by Inklore (September 3, 2024).

Is It Worth Reading?

I fully admit it: I have an unhealthy love for this series. I started with the novels (the original form of the story), but despite that, I think that if you're looking for the easiest version to get into, this manhwa is your best bet. That's not just because it tones down the sexual content a significant amount (the original is one of the raciest web novels I've read). In Suji Kim's originals, you don't get inside the characters' heads. The novels are written in the third person, focusing on heroine Maximilian; hero Riftan doesn't get much interiority until the end of season one, which closes out with a book from his perspective. Since Riftan is the very model of a stoic male romance lead with bonus suppressed rage issues, knowing what's going on with him through P's art and the slightly different narrative choices helps a lot.

Still, most of the story belongs to Maxi. Although we don't know precisely what her father, Duke Croyso, did to her when she was under his roof (another difference from the novels, which go into horrific detail), it's obvious that she grew up in fear. There's a strong implication that her father beat her to the point where she's used to being healed by a cleric daily, and her father's rage at the fact that she speaks with a stutter has left her with no self-esteem. She can't imagine that Riftan wanted to marry her, and every time he demonstrates that he has feelings for her, she somehow misses it – along with the bemused and occasionally grossed-out reactions from his knights. Maxi believes nothing is good about her, even as Riftan attempts to point out otherwise.

Of course, most of his assumptions are based on what he thinks her life was like as a duke's daughter. He has no idea what her father did and therefore misinterprets her fearful and cringing behavior as fear of him specifically. Both are working based on such wrong assumptions that, amazingly, they can relate to each other. The story is about them attempting to forge a real relationship together, based largely on sex and both trying to do their best to understand each other without actually knowing the full story. It's frustrating but understandable, and if you like superprotective heroes, Riftan will be your guy. Maxi is still the most rewarding piece of the story as we watch her slowly come out of her shell in true one-step-forward-two-steps-back style.

P's art is lovely, and it's clear that there was at least some research into medieval fashions, and if it's not always right, it's still a fantasy story. The color is beautiful, and the book itself is gorgeous: an oversized hardcover with gilt touches on the lettering. It's heavy but stays open well if you set it on your lap or a table. While you can read all of this (and the rest of the story) on Manta, if you're already a fan or a collector of beautiful editions, this is one to at least look into. There's a reason this story has so much international popularity.

You've already read Under The Oak Tree in some form or another. It's Cinderella. It's Beauty and the Beast. It's a rags to riches story with a bit more spice. It's simple and predictable, but it's also soothing in its predictability. Featuring a heroine notable for her total lack of confidence, this paint-by-numbers fairy tale blends familiar tropes with a sexy side against the backdrop of a soap opera plot.

Maxi isn't anything to write home about, according to Maxi herself. She's red-headed and freckled and speaks with a stutter—and it's that third thing that made her cruel duke father give up all hope on making anything out of her, his now-neglected eldest daughter. He married her off to a lowborn knight, not expecting much of the match. Too bad for him, Sir Riftan Calypse is now one of the most esteemed knights in the realm, and after three long years campaigning, he has called Maxi back to his estate. Though they have technically been married for three years, Maxi's married life begins abruptly now, and she must overcome her biggest hurdle in life yet: her complete lack of confidence. It's inconceivable to Maxi that Riftan could actually love her, or that she could be a good person who's of any use to anyone. Some readers are going to find her “lil ol' me” attitude annoying, and I understand that. But Maxi's gentle heart and persistence in the face of adversity makes her more likeable than not. It was harder for me to warm up to Riftan, whose warning that he won't be able to hold back during sex is clearly supposed to be sexy, but felt overbearing to me. Eventually they make a cute couple, but it's clear this overly dramatic plot won't let them get together easily. Already Maxi is dividing her time between Riftan and the sorcerer Ruth, and though her motives are innocent enough, it's clear that Ruth is intended for the role of the second male lead.

We received a gorgeous hardback copy of the manhwa for this review, and its thick, glossy pages were a joy to turn. Combined with the content, it felt like reading a well bound fairy tale. But the soap opera quality of the plot was wearing on me by the end of this volume. There's plenty of drama for drama's sake, and many of Maxi and Riftan's problems could be resolved with just one honest conversation between them. Even though it ends on a cliffhanger, it wasn't enough to hook me.