Tell me, dear butler 1 (Korean version)

Tell me, dear butler 1 (Korean version) 가르쳐줘 집사 1 is the Korean edition of the Japanese shōjo manga by Masaki Michi: a romantic comedy about a young woman head-over-heels for her unflappable butler.

It is the Korean translation, by Kim Su-yeon, of the Japanese manga おしえて執事くん (Oshiete Shitsuji-kun), created by Masaki Michi and published in Japan by Kodansha in Dessert magazine. The work started as a one-shot and was serialised after a strong reader response. This is Volume 1.

What this volume is about: Kikyo has been in love with her butler, Hanayagi, ever since he stood by her during a lonely stretch of her childhood. No matter how she tries to get his attention, Hanayagi stays composed and brushes off her advances. When she heads to a party determined to find someone new, it is Hanayagi who shows up and pulls her away. A slow-burn mistress-and-butler romantic comedy, full of misunderstandings, quiet jealousy and romantic tension.

Recommended level: approximately TOPIK II (levels 3–4). The dialogue revolves around school and everyday life and is supported by the visual context of the panels, which makes it easier to follow. Difficulty rises because of three things: the very formal honorific speech (존댓말) the butler uses, Korean onomatopoeia (의성어/의태어), and the protagonist's youth slang. This is an approximate guide, not an official rating.