This article contains spoilers. Read at your own risk.
Written by: Charnamy Marin
Itaewon Class, My ID is Gangnam Beauty, True Beauty, Sweet Home, Cheese in the Trap, and Nevertheless – these titles are surely familiar to you if you’re both a Webtoon reader and a Korean drama fan.
The Hallyu Wave has been taking over the Philippines for years already, but the unwavering Filipino talent is also taking the competition to the next level. A Filipino Webtoon has been miraculously making a name since 2018 despite the tough competition with other Korean-based stories in Webtoon.
Unintentional Game is a romance-psychology webtoon story by Logihy, a 25-year-old Filipina from Cavite, Philippines. Like how the author’s name is, Unintentional Game’s uniqueness has been captivating the hearts of Webtoon readers, not only locally but also all over the world. It even has a French translation (Jeu Non Intentionnel) published on Yurai Editions as per high public demand.
Now that Unintentional Game is about to wrap with its final season, here are the lucky seven reasons why you should get started on catching up with Alexis Go and Szannon Hailey’s story!
1. Say No to Mental Health Stigma
Unintentional Game or UG is a story about a psychology student, Szanon Hailey, who wants to befriend his classmate, Alexis Go. Little did he know, Alexis has a borderline personality disorder, causing her to be fiery-tempered and rude to other people.
This bizarre story has opened up various online discussions about awareness in dealing with mental health problems. As Logihy herself has a psychology degree, UG speaks volumes about ceasing mental health stigma while executing proper communication with people who have gone through a lot of struggles in life.
2. LGBTQ+++-friendly Story
LGBTQ+++ community is a minority that should be warmly embraced, instead of giving them insincere toleration. Besides the elusive romance of Alexis and Szannon and the deep-rooted relationship of Kate and Lance, you should also root for love to win between Elise and Maxine. No need to walk on eggshells anymore!
3. #RelateMuch Story
“No one will ever understand this pain that I have to bear.” -Alexis Go, Prologue: Unintentional Game
We can all relate to Alexis, as all of us have different struggles to bear. If you have some time to scroll through the comment section of UG, you will find heart-wrenching statements about how Alexis’ story resonates with the situation of mentally unstable people. UG can be your comfort when you’re dealing with an unspeakable mess inside yourself.
4. Logihy’s #ProudPinoy Moments
If it wasn’t for the mano, Ate, Jollibae, Wacdo, Hoy, Glorietta, and other Pinoy touches in this story, no one would have had the slightest idea that Logihy is a Filipino! Despite that Webtoon is a Korean-dominated app, Logihy and UG still prevailed among them to promote not only mental health awareness but also the Filipino culture. Logihy seizing the opportunity to introduce the Philippines to her foreign readers is the sweetest thing!
5. Not Your Typical Romance Story
One of the things I love about UG is how it does not underestimate the mental health condition of the characters for the sake of romantic scenes. Even without tons of intimate scenes, the affection between the characters still lingers and gives butterflies to my stomach. The romance carefully progresses as every character develops throughout the story. Cliche? Logihy doesn’t know that.
6. Szannon Hailey is Real!
Yes, you read it right! You can meet Szannon Hailey in real life just a few hours from Manila, Philippines. Besides being a comic creator, Logihy also helps with their family’s cafe branches, where Szannon is the official ambassador! If you live in Cavite or nearby areas, visit Mon’s Coffee and Tea Imus as Szannon is waiting for you.
UG’s Ending is Near
Hearing about the ending of UG might be disheartening for some who have a deep attachment to this story, but not if you’re the type of reader who reads a story after it is already completed. But if you don’t want too many spoilers, you must read the story right away!
This three-year-old Webtoon story has already gained 15 million views on Webtoon, so you surely would not want to be left out. When I had a chance to interview her, Logihy teased me that there’s a lot of even heavily dramatic scenes to be expected between Alexis and Szannon’s love story.
“…expect more drama. Sa ending, ayokong magsabi kung good ending or bad ending. Kayo ang titimbang no’n kung good ba ‘yun sa inyo or bad sa inyo. Basta, fixed na yung ending ng UG. Abangan niyo na lang.”
– Logihy
(…expect more drama. Regarding the ending, I don’t want to declare whether it is a good ending or bad ending. You will decide if it’s a good or bad (ending) for you. Nevertheless, UG’s ending scene is already fixed. Just look forward to it.)
There are millions of stories to read, but we only have a short lifespan to finish all of them. It is up to you whether you will give Unintentional Game and its creator, Logihy, a chance to tell their story to you this lifetime. One thing for sure, it may not be your cup of tea as we all have different tastes, but you will surely learn a lot while reading this story.
Thank you AO!