Sorim Grapes is Wronged

Ha-un, who lost his parents at a young age and was left alone with his younger sibling, dropped out of middle school and has worked various manual labor jobs to survive. One day, after winning the lottery and suddenly becoming wealthy, burnout hits him just as life starts to get easier. With no friends or hobbies, Ha-un lies listlessly in bed all day until his younger sibling asks him to reach level 50 in an online game called “Forest Effect” for a college assignment. Having suffered from hwabyung, distrust in people, and misanthropy from 12 years of labor, plus holding prejudices that games are only for pathetic people, Ha-un reluctantly logs into the game for his sibling’s sake but wants to play alone because he dislikes people. However, there’s someone who keeps approaching him, saying “it’s more fun to play with others.” This person seems to be famous in the game… Coincidentally, a well-known pro gamer who claims to be his sibling’s friend from school also starts suspiciously approaching him. Why are both of these people acting this way towards him? Will Ha-un, a hungry fox who sees all people and games as sour, unripe grapes, be able to peacefully remain alone? [Note: This references the Aesop’s fable “The Fox and the Sour Grapes” – One day, a hungry fox discovers luscious gr*pe clusters hanging from a vine. After trying to jump and kicking the tree trunk but failing to reach the grapes, the fox turns away saying, “Those must be sour grapes. They’re definitely sour and tasteless.”]