this was a really entertaining read!! i'm personally intrigued by cult/religion themed horror stories, and smiley has that essence of the terrifying nature of cults and the dark side of toxic positivity (which is taken to an EXTREME) really well. unlike typical horror mcs who are thrown into danger by accident, this fucker decides to walk straight into the cult and join them, driven by his natural curiosity as a journalist to find out the truth. and it's not because he's some clueless naive idiot,, he thinks he’s in control, that he’s the one observing the cult from the outside. but the horror comes when herealizes he’s been pulled in deeper than he ever intended. as the investigation deepens, small unsettling details like the eerily scripted conversations, and the way people just straight up disappear start adding up until the situation becomes suffocating. there's also a lot of twists!!

visually, the manga amplifies this tension with its SUPER uncanny valley vibes. the exaggerated smiles of the cult members make my skin crawl.. it's kinda like staring at a mannequin that looks disturbingly realistic for too long x_x

i'm looking forward to more!