After the success of his first web novel “Debut or Die,” the author with the pen name Baek Deok-soo returns with a hypnotizing story about a haunted universe: “Got Dropped into a Ghost Story, Still Gotta Work,” or GSGW for short. The unique plotline and the writing style assemble into a whole that allures any horror fan.

Web novels are narratives released and published almost exclusively online, often updated on a weekly basis. As opposed to traditional literature, their short chapters provide quick conflict resolutions, thus they easily capture attention.

Whereas “Debut or Die” features the K-pop idol industry, GSGW shifts its focus to ghouls and survival. The change-up inevitably brought ambivalent reactions, but despite concerns, GSGW topped the charts as the #1 web novel on Kakaopage on its release in Korea.

GSGW begins with the protagonist Soleum Kim, an avid fan of the fictional horror wiki “Dark Exploration Record,” who suddenly falls into the very world of the series. He endures a grotesque recruitment exam for Baekilmong Co., Ltd., a mysterious pharmaceutical company, and earns a position.

The employees of Baekilmong deliberately enter and explore perilous ghost story worlds, otherwise known as “darknesses,” to receive points that can be exchanged for a wish ticket—a mythical item that makes anything come true. Soleum, despite his cowardly nature, dedicates himself to the job with the goal of returning home through the wish ticket.

The plotline introduces a variety of darknesses and follows Soleum as he navigates through each one. 

Among all the episodes, “Braun’s Tuesday Quiz Show” prevails as my top pick. Despite its reputation as a beginner-friendly darkness, an unexpected event rules out the only escape route known to Soleum’s team and brings tension to the plot.

But Soleum, as one who virtually memorized the entire wiki of “Dark Exploration Record” out of love, devises a brilliant plan and saves the group. This motif, where Soleum’s ample knowledge saves lives, occurs repeatedly throughout the first half of the series and delivers dopamine rush after dopamine rush to the reader.

Braun, the quiz show host, makes an appearance in later chapters and presents one of the largest plot twists of the series. When Soleum enters the “Cheerful Theme Park!” story, my second favorite, Soleum summons Braun for help—in a form of a petite bunny keychain. 

From this point on, Braun serves his role as a reliable companion throughout the narrative rather than the monstrous creature that he used to be. The switch-up initially came as a surprise, but as the story continued, his presence became an irreplaceable part of Soleum’s journey.

The protagonist’s dynamic mirrors the “the strongest one” trope frequently used in comics, where the main character dominates others with either their power or knowledge. This cliché often results in flat, predictable plotlines, which opens any piece to criticism. GSGW overcomes this issue through adding a variety of weaknesses to Soleum, ranging from his cowardly personality to the unique concept of “pollutions.”

A “pollution” refers to a phenomenon where a darkness projects its features onto the visitors and alter their self-perception. The mechanism resembles that of Dissociative Identity Disorder, where a trigger related to the ghost story brings out certain responses, often switching the polluted one’s entire character.

Soleum, throughout his career at Baekilmong, acquires various pollutions that slowly pervade his consciousness and tear him away from his original identity as Soleum Kim. This separation from self made me feel sympathetic for him, despite his status as an all-knowing protagonist.

Out of all pollutions, one referred to as “130666” captivated my mind the most. After a failed attempt to return to his original world, Soleum melts into an unrecognizable gunk that his boss shoves into a mysterious security outfit. The executive labels this forced existence with the number “130666.”  

Despite heavy brainwashing and manipulation 130666 had to go through, a tint of Soleum’s caring and just personality still remains. The polluted personas boast disparate characteristics, but underneath the covers, they all represent Soleum in a unique way. This serves as a metaphor for how one’s positive characteristics can persist even after repeated trauma. 

Baek Deok-soo’s unique writing style enhances the horror elements. His use of repetition, various text colors and different font sizes make full use of the versatile medium of web novels. 

For instance, at the end of episode 21, the line “Are you ignoring me?” takes up the entire “page” in bright red color. This conveys a sense of urgency and danger when Soleum attempts to leave a darkness.

In the end, I would rate this piece a 9 out of 10. Currently with 371 episodes on Kakaopage, GSGW always sends chills down my spine. It diverges from the rigid trifecta of web novel clichés: reincarnation, possession  and regression. Instead, it serves a mix of humor, action-packed moments and relatable scenes of Soleum’s yearning for “home.” This page-turner will definitely appeal to even those unfamiliar with the genre.