Original Title: 흔한 빙의물인 줄 알았다 | Publisher: Naver Webtoon
Contains light spoilers for Episodes 1 to 22
Ah, isekai stories. Other than Villains are Destined to Die, I don’t really read manhwa from this genre, so I surprised my own self when I decided to pick this one up. I think what attracts me to both these stories is that the FL in each story, despite their heartbreaking childhoods living with abusive family members, they aren’t shackled by their pasts and they stand up for themselves and for the original characters that they find themselves reincarnated in.
Before I get any further into the discussion, let’s do a quick overview of what I Thought It Was a Common Isekai Story is about. The story follows Choi Soona, who dies at the hands of her gambling-addicted brother. She’s isekai’d into a romance novel called Getting Rid of the Obsession and wakes up in the body of Edith Rigelhoff who (surprise, surprise) is the villainess of the story. Knowing that the original Edith is eventually killed off by her own husband, our Edith decides that she just wants to live quietly as a rich daughter-in-law, so armed with the knowledge she has from the original novel, Edith basically does the opposite of anything that the original Edith does. Of course, that doesn’t go to plan because even though she tries her hardest to go against the original events of the novel by not being a terrible person, she realizes that despite her best efforts, something is making the story progress as it originally was written.
I’ve read through 22 episodes so far, and that is past my 10 episode rule. I think I’m going to stick with it! Hell, I’m even tempted to track down a translation of the original web novel to read past where the current manhwa is (I’m not a very patient person lol). There’s something so refreshing about Edith. Despite being treated like an outcast by almost everyone in the ducal household, she still holds her head up high and defends herself against lies and conspiracy, no matter who it is, even if it’s Duke Rudwick himself doing the accusing.
Another thing that was new (at least to me) for this type of isekai story was that what the reader knew of the original Edith wasn’t true. Edith isn’t the haughty, conniving, flirtatious vixen she was made out to be. Edith was actually a victim: she was mistreated and abused by her own family. So the FL had a terrible family in her original life and also in her transmigrated life as Edith. She just can’t catch a break!
Of course, if Edith isn’t the villain anymore, someone has to be. There are enough questionable characters in the story who could be the villain (I mean, even the ML at this point seems villainous mostly because he’s a complete and total dick to Edith), but since the original novel is a romance and Edith is now the FL, of course the villain is now the original FL: Elize Sinclair. Elize has her own sob story background where she’s born as an illegitimate daughter in a noble house and is treated terribly by her family. She’s welcomed into the Rudwick duchy after saving the Duchess of Rudwick and typical of these types of stories, the two young Lords of the duchy fall in love with her. She’s kind. She’s sweet. She’s well-loved by everyone. But, ah, she’s not what she seems.
We get the first glimpse of Elize’s true nature during a tea party Elize holds with Edith, Cliff and Killian. I was surprised it took so long for the crack in Elize’s facade to show. In similar isekai stories, I feel like it normally occurs within the first few episodes, but it took a while with this one (I think episode 8???). I mean, as the reader, you’re already suspicious of Elize from the get-go, but I do have to admit for a minute I was hoping that Elize would remain the gentle FL she is in the original novel. But of course that wouldn’t happen. This story needs a villain.
Let’s take a bit to talk about the two young Lords of the Rudwick duchy: Cliff and Killian. I find it funny that Cliff is the original ML of the story because from the very beginning, he looks and acts like a pompous asshole. I get his golden eyes are supposed to be incredibly beautiful and catching, but it just emphasizes how arrogant he is. And Killian? He’s the ML, and I’m having a reeeeeeeally hard time liking him at this point of the story. Right now, I’d rather have Linon (the assistant to the Duke) as the ML! Don’t get me wrong, I get it. Killian was forced into a marriage he didn’t want with someone he despises all while he has someone else (Elize) in his heart. But he doesn’t give Edith a chance AT ALL before making assumptions, treating her like dirt and insulting her to her face.
*sigh*
In complete transparency, I’ve already spoiled the story for myself, so I kinda know what’s going to happen. I’m still going to stick around though. I desperately want to see how this plays out in the manhwa.
Find I Thought it was a Common Isekai Story on Naver Webtoon
