The Spring 2025 K-Comics Guide

The Grand Duke is Mine

What's It About? 

If you got a second chance at life, what would you do differently? If Ignette's life was a Shakespearean story, the genre would be a tragedy. But when her death triggers a do-over for some of her life's most significant events, she is determined to approach each choice carefully, and with the most informed intentions. But with so many obstacles in the way, will she succeed in creating a different life than her last? Her pursuit of happily-ever-after with the Grand Duke is only about to begin.

The Grand Duke is Mine has a story by modoljjona and art by A-BAM and SESAENG. English translation and lettering by Manta Comics. Published by Manta Comics (March 22, 2025). Rated T+.

Is It Worth Reading?

Rebecca Silverman
Rating:

The story of The Grand Duke is Mine may not stand out much, but the art absolutely does. A-BAM and SESAENG's artwork is some of the best at taking advantage of the vertical scroll format that I've seen, placing text in carefully considered spots, using decorative frames and borders to great effect, and varying styles as the narrative warrants it. It's not perfect – male lower abdomens look generally a bit too flat – but it's still a joy to just look at.

That's good, too, because while the story isn't bad, it also doesn't do much to set itself apart. It's a very basic time loop/reincarnation story – Ignette dies after a terrible life of abuse and finds herself whisked back in time to just before her first (of three) marriage. Because of the kindness of her estranged first husband in her dying moments after her third husband murdered her, Ignette is determined to make things work this time, to get out from under her parents' rule and to ensure that they can never make her divorce Grand Duke Heintz.

There's no downplaying how awful Ignette's first go-round was. We're not sure why her parents favor her younger sister Rosalie so much, but we don't need to in order to see the horrors she suffers. Ignette quickly realizes that her best bet is to make sure that Heintz can't divorce her, and since her father let slip that he had gotten an allowance out of the grand duke, Ignette figures that her first order of business is to force her dad to allow her to go to her wedding herself (he wants to send a proxy) and then to get that allowance for herself. Of course, the “proxy” Heintz sends to the wedding is the man himself, but Ignette doesn't know that, so showing up in person really was the right call.

From there things are pretty basic within genre confines. Ignette uses the memories of her previous life to gather people around her who will prove helpful, and she makes plans to circumvent the cruelties she suffered the last time. She also wants to help those who were kind to her before, like her maid Lena and Isaac, a pickpocket one of her husbands employed. Ignette is a good heroine, kind but not foolish; it's just that the plot she's stuck in is so very pat. It's worth reading for the art alone, but otherwise, this is strictly for genre fans – who, I daresay, will find plenty to enjoy.