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Title:  Youn In-Wan’s Deja-Vu Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter

Artists:  Yang Kyung-il, Yoon Seung-ki, Kim Tae-hyung, Park Sung-woo, Byun Byung-jun, Lee Vin

Publisher: TOKYOPOP

ISBN:  9781427803184

May Contain Spoilers

In “Spring,” Sohyul and Wonsul fall in love.  Wonsul has been banished from his clan, accused of being a coward.  In the mountains, he meets the beautiful Sohyul, and they quickly develop feelings for each other.  Sohyul’s grandmother is against their union, but when Wonsul declares that his love for Sohyul will live on, even after he has died and turned to dust, she reluctantly agrees not to interfere.  Through seasons of tragedy, they are reborn and rediscover their feelings for each other. 

The first chapter, “Spring,” was the best of the bunch, capturing the hopeless emotions of two lovers destined to find only heartache.  I loved Yang Kyung-il’s art and the tender affections that Sohyul and Wonsul share.  Despite it’s short length, the chapter almost packed the biggest emotional punch for me.

Leaping from 673 AD to 1945, Captain Natsume, a Japanese doctor, falls in love with Tong-ju Yun, a Korean prisoner.  She is immediately drawn to him and feels that they’ve met previously.  Their love occurs in “Summer,” and ends tragically.  “Fall,” chronicles the story of street savvy Kim-sung Jae, an aspiring singer, and Susan, a young blind woman who he saves from street thugs.  Their romance is destined for only sadness, and the season turns to “Winter,” which takes place in the far future, after mankind is almost wiped out. Only Bear, Tiger, and Rock remain, recreated by aliens and left to repopulate the planet.  Rock, the sole male, is intended for Bear, the only fertile female.  Love, once again, does not prove to be a simple thing, and jealousy threatens the survival of humankind.

All of the stories were entertaining, though some worked better than others.  The concept of the collection is intriguing, and the book lived up to it’s promise of love enduring over time.  I enjoyed the variety of art styles presented by the different artists, as well as the various settings where each chapter took place. 

I didn’t care for the unrelated “Utility,” a macabre story about Chihyeon, his friends, and their dilemma regarding the disposal of a certain dead body.  Maybe things just got to a bad start, as Chihyeon tosses helpless chicks to their doom from his balcony.  Either way, I found this chapter gross, and felt that it didn’t fit in with the romantic theme of the book.

“Ocean,” by Lee Vin was better.  A young entertainer, faced with losing her vision, longs to see the ocean one last time.  The premise was a little illogical, as she could have just had her over-protective manager take her.  Instead, she grabs Yeongsu while he’s browsing through a record store, and implores him to take her.  He keeps his secret from her – he couldn’t find his way out of an open paperbag, let alone navigate their journey to the ocean.  He’s a sweet, sincere character, and once he learns about Chaeni’s plight, he does everything in his power to make her wish come true – with unexpected results. 

Grade:  B-

Rated for Older Teen

Review copy provided by TOKYOPOP