A Stolen Kiss
Kamin had stolen a kiss from his sleeping classmate, Kanggo, positive he'd never get caught. After all, it was an impulsive decision, and it's not like Kanggo has an almost inhuman sense of smell that could quickly identify the culprit. Except... that is exactly what he has. Now, using a distinctive lemon scent as his only clue, Kanggo is on the hunt for the identity of his secret admirer, whether Kamin likes it or not.
Will Kanggo, with his powerful nose, be able to find the truth behind Kamin's feelings?
The Scent of You's Characters
Kanggo Choi
One of the main protagonists. Kanggo possesses a unique and powerful ability: an incredibly sensitive sense of smell that allows him to perceive and distinguish even emotions. This gift enables him to quickly detect not only scents but also strong feelings—a trait that makes him highly adept at spotting lies and hidden intentions. Following the mysterious kiss, Kanggo uses his powerful nose to hunt for the identity of his secret admirer.
Kamin Oh
Our second main lead and the individual responsible for the impulsive kiss. Kamin secretly harbors intense feelings for Kanggo Choi. After gathering the courage to confess his feelings, he is initially rejected. However, Kamin doesn't give up. Instead of retreating, he decides to "annoy" or relentlessly pursue Kanggo as a form of humorous vengeance and a continued effort to get closer to him.
A One-Man Show
I have to admit that, especially towards the beginning, I wasn't entirely convinced by the art. I have become somewhat of a spoiled manhwa reader, expecting these works to be nothing short of beautiful. However, once again, I've been proven wrong and rightfully thrown out of the throne I built for myself, because a compelling story doesn't need exceptional art as long as it has heart. And let me tell you, The Scent of You has a lot of it.
The story is interesting, even if it's a slice-of-life with fantasy elements, and although sometimes cliché, I found the narrative itself to be endearing and entertaining. This whole show is run by one single man: author Lee Man-se. In a world where teams or even duos exist to craft these stories from beginning to end, Lee has managed to shine effectively on his own.
Refreshing Representation
I think one of my favorite things about this story is how the main characters don't discriminate against others. Kanggo looks a bit like a bully and likes to mess around a lot, so when Kamin confessed his feelings for him, I was a little worried. I thought this was going to follow a narrative where one of the main characters would prejudice the other until he realized he was gay himself. But no! Although Kanggo still rejects Kamin in a hilarious conversation, he keeps pestering him, but only because he finds Kamin's deep secret, even deeper than being gay: he's an otaku!
Powers as a Metaphor
By this point, you probably know Kanggo's superpower is smelling emotions. It's an ability he has to keep hidden because he doesn't want to be seen as odd or cause any problems. We know from his past that this ability has caused some commotion, so it's understandable that he's somewhat of an isolated character. He keeps most people at bay because of this, and so having someone love him unconditionally throws him off for a while. This hesitation stems from his being unsure if that person can fully accept him, powers and all.
But I think the fact that he has this huge secret that makes him different from the norm is a powerful metaphor for his sexuality as well. In the beginning, Kanggo doesn't seem attracted to Kamin and is vocal about it. Yet, slowly but surely, he comes to appreciate his scent (which is particularly nice to be around since, even after being rejected, Kamin is still deeply in love with him). Kanggo even goes out of his way to keep Kamin in love with him and happy because he craves that scent.
Final Thoughts on The Scent of You
This is only the tip of the iceberg in terms of storytelling. I feel like the plots and subplots within this story will appeal to many because it treats important themes with such respect, yet it doesn't shy away from being humorous, which makes the story more endearing. It's a story about two individuals coming together and accepting each other just the way they are, but it also touches on themes about family and friends and how these people deal both positively and/or negatively when someone is different.
