Pandora's Choice

by Yudori

A feisty daughter and her alcoholic father.

19th century America can be unforgiving to a half-Asian daughter and alcoholic single father. Pandora, a feisty child, suffers from racial discrimination and the indifference her own father, Christopher, shows towards her. As a result, the two never seem to get along and any interaction leads to a fight. A World Comic Contest Winner, this is a story of two broken people trying to make sense of this world together.

Genres: Manga

Webtoon, Webcomic, Manhwa

Reviews

[vy! · Rating 4 out of 5]

i have no idea what to think of this. i cried if that helps.

[Leca Baaross · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the first manhwa that truly left a mark on me when I began exploring the genre. Before it became a widespread trend and when reincarnation manhwas were still gaining popularity, this one caught my attention and remains one of the most impactful for me to this day.

Ironically, its premise could be considered generic, given the countless Korean novels that follow the same father and daughter growing up together theme. But the similarity ends there. The story constantly shifts between realism and fantasy, yet its realistic tone never fades. The author makes a point of reinforcing this throughout the narrative.

The relationship between the father and daughter, along with the circumstances of the girl's birth, makes their bond as beautiful as it is painful. Both characters grow throughout the story, and as we follow their journey, the most predominant emotion emerges—the hope that everything will turn out well in the end. Unfortunately, that hope doesn’t quite align with the reality the story presents. And perhaps that is the manhwa’s most significant lesson: love can bloom anywhere, but it’s not enough to keep it alive.(´ω`)

Note for those considering reading it:
This is a story where the predominant feeling is bittersweet. The ending isn’t beautiful, nor is it horrible—but it’s certainly not the one you’ll hope for while reading. Approach it with an understanding of the realism it aims to convey, rather than expecting the tropes common in similar works.

[Лізочка Sulffuur · Rating 5 out of 5]

"як ми всі дійшли до цього..?"
Кріс моє сонечко

[Kristilyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

TW for suicidal ideation, racism, sexism, abortion, abuse, grief.

What a heartbreaking story. There's no specific plot this follows, so it's mainly just day to day life for Pandora, while following her father, and a few other side characters. There truly is no redemption for some of the characters as we see how they are now in the current versus the conflicts and struggles they have faced to become how they are now. And while some people might not like the ending, some stories become more impactful without a happy ending.

[Naé · Rating 5 out of 5]

Portrait de la relation tumultueuse entre Pandora, une petite fille métisse asiatique et son père dans les USA du 19ᵉ siècle. Parentalité, racisme, sexisme, violences conjugales, handicap, amour, sexualité, deuil, souffrance psychologique, alcoolisme, ce webtoon traite de tellement de thèmes différents... C'est provocateur, engagé, dramatique, violent, touchant.
Je suis tombée amoureuse de l'esthétique de Yudori. Les personnages et les costumes sont juste sublimes. Les personnages sont tous très expressifs et malgré un côté presque caricatural, cela sonne juste.

Pandora's choice est mon premier coup de cœur dans le webtoon.
(Je veux une version papier svp.)

[manthisi · Rating 4 out of 5]

unbelievably bleak.

[Manta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read it here: https://manta.net/series/1205

[Shannon (Winchella) · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn’t really enjoy reading this one. I do appreciate how I’m real life things do always end well and this series shows that.